Jump Pilot
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2001
- Posts
- 277
I'm just wondering if you have ever asked your non-flying friends about what they think pilot pilots make.
I was visiting with a VP type in a non-aviation field last week. He has a passing interest in the airline industry. Out of curiosity, during our discussion I asked asked him what he thought a F/O at a regional makes a year. His response - $50,000 to $60,000 per year. After I told him anaverage salary and the disbelief wore off, he said he could work at the grocery down the street and make more than that.
Later that day I'm flying home. I'm sitting in business class next to a gentlemen and the talk turns to "so what do you do?" I explain some of the things I do and happened to have some Learjet material with me. He looked at that and we talked about the airplane and corporate travel. So I posed this scenario to him: You just bought a Lear 35 and are looking for a crew. I'll work as the F/O on your 35. What do you think the value of my service as an F/O is? His answer was $55,000 - $60,000. I said you have a deal. When I told him the salary of my last job offer, he realized how over-priced he was. Or, how undervalued I was.
I'm not venting over this. We all know the current state of the industry. I am just intrigued by the public's perception versus reality.
I was visiting with a VP type in a non-aviation field last week. He has a passing interest in the airline industry. Out of curiosity, during our discussion I asked asked him what he thought a F/O at a regional makes a year. His response - $50,000 to $60,000 per year. After I told him anaverage salary and the disbelief wore off, he said he could work at the grocery down the street and make more than that.
Later that day I'm flying home. I'm sitting in business class next to a gentlemen and the talk turns to "so what do you do?" I explain some of the things I do and happened to have some Learjet material with me. He looked at that and we talked about the airplane and corporate travel. So I posed this scenario to him: You just bought a Lear 35 and are looking for a crew. I'll work as the F/O on your 35. What do you think the value of my service as an F/O is? His answer was $55,000 - $60,000. I said you have a deal. When I told him the salary of my last job offer, he realized how over-priced he was. Or, how undervalued I was.
I'm not venting over this. We all know the current state of the industry. I am just intrigued by the public's perception versus reality.