Helicopter Pilots Salaries
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 0
From: UK
It seems to me to be a mess.
There are remarkable variations in police pilots' Ts & Cs despite the job being pretty much the same in all UK Units. The salaries for police line pilots vary from 34K to mid 60Ks, as far as I can tell. This is for pretty much the same job, and is a massive spread. How can that be justified? It isn't of course, that is just the way it is and no one raises it. The same applied to the benefits too.
As is mentioned in the last post, police pilots are being employed with no twin time (beyond the type rating course). The normal minimum night time is not complied with either.
I am afraid that I share Silsoe Sid's less than optimistic view that the standards will drop - they already have. The link between the lowering of standards and some unfortunate incident will not be automatic nor happen immediately, but it may well occur.
There may be some mileage in getting organised, but there is no guarantee.
In some respects we are our own worst enemy. Many of us cannot do anything else apart from fly (in the sense that we have no other saleable qualifications). Some of us have over time got fed up and left police work. To date though, this has not caused a problem for the employer, because there has been a steady supply of others wanting to follow. Maybe this has dried up a bit at present. A little bird suggested to me recently that the flow of retiring miltary pilots may soon be increasing again. Maybe the employers are just waiting for that?
Those who do leave are the ones prepared to drag themsleves out of the pit. For the "civvies" this is nothing new - they almost certainly paid obscene amounts of their own money to get the licences/ratings to date. Additional ratings are just another one (albeit pretty expensive if it is the IR).
The police financial budget cuts don't help either. They may not act directly, but they set a downward trend to the overall picture.
There are remarkable variations in police pilots' Ts & Cs despite the job being pretty much the same in all UK Units. The salaries for police line pilots vary from 34K to mid 60Ks, as far as I can tell. This is for pretty much the same job, and is a massive spread. How can that be justified? It isn't of course, that is just the way it is and no one raises it. The same applied to the benefits too.
As is mentioned in the last post, police pilots are being employed with no twin time (beyond the type rating course). The normal minimum night time is not complied with either.
I am afraid that I share Silsoe Sid's less than optimistic view that the standards will drop - they already have. The link between the lowering of standards and some unfortunate incident will not be automatic nor happen immediately, but it may well occur.
There may be some mileage in getting organised, but there is no guarantee.
In some respects we are our own worst enemy. Many of us cannot do anything else apart from fly (in the sense that we have no other saleable qualifications). Some of us have over time got fed up and left police work. To date though, this has not caused a problem for the employer, because there has been a steady supply of others wanting to follow. Maybe this has dried up a bit at present. A little bird suggested to me recently that the flow of retiring miltary pilots may soon be increasing again. Maybe the employers are just waiting for that?
Those who do leave are the ones prepared to drag themsleves out of the pit. For the "civvies" this is nothing new - they almost certainly paid obscene amounts of their own money to get the licences/ratings to date. Additional ratings are just another one (albeit pretty expensive if it is the IR).
The police financial budget cuts don't help either. They may not act directly, but they set a downward trend to the overall picture.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: India
Helicopter Salary ready reckoner
Hi Folks
Just thought of starting a salary ready reckoner....to help everyone out there get a better deal in life(the best deal is already there-flying).
I guess the format could be:
Region:India
Aircraft:Bell 412/407
Salary+perks:6500USD
Cheers and hope it sure helps
Just thought of starting a salary ready reckoner....to help everyone out there get a better deal in life(the best deal is already there-flying).
I guess the format could be:
Region:India
Aircraft:Bell 412/407
Salary+perks:6500USD
Cheers and hope it sure helps
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
From: Cheshire
Just to stir the pot a little because I can't resist it.
This is great! Nice to see some attitude at last. Gone are the tones of complacency. At last, thank goodness, they're being replaced by a gentle lean towards militancy. Damn right too! We have every right to be disgruntled, even angry. Let's keep talking ourselves up and our terms down. Let's keep reminding our employers and ourselves of our true value. If the job looks easy to them, gently remind them it's because we made it look easy! That's right, we're skilled professionals and deserve to be paid as such. Let's consider the possibility of some kind of united representation through BALPA and let's keep the T&Cs issue at the top of the agenda.
Someone, somewhere will have to offer a significant improvement, the rest will inevitably follow.
This is great! Nice to see some attitude at last. Gone are the tones of complacency. At last, thank goodness, they're being replaced by a gentle lean towards militancy. Damn right too! We have every right to be disgruntled, even angry. Let's keep talking ourselves up and our terms down. Let's keep reminding our employers and ourselves of our true value. If the job looks easy to them, gently remind them it's because we made it look easy! That's right, we're skilled professionals and deserve to be paid as such. Let's consider the possibility of some kind of united representation through BALPA and let's keep the T&Cs issue at the top of the agenda.
