Average pay for a bush pilot in Alaska?

[BSeals71]

I was just wondering what is the average pay for a bush pilot in Alaska?

 

[A Squared]

The answer could vary. First you need to clarify what you mean by "bush pilot" the term means a lot of different things to different people.

 

[BSeals71]

Alaska Flying

Sorry about that.
I guess what I meant was to say was, what pay could I expect for flying with one of these places. I know it’s hard to get a job without Alaska flight time, but hey… I’d have to start somewhere.

For Example:
Pen Air
Era
Sunlight Aviation
Rusts Flying Service
K2 Aviation

Or any other job on http://www.flyalaska.com/

Thanks for your time

The answer could vary. First you need to clarify what you mean by "bush pilot" the term means a lot of different things to different people.

 

[Monguse]

Alaska bushpilot pay

The way bush pilots get paid in Alaska is as varied as the management styles of the owners, chief pilots and directors of operations. Some bosses are screamers, sullen, impatient, demanding, unreasonable and during bad weather or slow days, put you to menial tasks that have nothing to do with flying. Others are professional, respectful, appreciative and good humored and realize that you're more likely to perform well as a pilot if you aren't busting your rear end at unrelated tasks between flights.

As general rule, operations in Southeast Alaska tend to pay less (as lttle $25 an hour or $1500 a month for a low-time (under 1000 hours but at least 500) starting pilot. The further north you go the more $ you're likely to be paid. I believe Rust's actually starts at a new pilotat $50 or more per flight hour (tach time), but you provide your own lodging, food and transportation. 250 hours on floats is a ball-park minimum for a starting float pilot. Insurance companies dictate these minimums.

$40-$45 an hour is a fairly average starting pay for most operations. As you gain experience, it goes up. Penair requires a two year employment contract for a starting pilot and you're not going to make more than what you need to live on for the first two years.

Some outfits provide medical benefits for their full-time pilots, and others don't. Some outfits even provide a retirement plan, most don't. Lodges tend to pay their pilots quite well...$6000 a month or more plus room and board. But lodges tend to hire high-time grey-haired float pilots, who can guide for fishing, and who can relate on a congenial level with very wealthy people.

K-2 is owned by Todd and Suzanne Rust (Rust's) and probably pays comparable to Rust's. K-2 requires 2000 hours of flying time and prefers pilots with a few hundred hours of tail dragger time. They don't require any Alaska time; most Alaska operations do like to see some Alaska time. The minimum time requirements vary with different insurance providers and policies.

Era is fairly huge and you might find yourself flying right seat as a co-pilot for many months at a minimal salary my (educated guess).

Some operations provide scheduled days off, others don't. Some pay you strictly by the flight hour with no monthly guarantee. Others guarantee a minimum monthly salary and pay you additionally for monthly flight hours that exceed that guarantee.

Many flying jobs in Alaska (especially float planes and lodge jobs) are seasonal. But many are year 'round, Bethel being one of those places that utilizes airplanes 12 months out of the year.

I would suggest that you contact any of the operations you're interested in working for and ask them what a starting pilot's pay is and any other questions that you might have. If they are unwilling to give you reasonable answers, you might want to re-consider working for them.

The membership section of flyalaska.com is especially useful to anyone looking for an Alaska flying job.

 

[BSeals71]

The way bush pilots get paid in Alaska is as varied as the management styles of the owners, chief pilots and directors of operations. Some bosses are screamers, sullen, impatient, demanding, unreasonable and during bad weather or slow days, put you to menial tasks that have nothing to do with flying. Others are professional, respectful, appreciative and good humored and realize that you're more likely to perform well as a pilot if you aren't busting your rear end at unrelated tasks between flights.

As general rule, operations in Southeast Alaska tend to pay less (as lttle $25 an hour or $1500 a month for a low-time (under 1000 hours but at least 500) starting pilot. The further north you go the more $ you're likely to be paid. I believe Rust's actually starts at a new pilotat $50 or more per flight hour (tach time), but you provide your own lodging, food and transportation. 250 hours on floats is a ball-park minimum for a starting float pilot. Insurance companies dictate these minimums.

$40-$45 an hour is a fairly average starting pay for most operations. As you gain experience, it goes up. Penair requires a two year employment contract for a starting pilot and you're not going to make more than what you need to live on for the first two years.

Some outfits provide medical benefits for their full-time pilots, and others don't. Some outfits even provide a retirement plan, most don't. Lodges tend to pay their pilots quite well...$6000 a month or more plus room and board. But lodges tend to hire high-time grey-haired float pilots, who can guide for fishing, and who can relate on a congenial level with very wealthy people.

K-2 is owned by Todd and Suzanne Rust (Rust's) and probably pays comparable to Rust's. K-2 requires 2000 hours of flying time and prefers pilots with a few hundred hours of tail dragger time. They don't require any Alaska time; most Alaska operations do like to see some Alaska time. The minimum time requirements vary with different insurance providers and policies.

Era is fairly huge and you might find yourself flying right seat as a co-pilot for many months at a minimal salary my (educated guess).

Some operations provide scheduled days off, others don't. Some pay you strictly by the flight hour with no monthly guarantee. Others guarantee a minimum monthly salary and pay you additionally for monthly flight hours that exceed that guarantee.

Many flying jobs in Alaska (especially float planes and lodge jobs) are seasonal. But many are year 'round, Bethel being one of those places that utilizes airplanes 12 months out of the year.

I would suggest that you contact any of the operations you're interested in working for and ask them what a starting pilot's pay is and any other questions that you might have. If they are unwilling to give you reasonable answers, you might want to re-consider working for them.

The membership section of flyalaska.com is especially useful to anyone looking for an Alaska flying job.

Wow!!! Thank you so much! I appreciate all of your information.

I have about 2000hr total with single engine sea commercial rating but with only about 10hr seaplane & 5hr tail wheel, no official logged Alaska flight time. I went up there a few years ago on a fishing trip and few around, fell in love with the place. I think I would like to fly for K2/Rusts or somewhere in North West Alaska. They seam like a respectable company.

Thanks again!

 

[imacdog]

I don't think there is an average there since the pay can vary so much. About five years ago I was offered 4K/month flying Beavers in Ketchikan, that was with about 800 hours of Beaver time in the Pacific Northwest. When I was looking at jobs up there back then you really needed Alaska or Northwest time to find employment there, not sure about now.

 

[flyer31]

If you want to fly floats, South East Alaska is probably a good place to start. There are a couple of float plane operators in Juneau but without time you will not get on with them. Ketchikan has quite a few operators and you are more likely to get on there than anywhere else. To my knowledge Promech air will hire with little or no Alaska or float time (rating required) and start you out in a beaver. ($200-$250/day, give or take) Very challenging vfr flying down there but if you can survive there you should be good most anywhere else in AK.

www.flyalaska.com is probably your best source for info.
http://www.promechair.com/
http://www.seaplanejobs.com/

 

[flyer31]

Speaking of Rusts, does anyone know if they have any jump seat agreements or flight benefits with Alaska or any other carriers? Just curios.

 

[NW_Pilot]

I don't think there is an average there since the pay can vary so much. About five years ago I was offered 4K/month flying Beavers in Ketchikan, that was with about 800 hours of Beaver time in the Pacific Northwest. When I was looking at jobs up there back then you really needed Alaska or Northwest time to find employment there, not sure about now.

I wonder if Greenland Time Counts?

I been offered 2 135 gig's up there but neither of them wanted to pay jack but at the time I was only an 800 hours pilot Something around $1200 a month one look at housing and food costs told me to say NO.

 

[navigator72]

check out this site for jobs

http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=pilot&l=alaska