FOs flying to near the max -- how does the pay work?

[BluDevAv8r]

What do you mean by "work the system", and how does one "work the system"

Hard hours and pay time are two different things. Some airlines give premiums for picking up trips on days off. Many also pay you if your flight cancels. Many also pay when you get removed from your trip so they can train a new pilot or if you go illegal for FAR reasons. It all adds up. For example, a stand-up at my airline pays 7.5 hours so you fly to the overnight at 9pm and fly back at 6am and you get paid 7.5 hours to do 2 hours of work (and have very little sleep).

-Neal

 

[Alin10123]

Hard hours and pay time are two different things. Some airlines give premiums for picking up trips on days off. Many also pay you if your flight cancels. Many also pay when you get removed from your trip so they can train a new pilot or if you go illegal for FAR reasons. It all adds up. For example, a stand-up at my airline pays 7.5 hours so you fly to the overnight at 9pm and fly back at 6am and you get paid 7.5 hours to do 2 hours of work (and have very little sleep).

-Neal

Hmm... very interesting. Tell me more.

 

[Avalanche]

I think it would be interesting to hear from some 1st year Charter CAs and some 1st year freight dogs just for comparison

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Hmm... very interesting. Tell me more.

What do you want to know?

 

[Alin10123]

What do you want to know?

About how to work the system.

 

[CptMurf]

Ok, after doing some reseach there could be some 2nd year FO's breaking 40K. But this is at a select few regionals, you would have to be hired or move into their largest fleet type within the 1st year (to get a complete 2nd year pay), and you would have to CREDIT 100 hours a month or more. This may be possible at some airlines, but definately not most.

Skywest 2nd year CRJ200 FO pay is $35 x 100 x 12 = $42000 a year
ASA 2nd year CRJ700 FO pay is $37 x 100 x 12 = $44400 a year

I don't know if it is possible to get into these aircraft by your second year. You would have to work your tail off to average a credit of 100 hours. But I guess it could be done. PER DIEM is not salary, and SHOULD NOT be calculated into your income. 401K match is a form of salary and I believe both have a match around 2% to start(which would add about $900). So at best, I would think they would be making around 43k-45k a year.

XJ = Mesaba
XJT = Express Jet

 

[Crash Pad]

Rising pilots... Yep welcome aboard to the greatest industry of all time. Despite what you may have read in the papers or even on this forum the pilot life is cherry. First of all lets talk pay. FO's commonly make 30K first year with around 10K in per diem. The only ones who don't are ones not smart enough to understand the system.
Then you get the big jump to second year pay... FO's then usually make 50-60K a year. Now you may divide 50,000 by $37 and come up with 1351 hour of pay in a year... Sound rediculous... It's not soon you'll understand how to fly 30 hours above 100 every month of the year. Whoops don't forget per diem... again another 10K.
Now you may have heard of bottom feeders like Mesa. Those guys are only making $29K first year and 40K second year.
Don't forget upgrade. Once that money ball hits you'll be making 94K-180K. You may have heard some talk of "pay cuts" don't let them fool you. The average pilot is doing just fine.
Almost forgot... I made five grand last month and worked 4 days. All I had to do was take a day line blocked to 7 hrs 45 min... and with an assortment of "delays", "pencil whipping", etc... I went overblock by 8 hours. With the sweet trip and duty rig the actual pay was 32.5 hours. Did it 4 times on days off from open time to get 130 hours of credit. Plus per diem.

 

[WSurf]

The difference in making more money as a FO comes down to your companies work rules! Even if one company pays $3.00 more per hour then another, it doesn't matter if the higher company has crapper work rules.
Look at Min. Day Pay, or Duty Rigs, Block or Better, Extension Pay, Deadhead Pay, Premium Pay, Cx pay, All these will add up big time at the end of the month.
I was sitting with my Flight Attendant and found out with her work rules, she was making more money first year then a RJ Fo first year that we were talking too. He was making more money per hour, but his work rules never allowed him to get even close to her pay credit per month.

 

[Crash Pad]

Skywest 2nd year CRJ200 FO pay is $35 x 100 x 12 = $42000 a year
ASA 2nd year CRJ700 FO pay is $37 x 100 x 12 = $44400 a year

ASA impossible... First year FO on CRJ700=Reserve... Find me reserves who cosistently break 80 hours and I'd be impressed.
Skywest... If you have training, vacation, etc... how do you hit 100 hours every month like clockwork... If class runs late do you get to overblock it? Do they pay you 8 hrs a day in class?

 

[CptMurf]

ASA impossible... First year FO on CRJ700=Reserve... Find me reserves who cosistently break 80 hours and I'd be impressed.
Skywest... If you have training, vacation, etc... how do you hit 100 hours every month like clockwork... If class runs late do you get to overblock it? Do they pay you 8 hrs a day in class?

My point exactly....53K a year is impossible...40K attainable, but darn near impossible...better plan on about 35k