How does it pay?
Guest
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How does it pay?
Hi
I was wondering if someone with experience could help me out here.
How much does one get paid per year for doing the following jobs?
1) Crop spraying = ?
2) Parachute jump pilot = ?
3) Banner towing = ?
4) Aerial photography pilot = ?
5) any other such job? = ?
Thanks in advance
Dave
I was wondering if someone with experience could help me out here.
How much does one get paid per year for doing the following jobs?
1) Crop spraying = ?
2) Parachute jump pilot = ?
3) Banner towing = ?
4) Aerial photography pilot = ?
5) any other such job? = ?
Thanks in advance
Dave
Join Date: Feb 2000
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The answer to your question is not as straightforward as you might think. Depends very much on the type of operation, the type of aircraft and what part of the world you're doing it in.
Also don't consider these jobs as neccessarily easier to get than airline jobs. They can be very much a case of right time, right place.
Take crop spraying for example. I'm not current with the number of operators in the UK at present, but certainly a few years ago the trend was downwards and probably in single figures. Most aircraft were owner operated. The US and Africa are the places for this, but even now I believe Africa is in a downtrend due to politics and war. So if we look at the US, the way to try and get an ag seat as they say in the business is to work as part of the ground crew handling and breathing extremely toxic chemicals for a couple of years. Then maybe, just maybe, you might get to fly. Remuneration used to be fairly good, with airline type money being made if the ag pilot chased the season around the world. Say £30000 to £60000 approx.
Parachute jump pilot? Depends on how big the operation is. Somewhere like Zephyrhills in Florida, a world renowned jump site, flying a DC-3 or similar, then say £25000 upwards approx. Most jump pilots though will probably be flying something a lot smaller, eg Cessna 206, and usually for food and board. So pay = £0.
Banner towing, again not really a living wage. Usually being done to build hours.
Aerial photography. Covers a wide range of jobs, from bloke/blokess in Cessna 152 taking pictures of peoples' houses and then trying to flog them, to highly specialised survey flights. So pay could range from basically £0 to say £20000 upwards.
As for other air work type jobs in the UK, if you're talking fixed wing, then fisheries protection springs to mind. Cessna Caravan II or similar, flying low over the sea spotting ships etc. Drawbacks - away from home for about a week at a time (some might not see this as a drawback) as they move round the UK. Last couple of years have seen the usual friction over terms and conditions, as the task is put out to tender and the usual financial squeeze results. Pay, again only approximate, but say £30000 upwards.
Maybe more info than you wanted, but hope that gives you a bit of background as well to put the pay levels in some kind of context.
Maximum.
Also don't consider these jobs as neccessarily easier to get than airline jobs. They can be very much a case of right time, right place.
Take crop spraying for example. I'm not current with the number of operators in the UK at present, but certainly a few years ago the trend was downwards and probably in single figures. Most aircraft were owner operated. The US and Africa are the places for this, but even now I believe Africa is in a downtrend due to politics and war. So if we look at the US, the way to try and get an ag seat as they say in the business is to work as part of the ground crew handling and breathing extremely toxic chemicals for a couple of years. Then maybe, just maybe, you might get to fly. Remuneration used to be fairly good, with airline type money being made if the ag pilot chased the season around the world. Say £30000 to £60000 approx.
Parachute jump pilot? Depends on how big the operation is. Somewhere like Zephyrhills in Florida, a world renowned jump site, flying a DC-3 or similar, then say £25000 upwards approx. Most jump pilots though will probably be flying something a lot smaller, eg Cessna 206, and usually for food and board. So pay = £0.
Banner towing, again not really a living wage. Usually being done to build hours.
Aerial photography. Covers a wide range of jobs, from bloke/blokess in Cessna 152 taking pictures of peoples' houses and then trying to flog them, to highly specialised survey flights. So pay could range from basically £0 to say £20000 upwards.
As for other air work type jobs in the UK, if you're talking fixed wing, then fisheries protection springs to mind. Cessna Caravan II or similar, flying low over the sea spotting ships etc. Drawbacks - away from home for about a week at a time (some might not see this as a drawback) as they move round the UK. Last couple of years have seen the usual friction over terms and conditions, as the task is put out to tender and the usual financial squeeze results. Pay, again only approximate, but say £30000 upwards.
Maybe more info than you wanted, but hope that gives you a bit of background as well to put the pay levels in some kind of context.
Maximum.
Last edited by Maximum; 22nd Sep 2002 at 16:28.
Guest
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I seem to remember that Direct Flight (the fisheries job on the Caravan II/C406) was paying £17000 pa plus allowances.
Altogether I came to £24000 pa and that was for a RHS pilot (two crew operated) to begin with.
Remember that allowances usually cover your expanses so not really money in the pocket but money to pay the credit card you have already used
Air Taxi Pilot:
Varies greatly between operators. Some won't pay a monthly wage at all and will only use free lance guys.
Some will take you on a permanent contract with salaries around the 20's and a bit more after a year or so (25000 is my guess).
Altogether I came to £24000 pa and that was for a RHS pilot (two crew operated) to begin with.
Remember that allowances usually cover your expanses so not really money in the pocket but money to pay the credit card you have already used
Air Taxi Pilot:
Varies greatly between operators. Some won't pay a monthly wage at all and will only use free lance guys.
Some will take you on a permanent contract with salaries around the 20's and a bit more after a year or so (25000 is my guess).
