contract pilot pay

[bugchaser]

Need some advice. The ag season is over and I have several opportunties to do some flying for local people/businesses. My question is this, what should I be charging for day trips? I get $30/hr for dual so it seems that it should be at least that much. I just got back from a 7 hr trip in a cherokee six and have no idea what to charge. My other gig is in a C-421. If anyone has any advice, let me know. Thanks

 

[flyboy]

7 hours is pretty much a days work and I would charge a minimum of $200 per day. When I fly as co-pilot with a local company in their king air, they pay $300 per day. That's easy money for a co-pilot, but the contract captains make $400 per day. You could actually make more by charging by the hour but that goes out the door on overnights b/c no one is going to pay that much. It depends on what they are willing to pay. Ask around and see if anyone else flys for these people and what they charge. You don't want to be over anxious and ask for $300 per day when they've been paying someone else $200.

 

[knelson]

Day Rates

In my area (west Texas), it seems like piston twin rates are about $300/day. At least that's what most people I know are charging. Then again, there is always that one guy at the airport that will stab you in the back and do it for a lot less just to get the flying. Two cleche` (sp?) sayings apply pretty well here. Charge what you are worth, and you get what you pay for.

Good luck



Kevin

 

[350DRIVER]

$300 per day in the King Air ->must be a nice for a F.O.- That is the highest I have seen it... The Captains in the 300 only get $325.00 per day. We get $250.00 per pay for F.O in the Citation/ CLE... Thought that was "average'' but after reading about the "$300" f.o pay per day in the Kinger I am going to go hit my head on the wall a few times. - When we are flying the Ciation/ new C90B all expenses (for each pilot) are paid for by the owner and pretty much the best of the best with regards to hotels/food/cars/etc, etc, ... Other craft in the fleet we get $15.00 per day and $180 per night per pilot for expenses which usually still works out in our favor unless doing the overnight in the NYC/TEB/EWR/IAD/PHL area then everything is "direct billed".. Nice in most other cities since we always can come out ahead.


3 5 0

I think this region is above "average", some 135 operators have goofy internships with college flight programs and won't even pay the first officers since they are getting 135 qualified and that thing they call "experience"... We use to have one before I started with the KSU aviation program but no longer due to insurance requirements.