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What's the average salary of an airline pilot?

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Old 9th Apr 2003, 21:36
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What's the average salary of an airline pilot?

Hi all,
I'm only 18 and im doing some research before i try to commit to pilot training. I was on ryanair's website there a few days ago and saw that a co-pilot earns £70,000 after 3 years and a pilot up to £102,000 after a few. Are these statistics accurate, they are ex vat of course. If any of you are airline pilots or know any could you please tell me what the average yearly salary is with your airline? Thank you.

Stephen
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Old 9th Apr 2003, 22:31
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I noticed you on another topic.
Believe me mate it will be at least 6 years before you are pulling this kind of wedge. You won't go straight from new licence to 70k in a jet. Unless you are an exception, you'll spend five years flying prop jobs for a third of this if your lucky on average over the five years. Reckon you should be looking at your motivation behing the decision to learn. If you have messed up at uni, change course or get a job. This is not an easy business to earn big bucks short term. Any recruitment board will sniff this attitude a mile off.
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Old 10th Apr 2003, 00:00
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stephen

i too noticed your other thread
you are dropping out of college because it is boring...
well an engineering degree will give you an insight into the avaition world.
When you do your ATPL(air transport pilot licence) exams you WILL be bored by the technical data and when you go on a particular airplane and learn the systems you will be BORED with the technical data systems/electrics/pneumatics/fuel that you will have to learn

I think that you are looking for a "quick fix" since college isn't working out....but there are no " quick fixs" in aviation.
It is a long hard road and if you have no flight time then i suggest you go to the school in Lucan......West Air is in Shannon
and take some lessons....you might find it hard going and decide to quit that too.
There is alot of money involved so i would think long and hard and go chat to some of the instructors in Weston or South Aer

I don't mean to sound harsh but if it is just glamour you are after and the thrill of saying you are a pilot then i would strongly tell you to re-think your position again.
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Old 10th Apr 2003, 00:00
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Rough average in the turboprop market.
FO 16K to 20K. (Pounds)
Captain. 30K to 40K (pounds).
These are approximations.
If you join the company as a low houred person, ie around 200 hours, it will take about 2-3 years before you'll have the hours to go to the LHS. (Night freight especially).

Sure, the Ryanair shows the big money. Research carefully as to what you'll have to do and spend to get there.
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Old 11th Apr 2003, 06:58
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Son, you've got a long, long way to go if you think VAT applies to salaries.

Are you for real, or is this a wind up?
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Old 11th Apr 2003, 14:29
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what do the airline sponsored pilots get then?

hey guys.i am doing my training at a school which has cadets from all over the world. what would they end up getting if they have to start off as a Second Officer, flying 737-300/-400 or something like that?

would appreciate your insight on this.

:-)

richie
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Old 11th Apr 2003, 19:45
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As they say :

"How do you make a small fortune in aviation? Start off with a big one!"
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Old 26th Nov 2003, 22:46
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ritchie ritch.... second officer?

what are you on about?
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Old 26th Nov 2003, 23:24
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some airlines do have second officers, usually low hour people who have a frozen licence.

There is no VAT on a salary as you are not paying for a serice although the goverment likes to take their pound of flesh.

I will be sitting in the right hand seat of a 737 soon and i get £22k ish.basic plus flight pay of approx £5'700. Which if you eat Tesco's finest like i do, does not go a long way.

ta ta for now
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Old 26th Nov 2003, 23:57
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I would no longer recommend a career in aviation. Suggest you train as a plumber, or electrician.
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Old 27th Nov 2003, 00:04
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Take unwiseowls advice seriously. Recent advert in our local paper for bricklayers offering 360 quid per thousand bricks laid. Most decent brickies can do a thousand bricks a day so work it out for yourself.

Back to topic, there is a website giving average salaries for pilots at the various UK airlines. Have a troll through PPRuNe and you will find it. However, as many ppruners will acknowledge, you will spend a long time flying at night on a very low salary before you even get a sniff at the big boys pay packets.
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Old 27th Nov 2003, 00:53
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I'm fresh...almost....out of flying school. There are many tech based exams to take and I know from experience that a good background in science/engineering helps in understanding the principles.
The type rating as we all SHOULD know contains more tech in more detail.

