Airline pilot vs. "9 to 5" job pay comparison

[EMBpilot]

Sorry, if it has been posted before:

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/resources/pay_comparisons/pilot_pay_comparison_20061025145.html

 

[AKAAB]

Interesting to note that the calculator doesn't go above $100/hour.

 

[instructordude]

The FAR's limit one to 100 hrs per month. While it is plausible to count time spent in the terminal, time spent outside at the hotel is not. If figured 75 block hours equates to about 100 hrs working. From this I got an effective hourly rate of 14 dollars.hr and I only worked 13.7% of the year. Not to bad.

 

[ReverseSensing]

I don't see how they get the 240 hrs at work a month. The FAR's limit one to 100 hrs per month. Just can't happen. While it is plausible to count time spent in the terminal, time spent outside at the hotel is not. We do not work as much as the average job in america.

I know you're just a flamer and I should ignore you, but here's a piece of advice.

I'm pretty sure you'll have to fly the line for a little while before a regional will make you an assistant chief pilot, so you might want to ease off on the ass-kissing, at least until you're off probation.

 

[instructordude]

I know you're just a flamer and I should ignore you, but here's a piece of advice.

I'm pretty sure you'll have to fly the line for a little while before a regional will make you an assistant chief pilot, so you might want to ease off on the ass-kissing, at least until you're off probation.

I just edited my stuff. Thank you. I am just speaking my mind.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

If you don't have a family it's less than 240, if you have a family it's more than 240. If you guys could of seen this industry before things started going down you would understand why we are complaining.

 

[pilot772]

The FAR's limit one to 100 hrs per month. While it is plausible to count time spent in the terminal, time spent outside at the hotel is not. If figured 75 block hours equates to about 100 hrs working. From this I got an effective hourly rate of 14 dollars.hr and I only worked 13.7% of the year. Not to bad.

Its a little thing called time away from base. mine usually averages around 300-320 per month. Now we are not working that entire time, but we are not at home. Someone who is a 9-5'er gets to go home every night and see their family, dog, house, or what ever else. Now it is hard for you to understand right now instructing, but being gone that much can take a strain. I know that this is the life i chose, but I consider this work time as I am not at home and many times my hotel time is spent dealing with scheduling, dispatch or union stuff as well. just my opinion of course.

Now that my rant is over
good luck in your job search it is still a great job and one i enjoy very much and I am sure you will also.

 

[GasPasser]

I think most wives and kids would count time out of the house (whether dad is driving back and forth from that 9 to 5, or asleep in the crash pad) as time dad is working. Speaking as a Dad, if I'm out of the house due to work, I view it as work time even if I'm not at a desk or in the cockpit.

That calculator is quite an eye opener!

 

[Beanie]

In 9 years as a mid level manger for a fortune 100 company, I could have only prayed for 9 to 5. Try more like 5 to 9. That was when I was not on the road an average of 10 days of month. What crack pipe is Airline Central smoking? What do they think this is, the 1950's?

 

[hoover]

Its a little thing called time away from base. mine usually averages around 300-320 per month. Now we are not working that entire time, but we are not at home. Someone who is a 9-5'er gets to go home every night and see their family, dog, house, or what ever else.

Perhaps, but if you really cared about being home with your family, you would not have chosen to become an airline pilot. Besides which, a lot of 9 to 5ers do spend time away from home on business trips.

 

[Phaedrus]

Beanie, good point. 9 to 5 is a joke.

 

[SkiFishFly]

My options when retiring from the military:
- A 9-5 salaried position. About 75k per year. Probably gone 10 -12 days a month. Weekends (8-10 days) a month off. Working in a cubicle farm with no windows. 9-5 really more like 0700-1800 (also potential for late/weekend requirements depending on current project). Better answer the phone if the boss calls no matter what.
- Airline job. about 36k to start. Above 90k by third or fourth year. Always have a window. Don't have to work anything beyond my schedule if I don't want to. 14-17 days a month off. Don't have to answer the phone if I don't want to.

 

[detwilers]

If you don't have a family it's less than 240, if you have a family it's more than 240. If you guys could of seen this industry before things started going down you would understand why we are complaining.

Not sure what you are getting at here.
I beleive you are supposed to plug in your average TAFB (Time Away From Base) figure in there. Most Day trip lines will be in the 100+ hour range. Two day trip lines in the mid 200's. Three and four day trip lines in 300+ hour range per month. I usually do a mix of day trips and two day trips with about 16-17 days off a month. TAFB for me is a usually about 200 hours a month.