Someone, somewhere will have to offer a significant improvement, the rest will inevitably follow.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: India
Hi FlungDung
Houses and cost of living depends on the city/town that you are at.but taking Metros like Mumbai/Delhi.....you are looking at 750-900USD for a fully furnished flat or a 1785USD/month for a 1 room service aprtment with 2-3 meals thrown in.
But I normally try to push this aspect as a perk for free.
Houses and cost of living depends on the city/town that you are at.but taking Metros like Mumbai/Delhi.....you are looking at 750-900USD for a fully furnished flat or a 1785USD/month for a 1 room service aprtment with 2-3 meals thrown in.
But I normally try to push this aspect as a perk for free.
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Joined: Nov 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,753
Likes: 66
From: Alles über die platz
Seems that the next unit to go directly employed will be paying their line pilots less than £42k.
Not bad considering they are all, both 902 and 135 rated!
As Arthur Daley might say “My word is my bond Terry.”
But as no-one in the unit is called Terry, the word was no bond!!
Not bad considering they are all, both 902 and 135 rated!
As Arthur Daley might say “My word is my bond Terry.”
But as no-one in the unit is called Terry, the word was no bond!!
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: UK
I believe the pay agreement that at least one north sea operator has with the pilot workforce runs out in a couple of years time. Already some pilots believe that they are falling behind in the salary stakes (when compared to the fixed wing benchmark) and will be keen to see a big improvement in salaries.
A united workforce is (IMHO) the only way to achieve a sensible hike in pay. Difficult enough to achieve in the offshore industry, let alone in the general aviation sector.
A united workforce is (IMHO) the only way to achieve a sensible hike in pay. Difficult enough to achieve in the offshore industry, let alone in the general aviation sector.
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Joined: Nov 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,753
Likes: 66
From: Alles über die platz
I wonder what the pilots concerned will do though.
However once bitten...!
I think they will perhaps find this forum post useful 'Need breath holding techniques please!!!!!!! '
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Joined: Nov 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,753
Likes: 66
From: Alles über die platz
Silsoe is alllllllways right my friend..........apart from Forward Autorotation P of F on yor 6 monthly eh mate!!
Besides, PoF was always my good subject, perhaps I can help you by donating £2.50 a day to the NHS for your future treatment!
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: UK
"Seems that the next unit to go directly employed will be paying their line pilots less than £42k.
Not bad considering they are all, both 902 and 135 rated"!
Just wondering where the information came from and if it was somewhere to the east that SS was talking about.
Not bad considering they are all, both 902 and 135 rated"!
Just wondering where the information came from and if it was somewhere to the east that SS was talking about.
Joined: Aug 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 206
From: SW England
I can think of at least 8 people who're qualified on the 902 and 135, and I certainly don't know everyone in the industry.
Asking around the business as my short-term contract came to an end recently, I learned that one company recently advertising for floaters offers 41K basic plus 5K floater-allowance and 4K for use of your car. Another mainly-Air Amb operator was similar but has its full floater-quota, while the one I've ended up working for pays a lot less. I could've opted for the freelance way of life, which is a very healthy sector at the moment, but I lack the necessary entrepreneurial spirit. However, the quality of life I enjoy more than amply compensates for the lower salary, hence the decision.
Asking around the business as my short-term contract came to an end recently, I learned that one company recently advertising for floaters offers 41K basic plus 5K floater-allowance and 4K for use of your car. Another mainly-Air Amb operator was similar but has its full floater-quota, while the one I've ended up working for pays a lot less. I could've opted for the freelance way of life, which is a very healthy sector at the moment, but I lack the necessary entrepreneurial spirit. However, the quality of life I enjoy more than amply compensates for the lower salary, hence the decision.
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: uk
The problem with getting a 'Company Council' set up to fight our corner is that there are a lot of companies involved as well as PA's. Add to that freelancers and there is a classic divide and conquer situation. We have people doing the same job at the same units on different T&C's dependant on when they joined and what the company could get away with! If it was as easy as getting everyone to join BALPA and allowing them to speak with one voice to all of the employers then it would have happened years ago. The industry is fragmented and the employers like it that way. For anyone who work for PAs, has there been a marked improvemnt to your T&C's since the CC was set up? You may not be getting as much as you would like but did the CC make a difference?