135 Operators, how do you do it?

[SheGaveMeClap]

Just curious to see what everyone else does in terms of per-diem, tips, etc. in addition to pay. We are in the middle of negotiations with management to bump up per-diem and pay. We are straight 135 operations.

We have a $35/day per-diem, we expense all tips, and have a $30/mo. cell phone reimbursement program. We are salaried, our SICs make upper $30s and PICs are low to mid-$50s flying a Citation in the midwest.

It's not fantastic by any means, but we are trying to make things better. We stay in nice hotels and average less than 8 overnights per month, with about 13-15 days per month flying.

We are trying to get the per-diem above $40 per day; get the SICs above $40k and PICs above $60k.

I don't want to start a my-company-is-better-than-your-company contest, I just want to know how other operators do things. Thanks for any replies.

 

[RedGuy]

I only get per-diem if I over night, it's $1.50 an hour. Otherwise I get no per-diem. I get no cell phone reimbursement, I pay all expences except hotel and cab fair. I stay in OK hotels, I have to set up the hotel so I get to choose, they generally don't bitch if it's less than $100 a night, I generally only spend 1 night a month on the road. I get paid milage so it varies depending on how busy we are, but for me in the 310/402 PIC it ranges from $43K-50K/ year. This is in the Great Lakes region. BTW.

 

[junkjockey]

Im a co-captain on a King Air 200 but i am paid on a contract basis making around 30k but i have only been with the company 5 months. I'll be a full time employee at recurrent. Our regular captain is pulling around 65-70k plus .06 cents per flight mile. Not bad for Mobile, AL. We have free reign over food, hotel, cars etc. Generally stay at very nice hotels, eat quite well and get good cars. I guess we are lucky in that sense. We are a straight 135 operation so all of our expenses are billed directly to the customer and we have never had a problem. Our clients seem to like it better when we get good accomodations...i think it makes them feel special. We overnight anywhere from 2-4 nights a month and are running the plane about 500 hours a year.

 

[rway36]

Low Down

I'm an SIC on a Lear 35, fulltime Air Ambulance in the Southwest. Mid 30's per year, 8 hard days off a month, Only overnights we have are when we go to Flightsafety for re-current, No per-diem ,even at training which I don't think is right. Full medical and dental. Company buys a meal if out of base longer than 6 hours.

Hopefully you can get the pay raised. Most of the time its like talking to youself on that subject.

 

[Publishers]

$55 domestic, $50 cell phone allowance, decent hotels, tips expected and reinbursed.

 

[Makesheepnervus]

$60 domestic, $90 international, $150 cell allowance, good hotels (usually Marriott), reasonable tips, rental cars, parking reimbursed.
Citation F.O.'s should get 40k - 50K, PIC's around 65k - 75k

 

[puddlejumper]

Mid-Atlantic 135 Citation Operator. Per diem was from the GSA chart. Domestic was anywhere from $39 to $64. Full day over 8 hours or overnight, 1/2 less than 8 hrs. We were reimbursed for reasonable tips. We would actually receive tips too! $35/month for cell phone. Decent hotels and rental cars when necessary. Day rooms were hard to get unless we had to get our 10 hours rest.

FOs were getting $35k plus flight hour pay ($30-$38.50/hr). Captains were getting $48k plus flight hour pay. Average 6 overnights/month. Anywhere from 25 - 50 hours flight per month. No scheduled days off. Had to put in if you want to make plans and even then, you'd still be on call.

PJ

 

[boeing72]

Indiana, 135 BE400 Capt. 55K
no, per deim. Expense trips.
3-4 over nights a month, usually out and back. Days off, not sure yet.
cell phone provided or $30.00 month.

 

[slotationdriver]

midwest based part 135 Ultra capt.