At flying school we had a chap on the course who saw Aviation as a 'fun' easy way out. He could not handle the ground school and had failed many exams...in fact, he passed PoF on his fourth and final(CAA reg) attempt not to mention the others that he failed..2nd att/3rd att etc.... He thought flying an aircraft would be easy but the pressures were just too much for him. He was a complete failure and has since found refuge in business. In fact, he doesn't even want to get a PPL!

Pilots earn good money after a while yes, but one needs to appreciate that it takes a while to get there. Motivation is the force that will carry you through if you really want it as its not easy. After school, you will be faced with getting a job which is not easy especially if you do not have some sort of backing.

My conclusion: Get a trial lesson to see if you have the aptitude for it. Get a book on an ATPL theory subject from an aviation book supplier so that you can get a feel of how much learning is required. (Remember JAA has 14 subjects...75% or above is the pass mark). Get a JAA class 1 medical to see if you are fit enough...you'll be suprised as to how something 'minor'', can be made into a big issue.

Think about how you will get a job afterwards. There are loads of us unemployed guys out there..some with lots of experience and some without. The job market is tough.... Can you shine above the rest...are you prepared to work for it...

I rest my case

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Old 27th Nov 2003, 22:42
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You need three basic things mate and they are money, aptitude and health. Most people have two out of three of them. Have another look at them, do you really have all three?

Some people would say a passion for aviation is another thing you need but there weren't many people on my full-time course at Oxford Aviation who even had that!

You must must must get your medical sorted out first. There is no point at all in even going for a trial lesson to see if you have aptitude if there is something wrong with you physically. You may thnk you're fit but the initial medical done by the CAA costs over 400 pounds and is very thorough and will tell you for sure.

Your question about pilots pay makes me yawn which is exactly what I think you would be doing as a pilot anyway.
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Old 27th Nov 2003, 23:12
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This shows some wages for different company's although a pinch of salt should be involved somewhere.

I echo what is generally being said, do not get into aviation for the money because its not there for most...

And if you quit things because your board do not even bother starting, once you get into the ATPLs (or even the PPL) books, most would agree, certain subjects are beyond boring!
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Old 30th Nov 2003, 14:13
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If its money that turns you on.
Dont work for an airline in the Uk at all.
Go expat flying.
Or alternatively work the money markets in the city which is a far better choice.
Our company has just lost a young chap who left on medium pay on a b737 job to work in the city.
Funny we never saw him again!
Happy chap more money better lifestyle .
WIN WIN

Last edited by mjenkinsblackdog; 30th Nov 2003 at 16:34.
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Old 30th Nov 2003, 17:43
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Flying the marvellous BAe 146 in Belgium will provide you with £18k (basic + flight expense!!) ... If you don't have to pay back your basic training!

Also over here it are the plumbers and guys from construction who make the money!!

The only difference is ... I go flying ... the others have to work!
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Old 12th Dec 2003, 02:39
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Just recently, a job was posted in Thailand. They are looking for rated and current 747-200 pilots. They are prepared to pay the whopping great salary of $2500/month. How much time, energy, commitment, heartache, money, and years of your life are you prepared to put into this?
There is a posting somewhere on prune entitled 'why pilots are worth $200 000 a year' or something like that.
I am unemployed right now, and I have 6000 Hrs, with 1400 in Airbus widebodies. I am considered low-time on the international market.
Unfortunately for all of us, most pilots will fly for food. You will not get rich at this. You have to do it because it is your passion, or not do it at all.
Best of luck.
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Old 12th Dec 2003, 03:02
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My uncle flies 747s for a US airline that I won't name and he makes close to 200 grand. He has been flying 747s since he was 24 years old.
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Old 14th Dec 2003, 22:52
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I know several pilots who are millionares...but not through flying Im afraid!

In the UK at the moment Id be more concerned about getting a job in the first place. The average 200hr pilot will be earning £10 an hour as a flight instructor. In 3-4 years if he is lucky, be will fly a turbo prop for £20k pa as an FO/SO Captaincy in another 2-3 years and up to a staggering £40k. Then if lucky a move to the majors and a jet job.

The FEW lucky pilots are the ones with the majors on the jets and as an FO may earn £50k pa and after a few years £80k pa as a Captain.

Dont do it for the money OR the glamour (there isnt any) do it because its what you want to do...that way if the wages arnt what people commonly think in civi street at least your doing a job you enjoy.
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