How much do helicopter pilots earn?
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: aust
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The average day contracting rate in Australia currently sits on $300-400 and then maybe an hourly rate of around $75 an hour if there is plenty of flying. Thats for day VFR general flying. A few examples: chasing locusts,fire fighting,powerline ops and media work. Hope that helps.
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Aus, Europe & everywhere in between
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rotorspeed, you say you are an employer so I put this to you.
You ask prospective employees what their expected salary is. If they get the job, do you put them on that salary?
I have never understood the rationale of that question that you see placed in job adverts. Why not just say that the job pays "X" and be done with it. That to me makes more sense.
I think every pilot thinks that they are worth more than what they are already being paid. That is why most pilots move on - to earn more money!
That is the only reason they have expats flying in the Middle East - because of the higher dollars paid compared to their home country.
You ask prospective employees what their expected salary is. If they get the job, do you put them on that salary?
I have never understood the rationale of that question that you see placed in job adverts. Why not just say that the job pays "X" and be done with it. That to me makes more sense.
I think every pilot thinks that they are worth more than what they are already being paid. That is why most pilots move on - to earn more money!
That is the only reason they have expats flying in the Middle East - because of the higher dollars paid compared to their home country.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To give a quick overview of corporate north-east US....
Day rates seem to average US$500 to 800 per day, regardless of length of time on duty/hours flown. Sounds nice, though this assumes you are current in the twin being flown and have probably established yourself in the area for some time.
General charter in singles and tours are around mid to upper US$40,000's , though tour pilots get tips!
Full time corporate-type First Officers in twins can be from mid US$50,000's to US$80,000's depending on type of corp owner or whether Part 135 charter operator.
Captains seem to be around US$60,000 for single pilot charter in twins like TwinStar or EC135, to US$90-120k+ for the name-brand flight departments.
Seems like alot? Then again, FOs often need ATPL and 3,000TT and captains 3,000-5,000 with twin experience to get an interview. All fly IFR regularly apart from the winter icing days.
Some work a handfull of days per month but are on a pager and must be ready if called. Others worj x on / y off and know to a more certain degree their work schedule (though not where they'll be flying to til the night before).
Housing prices within an hour of northern NJ, Whiteplains or the Conneticut based programs are very pricey for something you'd like your family to live in and take a big bite out of your income.
Still, a marvelous job if you can get one. Love it to bits. Persistance and timing are often key to getting in.
Day rates seem to average US$500 to 800 per day, regardless of length of time on duty/hours flown. Sounds nice, though this assumes you are current in the twin being flown and have probably established yourself in the area for some time.
General charter in singles and tours are around mid to upper US$40,000's , though tour pilots get tips!
Full time corporate-type First Officers in twins can be from mid US$50,000's to US$80,000's depending on type of corp owner or whether Part 135 charter operator.
Captains seem to be around US$60,000 for single pilot charter in twins like TwinStar or EC135, to US$90-120k+ for the name-brand flight departments.
Seems like alot? Then again, FOs often need ATPL and 3,000TT and captains 3,000-5,000 with twin experience to get an interview. All fly IFR regularly apart from the winter icing days.
Some work a handfull of days per month but are on a pager and must be ready if called. Others worj x on / y off and know to a more certain degree their work schedule (though not where they'll be flying to til the night before).
Housing prices within an hour of northern NJ, Whiteplains or the Conneticut based programs are very pricey for something you'd like your family to live in and take a big bite out of your income.
Still, a marvelous job if you can get one. Love it to bits. Persistance and timing are often key to getting in.
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Europe
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oogle
Quite a co-oincidence - haven't looked at PPRune for a while and then tonight when I do I get asked a question!
As an employer I want to pay the least I have to in order to get a thoroughly competent, motivated, happy employee. But I also want to try and assess how genuinely committed that person will be to the job if he/she gets it. People leaving within months of being recruited is a costly pain for a business.
Inevitably there is a spread of salaries for any given job, sometimes big, sometimes small. By asking what someone's expectations are I can gauge what I need to pay them for them to be happy with any offer and the job. If they tell me they want £15k more than what I feel is right, the chances are that even if they accept my offer, they will not really be happy and soon looking around for a better deal. If they tell me they want pretty much what I think is fair I'll think they're realistic. If they tell me £10k less than the job's worth I'll be a bit suspicious that they are too desperate for the job and probe for any reasons.
Will I pay them what they ask? If it's realistic, usually yes. If it's too high, I'll make an sensible offer, respecting an effort to ask for more, and if it's readily accepted be happy. But if instead there's then a gnashing of teeth I'll tell them the job's not for them as they clearly will not be happy.
If they ask less than I was expecting, assuming they fit the criteria, they'll go towards the top of the list of candidates. I'll offer them the job on the salary they asked for. I'll be pretty confident they'll be happy and stay and I'll know I've got headroom for salary rises if they do the good job I thought they'd do.
Does that help you understand why I ask now? Of course, not saying I'm right, but it's worked pretty well for 15 years!
Quite a co-oincidence - haven't looked at PPRune for a while and then tonight when I do I get asked a question!
As an employer I want to pay the least I have to in order to get a thoroughly competent, motivated, happy employee. But I also want to try and assess how genuinely committed that person will be to the job if he/she gets it. People leaving within months of being recruited is a costly pain for a business.