Our perdiem is 28.40 full day, and 20.40 less than full, $25 monthly cell phone. safe to say were bringing down the average!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look for us were the ones eating all of the free crap

 

[Wrenchnfly]

My company pays $1.50 every hour away from base for per diem. $32.00 per pay peroid (26 per year) for cell phone reimbursement. Nice hotels as the worst is Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inns. But we do Hiltons, Marriotts, etc. They pick this up and if food is not near by and/or long layover we get a rental car paid for as well so we are not at the hotels mercy. They give us a company credit card for all company expenses. Should also mention we are 4 on 3 off, but can work 5 and get paid extra for working the 5th day.

 

[2dumb2drive]

We have a $35/day per-diem, we expense all tips, and have a $30/mo. cell phone reimbursement program. We are salaried, our SICs make upper $30s and PICs are low to mid-$50s flying a Citation in the midwest.

Could you explain the "expense all tips". Thanks...

Also, i hate to lower the average but...Lear 25, 35, 55, 135 operator. 1.50 per diem from block out to block in. No cell phone reimbursement for anyone, SIC start pay is mid twentys, Capt. start pay is mid thirtys. Bid 6 hard days off, they own you the rest of the time. I know ill get flamed for working for so little, but i need jet time and they were the only ones that returned the call. Ohh tips can be very high some months, over a grand, and then the next month you might not get one so...

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

We expense all tips we give away, not receive. Anything we give to hotel van drivers, line guys, handlers, etc. we put on an expense report and get back. We are fair with tips, we don't go overboard and the company reimburses us for that.

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

Look for us were the ones eating all of the free crap

So that pretty much describes every pilot in every FBO in America.

 

[2dumb2drive]

We expense all tips we give away, not receive. Anything we give to hotel van drivers, line guys, handlers, etc. we put on an expense report and get back. We are fair with tips, we don't go overboard and the company reimburses us for that.

Ok, thanks for the reply, i was thinking the receiving end of tips from customers. So do you guys tip the line guys on a regular basis. The only tipping i have ever done has been with help from an over achieving line guy that helps on the rare occasion that we need lav service away from home.

 

[slotationdriver]

So do you guys tip the line guys on a regular basis

. No,
usually our pax take care of the line guys. I tip for lav service. thats about it.

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

. No,
usually our pax take care of the line guys. I tip for lav service. thats about it.

Ditto. Unless the line guys do something really outstanding, which isn't very often.

 

[Nick5600]

Perdiem at 3.75 a hour up to 14 hours a day = 52.50. 30 bucks a month for cell phone. F/O start mid 30s and Capt. Mid 50s. Thats on citations in the midwest

 

[flyr4hire]

When did you leave FLOPS

Hey shegavemeclap, when did ya leave FLOPS? I left 2 yrs ago and just recently quit flying for good given the terrible QOL on the 135 side of the house.

 

[MikeMD80]

Northeast operator. $3.13/hr domestic, $4.00/hr international. That's paid from start of duty on first day to end of duty last day(ala airlines). adds up to $75.12/day dom., $96.00/day Int.. $30/month cell phone. Tips to ground folks reimbursed. Rental car, decent hotels(usually Marriott or Hilton) $400 a year uniform allowance.

Starting pay is low 50s for the light jets(Lear, Hawker), 70k-75k for the heavys(Gulfstream, Legacy, Global)

4 hard days off a month, average 15-17 work days a month.

All in all, very reasonable

 

[surveypilot]

We are a small southeastern US based light twin operator. As PIC, I make in the low $50's on salary, but I do a lot more than fly for that money. I do marketing, web design sales, etc.

Our company treats us like we are partners, and therefore we have no limits on food purchased, hotels chosen, tips given, etc. 75% of my cell phone bill is covered, and that is because the owner told me too submit what I thought was fair.

I have never had an expense questioned, but I work like crazy to keep expenses in line, because the company has proven to me through raises and bonuses that it is my company too. The owner understands that 95% of contact with the customers happens through the pilots, and he knows that we will treat them the way that we have been treated.