BusDriver12
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Amid Pilot Accolades - Do You Know How Much Your Pilot Makes?
Monday, February 09, 2009
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ABC's Good Morning America had a tearful reunion between Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III and his crew and many of the passengers who survived the "Miracle on the Hudson".
"I thought I was going to lose my wife and never get to see my children. I thank you, all of you, from the bottom of my heart," a choked-up Larry Snodgrass told the captain.
Many of the passengers said they thought they were going to die on Flight 1549 and texted their loved ones as the plane descended toward the Hudson River, January 15th.
Unbelieveably, the picture perfect landing, along with careful instructions from flight attendants, allowed about 155 people to scramble aboard waiting ferries and out of the frigid waters.
With talk about capping the salaries of corporate CEOs at $500,000 among those in line for a federal bailout NPR recently asked who is undercompensated (teachers) and who is overcompensated (athletes), and whether airline pilots such as Sullenberger are compensated enough?
US Airways
Captain "Sully" Sullenberger, 58, a former Air Force pilot has flown for US Airways for 29 years. First Officer Jeff Skiles, 49, is a 23-year veteran, reports The Charlotte Observer.
US Airways has twice sought bankruptcy protection, first in 2002 and again in 2004, after which it merged with America West. Pilots agreed to an 18 percent cut in pay and retirement benefits.
It was reportedly the third round of cuts in two years and for some pilots, it delayed their retirement.
The move was said to have saved the airline from shutting down, but it also increased the average age of pilots at US Airways, which is now reported to be 56.
The merger resulted in US Airways pilots making less than their peers at other major airlines, despite their years of experience.
Other Airlines
According to the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents 64,000 airline pilots, salaries went down drastically after 9/11 and among all major carriers, with the exception of Southwest and America West Airlines, rates of pay for narrowbody captains declined six to 42 percent.
About 2,000 pilots retired in 2008, according to Air Inc, which follows pilot pay and hiring trends. 500 alone left American Airlines, most departing before they turned 60, largely due to the stock market's collapse, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Airline Pilot Central is a Web site, launched by pilots for pilots, which allows you to look up the hourly wage of pilots of regional and smaller airlines of your choice.
A First Officer of that small regional jet you take can make as little as $22 an hour.
The major or "Legacy" airlines also list the Captain and First Officer salaries of major carriers such as American, Delta, Northwest, United, Continental, US Airways, Southwest, and Alaska.
According to a snapshot report from the summer of 2008 from Airline Pilot Central, pilots for FedEx and UPS make the highest hourly wage at $215 and $205.
At the high end of the commercial captain's hourly wage for a wide body jet captain is - American Airlines at $197, Continental $186; Delta $184 and Northwest $173.
On the lower end of the pay scare are pilots for US Airways clock in at $156.
Pilots fly about 75 hours a month with variations per airline.
Small narrow body jets captain salaries range from $62 to $100 an hour on American Eagle, Comair; Mesa, Us Airways and PSA. A small regional commuter airline can start pilots at $15,000 to $22,000 a year.
One pilot for a regional airline tells airliners.net:
"I personally make $18-20,000 a year. I'm responsible for a 25,000,000 dollar airplane and fly hundreds of people safely to their destination every day. Is that really overpaid? Most major airline pilots make around 100,000. The average in the regionals is closer to 50,000. (FO's around the mid to upper 20's-, captains in the 50's-60's). When I was a flight instructor (for 2 years), I made 12,000 a year."
Many fear with the airline industry's bottom line mentality that airline pilots who are outstanding "old school" professionals such as Captain Sullenberger may be a thing of the past.
Monday, February 09, 2009
LEARN MORE
ABC's Good Morning America had a tearful reunion between Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III and his crew and many of the passengers who survived the "Miracle on the Hudson".
"I thought I was going to lose my wife and never get to see my children. I thank you, all of you, from the bottom of my heart," a choked-up Larry Snodgrass told the captain.
Many of the passengers said they thought they were going to die on Flight 1549 and texted their loved ones as the plane descended toward the Hudson River, January 15th.
Unbelieveably, the picture perfect landing, along with careful instructions from flight attendants, allowed about 155 people to scramble aboard waiting ferries and out of the frigid waters.
With talk about capping the salaries of corporate CEOs at $500,000 among those in line for a federal bailout NPR recently asked who is undercompensated (teachers) and who is overcompensated (athletes), and whether airline pilots such as Sullenberger are compensated enough?
US Airways
Captain "Sully" Sullenberger, 58, a former Air Force pilot has flown for US Airways for 29 years. First Officer Jeff Skiles, 49, is a 23-year veteran, reports The Charlotte Observer.
US Airways has twice sought bankruptcy protection, first in 2002 and again in 2004, after which it merged with America West. Pilots agreed to an 18 percent cut in pay and retirement benefits.
It was reportedly the third round of cuts in two years and for some pilots, it delayed their retirement.
The move was said to have saved the airline from shutting down, but it also increased the average age of pilots at US Airways, which is now reported to be 56.
The merger resulted in US Airways pilots making less than their peers at other major airlines, despite their years of experience.
Other Airlines
According to the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents 64,000 airline pilots, salaries went down drastically after 9/11 and among all major carriers, with the exception of Southwest and America West Airlines, rates of pay for narrowbody captains declined six to 42 percent.
About 2,000 pilots retired in 2008, according to Air Inc, which follows pilot pay and hiring trends. 500 alone left American Airlines, most departing before they turned 60, largely due to the stock market's collapse, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Airline Pilot Central is a Web site, launched by pilots for pilots, which allows you to look up the hourly wage of pilots of regional and smaller airlines of your choice.
A First Officer of that small regional jet you take can make as little as $22 an hour.
The major or "Legacy" airlines also list the Captain and First Officer salaries of major carriers such as American, Delta, Northwest, United, Continental, US Airways, Southwest, and Alaska.
According to a snapshot report from the summer of 2008 from Airline Pilot Central, pilots for FedEx and UPS make the highest hourly wage at $215 and $205.
At the high end of the commercial captain's hourly wage for a wide body jet captain is - American Airlines at $197, Continental $186; Delta $184 and Northwest $173.
On the lower end of the pay scare are pilots for US Airways clock in at $156.
Pilots fly about 75 hours a month with variations per airline.
Small narrow body jets captain salaries range from $62 to $100 an hour on American Eagle, Comair; Mesa, Us Airways and PSA. A small regional commuter airline can start pilots at $15,000 to $22,000 a year.
One pilot for a regional airline tells airliners.net:
"I personally make $18-20,000 a year. I'm responsible for a 25,000,000 dollar airplane and fly hundreds of people safely to their destination every day. Is that really overpaid? Most major airline pilots make around 100,000. The average in the regionals is closer to 50,000. (FO's around the mid to upper 20's-, captains in the 50's-60's). When I was a flight instructor (for 2 years), I made 12,000 a year."
Many fear with the airline industry's bottom line mentality that airline pilots who are outstanding "old school" professionals such as Captain Sullenberger may be a thing of the past.
