US pilot pay comparison
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US pilot pay comparison
Just came across this website http://www.mesa-air.com/pilots.asp with the airline advertising positions, Pay is mentioned a few paragraphs down
Not sure if I'm missing something but this works out to be:
18.15 x 70hrs x 12months = 15246 USD per year
Did a bit of surf around, found another website http://www.aviationinterviews.com/compare_pay_rates.php
and pay didn't seem to be that much better at a lot of other airlines.
My question is, are pilot salaries really that low in the US? Makes my pay as a turboprop FO in Aust. look not so bad even accounting for the exchange rate.
Pilots are paid per flight hour as negotiated between the Air Line Pilots Association and the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Railway Labor Act. The Contract stipulates minimum pay of 70 hours per 28-day bid period and pilots are paid every two weeks. Current first year First Officer pay is $18.15 per flight hour for turboprops and $20.43 per flight hour for Regional Jets.
18.15 x 70hrs x 12months = 15246 USD per year
Did a bit of surf around, found another website http://www.aviationinterviews.com/compare_pay_rates.php
and pay didn't seem to be that much better at a lot of other airlines.
My question is, are pilot salaries really that low in the US? Makes my pay as a turboprop FO in Aust. look not so bad even accounting for the exchange rate.
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My wife used to fly for a local commuter, and the owner of the company actually had the audacity to ask his pilots not to apply for food stamps!
Yes, commuter pay in the US is really that bad, but made up for with the glamour and glory of a shiny new uniform with gold stripes and a fancy hat, and a wall street journal.
Yes, commuter pay in the US is really that bad, but made up for with the glamour and glory of a shiny new uniform with gold stripes and a fancy hat, and a wall street journal.
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www.willflyforfood.cc click on payscales. I believe those are pretty accurate.
An American Girl
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Let me put it to you this way, someone with three years or less swinging gear from the right seat in the mighty CRJ200 for one of the "express" regionals who:
a) lives in one of the major metro areas (especially in and around NYC where living costs are 25% - 30% higher than anywhere else);
b) has two children;
c) qualifies for Food Stamps.
For those of you on the other side of the lake, that's a US government program that helps families living below the statistical poverty line put food on the table. I know more than one who has done it.
a) lives in one of the major metro areas (especially in and around NYC where living costs are 25% - 30% higher than anywhere else);
b) has two children;
c) qualifies for Food Stamps.
For those of you on the other side of the lake, that's a US government program that helps families living below the statistical poverty line put food on the table. I know more than one who has done it.
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a turboprop company (cargo) in the USA, pay:2200$-3000$ /month(capt.postion)independant of hours but usually you fly 50-70h/month, still better than the commuters at 1500$/month and be based in new york with food stamps!
Pilots doing canceled cheques make around 1500$/month and are not well treated (no hotel rooms,...)
and flight instructors make around 800-1500$/month based on # of customers, weather,...
the good companies are of course netjet, AA,...but it takes years to get a job with them.
I think less and less students will go for aviation in the USA, no financial return in the short term or even in the long term...and no guaranties!
it is a job where you stay poor for years
!
Pilots doing canceled cheques make around 1500$/month and are not well treated (no hotel rooms,...)
and flight instructors make around 800-1500$/month based on # of customers, weather,...
the good companies are of course netjet, AA,...but it takes years to get a job with them.
I think less and less students will go for aviation in the USA, no financial return in the short term or even in the long term...and no guaranties!
it is a job where you stay poor for years
!
Last edited by dartagnan; 17th Sep 2006 at 09:47.
An American Girl
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If you're thinking about eventually getting on with a US-based legacy carrier such as American Airlines, be advised that these once-proud, powerful companies, in the post-9/11 world, have the habit of going into court to break labor agreements and abrogate pension obligations (not only for pilots). In the States, a company can appeal to the court to transfer its unfunded pension obligations to the American taxpayer under the terms of a law called ERISA. Or, simply say not pay.
This drives wages and other costs down as the carrier struggles for breath, drowning in a sea of expensive fuel while they outsouce bits and pieces of their route structure to "regionals" and "feeder-communters" not covered by the collective bargaining agreements because they were founded after specific effective dates.
