How much to charge for day pilot services?

[RipCurl]

I charge $350/day + expenses for piston stuff - PIC, CFI, seat warmer, whatever. Doesn't make a difference to me. However, I have almost no turbocharged piston twin time, so maybe add me as a data point rather than a definitive number.

 

[StarHustler]

When I flew piston contract work, over 3 years ago now, I charged $350 per day plus expenses (food,hotel, etc). I never had any complaints and never had a shortage of business. I flew mostly C-310's, PA-31's, and the occasional B-55. It was actually kind of fun but I never did any 'babysitting' stuff for another pilot. All of my work was single pilot IFR stuff, flying folks where they needed to go.

 

["v"]

How do you get into this kind of flying?? I have a ton of piston twin time both turbo charged and non turbo-charged. Would be nice to make some extra cash on the side. I really enjoyed my single pilot IFR flying

 

[H2OK9]

Here is my thoughts on this....I know it seems like a lot of pay but, you're a professional pilot! you have an ATP. having that insurance in the seat next to a somewhat less experienced pilot is well worth every bit of $500.00 per day plus expenses. You don't pay your auto mech. 20 bucks an hour labor to change your battery cause its an easier job than changing out the brakes at a rate of 79 bucks an hour. Don't sell yourself short! They're paying you for your professionalism and experience.

 

[jet2work]

FWIW I think that $500 a day is gonna scare the guy away. Are you worth it? IMHO .....Yes, However, we get contract guys in jets for $500 a day (typed and current - which the job you mention doesn't require).

What I fear will happen to you is that he will find someone else (like a low time CFII - building time for your old job). That guy will probably do the job for much less ( and deserves much less than a guy with your experience).

Here's what I did in a similar situation years ago when I was flying contract (made $500 a day back then in Hawkers and Falcons). I had a guy with a Cirrus (high net worth) and charged him the dual rate that the local flight school charged for instrument instruction (it was around $30 an hour). And I charged him the whole time we were out (capped it at 10 hours for an overnight) plus expenses. Also I convinced him to let me take one of my kids with me if it was an overnight or weekend day trip (actually, he often suggested it).

Bottom line was, he understood the whole hourly CFI rate and was cool with it. I never gave him dual, and if the weather was lousy I flew from the left seat (and he was good with that). He was getting someone much more qualified, and I was underutilizing my skills, albeit at a reduced rate, but with a fringe benefit (got to spend the day with one of my kids and get paid simutaneously). It's funny now, my kids remember the time they spent with me in that airplane more than they do the times they have been in the jets.

Either way, I don't see this becoming some big money making deal for you ( I wish it were), when you are probably competing against some low time CFII that would do it for free given the chance.

You obviously love your kids, given the choice you have made. Perhaps you can enjoy both your kids and love of flying. God forbid your kids pick up the bug too...

 

[brokeflyer]

ask for $1200 per day.....

then when he gets you down to $500 he'll be getting a good deal.

Don't go cheap, the regionals can already do that.

 

[NCherches]

...$500 a day seems high... in reality $250 a day will fill that seat with as many pilot's still floating around. I know it might not be what he/you want to hear but its simply supply and demand and it sucks!

 

[RipCurl]

Here is my thoughts on this....I know it seems like a lot of pay but, you're a professional pilot! you have an ATP. having that insurance in the seat next to a somewhat less experienced pilot is well worth every bit of $500.00 per day plus expenses. You don't pay your auto mech. 20 bucks an hour labor to change your battery cause its an easier job than changing out the brakes at a rate of 79 bucks an hour. Don't sell yourself short! They're paying you for your professionalism and experience.

Sorry, I've got to agree with jet2work here. You can ask for $500, but they'll probably just say no thanks, and that'll be the end of that opportunity. Don't do it for free, but $500 a day is pretty high for piston stuff. If you can get it, great. But I've lost more gigs than I can count by asking for what I feel is a fair wage. It's not so bad when you fly a Falcon and you're doing this on the side for fun, but when you need the work to pay rent because our industry has been flat for three years, you have to balance the market with your personal standards. Hell, I lost a steady 91 turboprop PIC contract gig because I wouldn't do it for under $400 a day. Guess what? He's got guys lining up around the corner to do it for $200. Sucks man.

 

[peter185]

As a gauge, around Texas pretty common numbers I've seen are $400/day for turboprops, $500/day for light jet, and $800/day for midsize jet. I would think $300-$400 for a piston would be fair.