Inevitably there is a spread of salaries for any given job, sometimes big, sometimes small. By asking what someone's expectations are I can gauge what I need to pay them for them to be happy with any offer and the job. If they tell me they want £15k more than what I feel is right, the chances are that even if they accept my offer, they will not really be happy and soon looking around for a better deal. If they tell me they want pretty much what I think is fair I'll think they're realistic. If they tell me £10k less than the job's worth I'll be a bit suspicious that they are too desperate for the job and probe for any reasons.
Will I pay them what they ask? If it's realistic, usually yes. If it's too high, I'll make an sensible offer, respecting an effort to ask for more, and if it's readily accepted be happy. But if instead there's then a gnashing of teeth I'll tell them the job's not for them as they clearly will not be happy.
If they ask less than I was expecting, assuming they fit the criteria, they'll go towards the top of the list of candidates. I'll offer them the job on the salary they asked for. I'll be pretty confident they'll be happy and stay and I'll know I've got headroom for salary rises if they do the good job I thought they'd do.
Does that help you understand why I ask now? Of course, not saying I'm right, but it's worked pretty well for 15 years!
Last edited by rotorspeed; 4th Nov 2005 at 19:21.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: up north
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Beat this one:
Logging Co-Pilot in a 214
$1300 salary plus 2$/hr flightpay plus $30/day expenses while in the bush
shifts are:
1 week in the hangar sweeping floors
2 weeks in the bush getting beaten up
1 week off drinking beer (homebrewed)
$1300 salary plus 2$/hr flightpay plus $30/day expenses while in the bush
shifts are:
1 week in the hangar sweeping floors
2 weeks in the bush getting beaten up
1 week off drinking beer (homebrewed)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Far East
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
my own view
What is the long thread!Just finished this one.Some words about low range salary for heli pilots.48-old Cap in Cuba said me that he earn about 300-400 US/month,flying on Mil-8.This wage considered pretty good in Cuba.It was a couple of years ago.
Here is my own view about salary pyramid in heli-aviation
Top-corporate pilots ,mainly in the US.
1st level-Offshore pilots with IFR endorsement,and appropriate experience
2nd level-tour pilots
3nd level-FI,they're paid a little amount of money
4nd level-Time-builders,they're flying for those bloody hours,and paid only for food.
5.Rich men.They are pay own money for flying.
6.CEO's and owners of this business.They are pay for all-those pilots,maintenance,licensing,fuel,parking,etc...
Here is my own view about salary pyramid in heli-aviation
Top-corporate pilots ,mainly in the US.
1st level-Offshore pilots with IFR endorsement,and appropriate experience
2nd level-tour pilots
3nd level-FI,they're paid a little amount of money
4nd level-Time-builders,they're flying for those bloody hours,and paid only for food.
5.Rich men.They are pay own money for flying.
6.CEO's and owners of this business.They are pay for all-those pilots,maintenance,licensing,fuel,parking,etc...
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: uk
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't know where people are getting the North Sea figures from but I know for a fact that if you have 3000+hrs you can work only 6 mths of the year and take home £3000.00 per month , you can add another £600.00 to this for junior captains (provided you work for the right company
)
)
2006,
how far through the threads did you look? I suspect you only saw the figures at the start (2001); later the 2004 scales were shown.
how far through the threads did you look? I suspect you only saw the figures at the start (2001); later the 2004 scales were shown.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Sweden
Age: 45
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
North Sea co-pilot pay
Hello fellow rotorheads
I know this question has come up in various forms in this forum before, but after using the search engine here, I'm not satisfied with the answers I've seen. The moneyamounts are to different from each other.
My question is simply: As a junior co-pilot flying for ex a AS Puma or S-76 in the offshore North Sea business, what is the pay? Please convert to US dollars per year totally, including all extra fringes. And please write how many days on and off. Try to keep to facts, not "rumours".
Just so I could get a picture of the market. I've searched this forum for "north sea pay", but not found what I want. All it takes is 2-3 ppl writing an answer.
Thanks in advance
RotorSwede
I know this question has come up in various forms in this forum before, but after using the search engine here, I'm not satisfied with the answers I've seen. The moneyamounts are to different from each other.
My question is simply: As a junior co-pilot flying for ex a AS Puma or S-76 in the offshore North Sea business, what is the pay? Please convert to US dollars per year totally, including all extra fringes. And please write how many days on and off. Try to keep to facts, not "rumours".
Just so I could get a picture of the market. I've searched this forum for "north sea pay", but not found what I want. All it takes is 2-3 ppl writing an answer.
Thanks in advance
RotorSwede
How about a schedule of 5/2/5/9, meaning work monday to friday, take weekend off, work monday to friday again and the you go off for 9 days.
CoPilots net income about 3000 to 3500 euros = 3600 to 4200 USD.
Commuting cost out of your own pocket.
With that schedule you travel 1.5 times a month or 18 times a year.
CoPilots net income about 3000 to 3500 euros = 3600 to 4200 USD.
Commuting cost out of your own pocket.
With that schedule you travel 1.5 times a month or 18 times a year.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Gloucestershire, UK
Age: 55
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
for those of you who took out a loan to go from zero to cfi, how long did it take to pay it back?