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Pay info and advice

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rightseatguy

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Posts
6
Currently I work in a small flight department (I've been the only full-time pilot for the last 4 years) where I have instructed for the last 4 years, and run the charter side for the last 2. As the only pilot, I feel I am getting stretched thin, especially now that it is summer time and I work 40-60 hour weeks. Additionally, since our charter certificate is a single-pilot certificate, I am essentially on-call 24/7. Now the company is considering purchasing a C-441 to be used for both part 91 and 135. I would love the chance to fly this type of aircraft, but if I am going to be expected to continue to run a one-man department, I don't know if it is worth it. As it stands now, I am expected to cancel all students and flights if a charter pops up, which is obviously not good business. Is this kind of situation normal, or is it just a case of the company trying to run things as cheaply as possible? What would you do?

What would be an appropriate salary in this situation? Also, what would be appropriate in the slim chance that they agree to hire someone else to run the flight training aspect of the department, leaving me to primarily handle the charter side? The aircraft would be operated 91 and 135 in the midwest, approximately 300-400 hours / year.

Thanks
 
I did exactly what you are doing. My advise is go for the charter on the multi airplane. Eventually you will get so busy with that they will have to hire another instructor. The next step will be to make your certificate multi pilot. You are in a great position to get some real experience in the real world. Don't worry about the hours, they have a way of working themselves out. It will be obvious that another instructor will need to be hired very soon.
 
Pay Advice: Save your money, don't go to the show. In addition, don't be a naughty eskimo.

It's always harder to negotiate up in pay, once they got you inside. Usually, the only way to get respect is to quietly find another job and leave. I was thinking of setting up a corporate flight department for a company that I worked for as a mechical assembler and field service technican...in a way, since they were using my twin, I already had become a one man flight department. However, they were interested in moving up into some turbine equipment. I know for a fact that I could never negotiate industry scale for the position I would have created...so I moved on.

Good luck your endeavors, but as long as they know you need turbine time, they'll make the most use of their "carrot".
 
Well, I have a different view than that of FnFal. You want and need the time, and you know what the rules are. After all, you have been playing ball with these folks for some time. Here is a very likely scenerio; at some point you will have a regular charter customer who presto, decides that he needs his own corporate airplane. If you, as the airplane driver, have done your PR work, guess who will be approached for opinions and expertise and a job?

www.bdkingpress.com
 
Are you essentially managing the airplane too?

Where are you located? That'll also affect pay.
 
I am a one-man department, handling everything from flight training, charter and 91 company flights, to cleaning of the aircraft, managing, marketing, office work, etc, etc. If it's related to flight, I handle it (except the maintenance and avionics, of course).

Located in KS

By the way, I'm looking for salary, not day rates

Thanks
 

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