Here’s another slant on NJA from the perspective of an actual NJA pilot:
I DO NOT commute. I fly from home. My travel is company paid positive space travel and I keep the airline miles. This also means that my first and last days involve very little work. I have elite status on 4 carriers and ride First Class often (remember that I am on duty at this point as well).
We are briefed no later than 7pm the night before day-1 and it cannot change and we cannot be contacted.
I have 3 weeks vacation per year (which is really 9 weeks). I also have 3 weeks of paid training per year so now I am down to “working” 20 tours per year. I could knock this down to 18 tours by using up my sick leave each year.
Now, if you take 18 weeks and conservatively figure 6 days per tour of work (one day less than 7 due to airlines on day-1 and day-7). This is a fair comparison because the airline guys are not counting their commuting days only the duty days.
That equals 108 days of line flying per year or 9 days per month. How does that compare to airlines? Oh yeah, I have 4 weeks vacation at year 10 (actually 12 weeks) that will drop it down even more.
I have never flown more than 450 hours a year here in 6 years.
I am NEVER away from home on my “off” days like many 121 guys are (commuting). If they don’t get me home by the end of my last scheduled day then the economic penalty to the company makes for a VERY nice Xmas at my house. I also “comp off” those hours returned home late from the beginning of my next tour.
Base pay in the neighborhood of $100k at year 5.
If you are young you can look forward to a base pay of $200k (or $240k in the BBJ). I am currently earning another 15-20% over base pay with “normal” overtime. I DO NOT volunteer for any extra but it is there if you want it. Also I AM NOT on the reserve payscale which is a fair amount better.
401k 50% match, insurance fully paid by company, around $8k tax free per-diem in your pocket each year (we don’t buy food here).
We DO NOT stay in Hotels less than Hilton quality and we keep the hotel points too.
10 hours minimum rest begins upon arrival at the HOTEL. Normally it is between 12-16 hours.
We have actual BRIEFED rest. If they shut us down at 4pm today and brief us (yes, they have to brief us before shutdown) for a Noon show tomorrow they CANNOT touch us until Noon tomorrow, no phone calls, etc.
An average day for me is 3-4 legs, 4-5 flight hours, 9-11 duty hours.
Payscales at NJA and the majors are growing towards each other at a fast rate.
So far it doesn’t seem too bad.
My .02
I DO NOT commute. I fly from home. My travel is company paid positive space travel and I keep the airline miles. This also means that my first and last days involve very little work. I have elite status on 4 carriers and ride First Class often (remember that I am on duty at this point as well).
We are briefed no later than 7pm the night before day-1 and it cannot change and we cannot be contacted.
I have 3 weeks vacation per year (which is really 9 weeks). I also have 3 weeks of paid training per year so now I am down to “working” 20 tours per year. I could knock this down to 18 tours by using up my sick leave each year.
Now, if you take 18 weeks and conservatively figure 6 days per tour of work (one day less than 7 due to airlines on day-1 and day-7). This is a fair comparison because the airline guys are not counting their commuting days only the duty days.
That equals 108 days of line flying per year or 9 days per month. How does that compare to airlines? Oh yeah, I have 4 weeks vacation at year 10 (actually 12 weeks) that will drop it down even more.
I have never flown more than 450 hours a year here in 6 years.
I am NEVER away from home on my “off” days like many 121 guys are (commuting). If they don’t get me home by the end of my last scheduled day then the economic penalty to the company makes for a VERY nice Xmas at my house. I also “comp off” those hours returned home late from the beginning of my next tour.
Base pay in the neighborhood of $100k at year 5.
If you are young you can look forward to a base pay of $200k (or $240k in the BBJ). I am currently earning another 15-20% over base pay with “normal” overtime. I DO NOT volunteer for any extra but it is there if you want it. Also I AM NOT on the reserve payscale which is a fair amount better.
401k 50% match, insurance fully paid by company, around $8k tax free per-diem in your pocket each year (we don’t buy food here).
We DO NOT stay in Hotels less than Hilton quality and we keep the hotel points too.
10 hours minimum rest begins upon arrival at the HOTEL. Normally it is between 12-16 hours.
We have actual BRIEFED rest. If they shut us down at 4pm today and brief us (yes, they have to brief us before shutdown) for a Noon show tomorrow they CANNOT touch us until Noon tomorrow, no phone calls, etc.
An average day for me is 3-4 legs, 4-5 flight hours, 9-11 duty hours.
Payscales at NJA and the majors are growing towards each other at a fast rate.
So far it doesn’t seem too bad.
My .02
Last edited:
