Demo Pilots

[Swass]

I was curious as to what Demo guys for Cessna, Lear, Raytheon etc. make and what are competetive min's? What is the quality of life like for these jobs? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[banned username 2]

I was curious as to what Demo guys for Cessna, Lear, Raytheon etc. make and what are competetive min's? What is the quality of life like for these jobs? Any help would be appreciated.

Well I know that demo pilots are typically on the road (read: gone from home" A LOT....

I would think that it would be pretty tough on the family life... Great single guy job though!

Hope this helps...

 

[Future SNA]

The Demo pilots I know typically aren't gone much at all. Have a friend at Cessna that's a demo pilot, and I taught Cessna's Chief Demo Pilot's kids how to swim WWAAYY back in the day(his wife still owes me a job), I don't think either are gone much at all to tell you the truth. Getting on at Cessna, when they are hiring, is more of an peer evaluation, if everyone or someone likes you, and you know them, chances are good other than that, ????

 

[banned username 2]

The Demo pilots I know typically aren't gone much at all. Have a friend at Cessna that's a demo pilot, and I taught Cessna's Chief Demo Pilot's kids how to swim WWAAYY back in the day(his wife still owes me a job), I don't think either are gone much at all to tell you the truth. Getting on at Cessna, when they are hiring, is more of an peer evaluation, if everyone or someone likes you, and you know them, chances are good other than that, ????

First of... Cessna... is he demonstrating 182's or Citation X's? The demo pilots at Dassault Falcon Jet, Gulfstream and Bombardier are flying aircraft that take them all over the world... they are often gone for a week of more at a time... get a couple days off and right back out...

Cessna's Chief Demo Pilot, I don't think either are gone much at all to tell you the truth.

Chief Pilot = Management.... typically can pick his own schedule, and is typically a job that has very little flying duties since the management duties take up so much time... This position would not be a good indication of schedule for you "average" line demo pilot...

 

[Computer Geek]

Any pay info available for the Demo pilots for the big jets?

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Demo pilots who are home a lot???

I dont think so!!

Demo guys on Falcon, Gulfstream, Bombardier larger planes go out for MANY nights!!

Demo or delivery...if that new plane has MX probs (Oh, they DO!) guess what, you usually stay with it until resolved. You are the goodwill liason between manufacturer and the bitchy client.
It breaks down in Beijing? get comfy there!....

A few years back we took delivery of a brand new plane, Demo guy was going to deliver it, fly 2 days with us, and go home.....
well, 10 days later he finally swapped out with another guy as we had MX issues...

Seems like hard work to me. The guys I have met were not low timers either, but I think they made pretty good money (industry standard on equipment) They did have monthly days off, but they would get ridden over under these (Mx) circumstances....

 

[V1RT8]

One of the Cessna Demo guys recently gave me a ride to the hotel while in ICT. He is doing demos in the CJ and Bravo which means he is somewhat junior. He told me that he is gone for weeks at a time. I work a 7/7 schedule. He gave the distinct impression that he was home far less than I am.

I cannot recall pay.

I believe Cessna has three flight divisions; engineering (flight test), delivery, and demo. Something to that effect anyway. From their three departments they just laid off approx. 15 pilots.

Flight test guys are probably home, but demo guys are definetly not.

As with all things airplane right now, the best job is the one you currently have. I would think that flying for any of the manufacturers would be very interesting though. Good Luck.

 

[GVFlyer]

Direct compensation at the Big G is roughly eqivalent to EJI Gulfstream International Captain pay. The big difference is that G'Stream has an excellent defined pension plan and NetJets does not.

Gulfstream Demo pilots get one day off less than they were gone when they return from a trip: Gone 8 days - you get 7 off when you get back.

It's the steely-eyed Gulfstream test pilots who really earn their pay checks

GV









.

 

[Computer Geek]

steely eyed huh....LOL thx for the info...

 

[Bally]

I was a domo pilot for Gulfstream for over a year. I was never home, and very few scheduled days off. The pay was simular to industry standards.

Another issue is that you are flying demos with pilots who have never flown the airplane. We would sometimes get a pilot from light jets or King Air's. Our job was to make them look good and love the airplane.

Many long days. My favorite part was after a 14 hour duty day, the sales person would make you go out for a long long white table cloth dinner with the potential customer. It was not unusual to begin the day at 6:00 am and finish past midnight.

On the bright side, the sales staff where lots of fun and we had some great times on the road.