Complicated, profoundly non-glamorous environment in which to work.
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Flyboyike-
Im very curious about this...do you mind if I ask what type of company and what the [I]stated[I] minimums were when you applied? I do traffic watch and didn't get hired for that till I had 400. PM ok if you prefer.
Im very curious about this...do you mind if I ask what type of company and what the [I]stated[I] minimums were when you applied? I do traffic watch and didn't get hired for that till I had 400. PM ok if you prefer.
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I'm with a regional airline. The stated minimums were 1000TT/200ME preferred, but not required.
Sorry to intrude fellas, but I couldn't help posting after some of the insanity I just read above. We must really love aviation...we (the collective we) prostitude ourselves for it every day. I thought helo drivers had it bad, but some of the outrageous pay you fixed wing drivers have to put up with makes me ashamed.
My heart is with you guys...keep your chins up.
HP
My heart is with you guys...keep your chins up.
HP
Years ago, a SF-340 FO with NW Airlink told a reporter with the Memphis "Commercial Appeal" newspaper that he qualified for government food stamps.
His company told him that next time he made such a statement to the press, he would be fired
. This was printed somewhere else in an article.
On the other hand, an FO there who is from England told me that because of the very high British taxes and cost of living, the FO pay with a US regional (in a lower cost region) might leave you better off than in England, despite the better pay "over there." That comment surprised me. He told me that he had worked either for the Army N.G. or the Army Reserve before he became a pilot.
His company told him that next time he made such a statement to the press, he would be fired
. This was printed somewhere else in an article.On the other hand, an FO there who is from England told me that because of the very high British taxes and cost of living, the FO pay with a US regional (in a lower cost region) might leave you better off than in England, despite the better pay "over there." That comment surprised me. He told me that he had worked either for the Army N.G. or the Army Reserve before he became a pilot.
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Mesa do 13 months for a year. every month is only 28 days. plus 70 hours is what you get if you don’t fly at all. you will probably get 85 - 90 if holding a line. plus you get per diem. maybe an extra $300 non taxable dollars a month. plus if you fly a turbo prop, Capt. upgrade is when ever you want it. I know someone who has 100 hours on type and has already upgraded, with no 121 experience, only a flight instructor before. capt pay is $42,000 first year.
Rent costs me $213 a month for a nice apartment. Petrol is about 3 times as cheap as in the uk.
If you fly a jet the second year pay is really good, $36,000 but upgrade is 2 years. So you can take the TP and upgrade fast or the jet and upgrade a bit slower.
I dont think the pay is that bad, when you only have to work 15 or 14 days out of every 28 days. Plus you get free flights on any US carriers anywhere in the world first class, and a bunch of ID 90's for non US airlines. You don’t have to pay for a type rating. mesa pay. If i was trying to work in england i would have been trying to get on with ctc and pay a stupid amount for them to say yes you can fly a plane. Then i would have to try and find a way to to get hold of 13,000 quid to pay for a type rating so when i fly with ryan air i can pay for my own drinks. no thanks
I have never had so much time off in my life with so many perks, easiest job i have ever had.
Pilots moan about pay and schedules and everything else. but i think a lot of them have forgotten what its like to do a proper job, or they have never had a proper job. Standing in the snow loading bricks on a building site for 10 hours. or working at the checkout in tesco's.
I think I might jumpseat to Hawaii in a few days time, just because I can.
Rent costs me $213 a month for a nice apartment. Petrol is about 3 times as cheap as in the uk.
If you fly a jet the second year pay is really good, $36,000 but upgrade is 2 years. So you can take the TP and upgrade fast or the jet and upgrade a bit slower.
I dont think the pay is that bad, when you only have to work 15 or 14 days out of every 28 days. Plus you get free flights on any US carriers anywhere in the world first class, and a bunch of ID 90's for non US airlines. You don’t have to pay for a type rating. mesa pay. If i was trying to work in england i would have been trying to get on with ctc and pay a stupid amount for them to say yes you can fly a plane. Then i would have to try and find a way to to get hold of 13,000 quid to pay for a type rating so when i fly with ryan air i can pay for my own drinks. no thanks
I have never had so much time off in my life with so many perks, easiest job i have ever had.
Pilots moan about pay and schedules and everything else. but i think a lot of them have forgotten what its like to do a proper job, or they have never had a proper job. Standing in the snow loading bricks on a building site for 10 hours. or working at the checkout in tesco's.
I think I might jumpseat to Hawaii in a few days time, just because I can.
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Mesa do 13 months for a year. every month is only 28 days. plus 70 hours is what you get if you don’t fly at all. you will probably get 85 - 90 if holding a line. plus you get per diem. maybe an extra $300 non taxable dollars a month. plus if you fly a turbo prop, Capt. upgrade is when ever you want it. I know someone who has 100 hours on type and has already upgraded, with no 121 experience, only a flight instructor before. capt pay is $42,000 first year.
Rent costs me $213 a month for a nice apartment. Petrol is about 3 times as cheap as in the uk.
If you fly a jet the second year pay is really good, $36,000 but upgrade is 2 years. So you can take the TP and upgrade fast or the jet and upgrade a bit slower.
I dont think the pay is that bad, when you only have to work 15 or 14 days out of every 28 days. Plus you get free flights on any US carriers anywhere in the world first class, and a bunch of ID 90's for non US airlines. You don’t have to pay for a type rating. mesa pay. If i was trying to work in england i would have been trying to get on with ctc and pay a stupid amount for them to say yes you can fly a plane. Then i would have to try and find a way to to get hold of 13,000 quid to pay for a type rating so when i fly with ryan air i can pay for my own drinks. no thanks
I have never had so much time off in my life with so many perks, easiest job i have ever had.
Pilots moan about pay and schedules and everything else. but i think a lot of them have forgotten what its like to do a proper job, or they have never had a proper job. Standing in the snow loading bricks on a building site for 10 hours. or working at the checkout in tesco's.
I think I might jumpseat to Hawaii in a few days time, just because I can.
Rent costs me $213 a month for a nice apartment. Petrol is about 3 times as cheap as in the uk.
If you fly a jet the second year pay is really good, $36,000 but upgrade is 2 years. So you can take the TP and upgrade fast or the jet and upgrade a bit slower.
I dont think the pay is that bad, when you only have to work 15 or 14 days out of every 28 days. Plus you get free flights on any US carriers anywhere in the world first class, and a bunch of ID 90's for non US airlines. You don’t have to pay for a type rating. mesa pay. If i was trying to work in england i would have been trying to get on with ctc and pay a stupid amount for them to say yes you can fly a plane. Then i would have to try and find a way to to get hold of 13,000 quid to pay for a type rating so when i fly with ryan air i can pay for my own drinks. no thanks
I have never had so much time off in my life with so many perks, easiest job i have ever had.
Pilots moan about pay and schedules and everything else. but i think a lot of them have forgotten what its like to do a proper job, or they have never had a proper job. Standing in the snow loading bricks on a building site for 10 hours. or working at the checkout in tesco's.
I think I might jumpseat to Hawaii in a few days time, just because I can.
This guy is one of the main reasons airline compensation is so abysmally low. This individual has zero sense of self worth. Comparing flying an airplane to loading bricks or working checkout is absolutely idiotic. The thought of you operating an airliner scares me. How many years of training do you think the checkout girl at Tesco's went through? The fact that you think $36,000/year is "really good" is depressing as well. That is less than garbage men and city bus drivers make. I do not intend to demean those professionals but you are in a highly technical position that requires thousands of dollars invested and years of training. I imagine you are so used to whoring yourself out you forgot that a pilot is actually worth something.
Where are you from? Where can you find a "really nice" apartment for $213/month. How many roomates do you have? I live in a modest home in a middle class neighborhood and my mortgage is $2,100/month.
You get free flights anywhere in the world first class? No you don't. You get to fly space available and when you get stuck in London and have to call in sick my guess is that your sh#tbag airline will try to fire you for it.
Us Airline compensation has been trending downward ever since 9/11.
I'm a third year A-320 fo and I make about US$75-80k/year. Five years ago a third year A-320 fo would average over 100k. Hopefully things will get better, but if the industry keeps attracting guys like the one above who get excited about free pretzels then it's time to find a new line of work.
