What you can expect to make.

[California]

My Gross Pay

2004 Jan only- $2875.55 second year PA-31 pay Ameriflight (worked OT)

2004 Feb thru Dec -$14,560.19 first year SKYW EMB-120 FO
11 months of work, no pay in training, and did not sit reserve but two days)

2004 Total =$17,435.74

 

[exchexflyer]

It's not that bad everywhere. I'm an fo a chq and have been on 2nd year pay since april. Made just over 30,000. I did work overtime some months, but in no way did I work my @ss off.

 

[psysicx]

Why didn't you stay at Ameriflight and upgrade to the 99 and make better pay?

 

[rattler]

It's not that bad everywhere. I'm an fo a chq and have been on 2nd year pay since april. Made just over 30,000. I did work overtime some months, but in no way did I work my @ss off.

The scary part is you think that is a good thing.

 

[exchexflyer]

Hey man, I just meant it was better than 17,400 which what the first guy posted. I never said it was good, I just meant a little better.

 

[The_Russian]

30K in a jet. No way. Thats not enough. Should be 50K. I wouldn't be happy about it. You guys are IBT747, better start thinking of the EMB170 rates!

 

[flyguy81]

i got you all beat....16,400 for instructing...can't get much better than that. Shoot me now.

 

[rightrudder]

It's not that bad everywhere. I'm an fo a chq and have been on 2nd year pay since april. Made just over 30,000. I did work overtime some months, but in no way did I work my @ss off.

What was your first year pay? That's what the first guy posted.

 

[6'0 AGL]

I don't think you could consider any of these yearly avgs. "adult wages"

 

[capt. megadeth]

I wish they would do a news bulletin like right before the State of the Union address about HOW MUCH MONEY WE DON'T MAKE! I wish that people would stop thinking we make a lot of money.

 

[apcooper]

Capt Megadeth,


Actually they ought to do a commercial right after the 1st kickoff tommorrow night!! Some pilots out there must be creative enough to make it good and funny too since it is the superbowl. Recently one of my co-workers remarked after flying with me once "Flight instructors must make a lot of money, right?" I just about fainted!!!! I told him the truth and he seemed happy that he learned this fact!

 

[capt. megadeth]

Capt Megadeth,


Actually they ought to do a commercial right after the 1st kickoff tommorrow night!! Some pilots out there must be creative enough to make it good and funny too since it is the superbowl. Recently one of my co-workers remarked after flying with me once "Flight instructors must make a lot of money, right?" I just about fainted!!!! I told him the truth and he seemed happy that he learned this fact!

Actually that's a better time to do that! I mean who really watches the State of the Union?

 

[rchcfi]

i got you all beat....16,400 for instructing...can't get much better than that. Shoot me now.

Geeez, I made that in 3 months flying Air Attack (And I only had 2000TT)........Lots of money to be made in aviation if you don't only focus your ambitions on becoming an "airline pilot"

 

[73belair]

2nd year pay rate at ASA just over $32.7k in 2004. (with a 2 months of 3rd year in there)

 

[Patriot328]

I'm a capt on the dojet at ACA. Been here a little over five years. I grossed just a hair over $80,000 in 2004, with Nov and Dec at min guaruntee (75hrs) and no perdiem while I wait for training.

Of course, I don't remember much of Jan-Oct because my arse was planted in the dojet seat for most ot it.

 

[CAVOK69]

i got you all beat....16,400 for instructing...can't get much better than that. Shoot me now.

That is good! I made 12,000 my first year of instruction...before taxes. Flying a multi, and flying my A.S.S off.

 

[flyrunner80]

CAVOK69,

Prepare to have your dancin girl taken away. I like it though.

 

[flyinlow67]

Made a hair over 9k last year with 1 month off between an instructing job, and my current freight job. Glad the wife has a good job and is VERY supportive.
I am very tempted to call Truckmasters.
Anyone got that number..................?

 

[6'0 AGL]

Geeez, I made that in 3 months flying Air Attack (And I only had 2000TT)........Lots of money to be made in aviation if you don't only focus your ambitions on becoming an "airline pilot"

There's always flying for the guys with $2000 suits that want you to land without lights at night on some abandoned airstrip and if you get "followed" all you need to do is throw the "trashbags"/Cargo out the window!!!! Yea you can make a killin' in this business man!!!!!

 

[acaTerry]

i got you all beat....16,400 for instructing...can't get much better than that. Shoot me now.

Actually, for a CFI that's not too bad. When I was a busy CFI in sunny AZ I only made about 600- 700 a month. But then again that was about 7 yrs ago and I suppose money value has changed.

Remember your low CFI pay when you get to the airlines...it is those years of low pay, high work at the entry level jobs (CFI, cargo, etc) that are the reason we need to see a decent wage at the airlines. And remember that we all must retire one day, and right now most airlines don't have anywhere near a decent retirement plan either (i.e. our whopping 1% match).

Keep the kids safe out there in the bugbeaters and I hope we'll all see you out here soon. Good luck.

Fly Safe

acaTerry. Running his mouth since 1999.

 

[Bandit60]

There's always flying for the guys with $2000 suits that want you to land without lights at night on some abandoned airstrip and if you get "followed" all you need to do is throw the "trashbags"/Cargo out the window!!!! Yea you can make a killin' in this business man!!!!!

You really ought to think about what you just said. I work for a great corporate and make more money than any FO and most Capt in the airlines. Oh yea the safey record according to the Feds in Corporate 91 jet operators is better than 121 airlines. That is per 100,000 hours of flight time the jet corporate has the best safety record in the industry.

So when you dont make it in the airlines, dont come crawling to a corporate job. You are the type that give airline guys a bad rep.

 

[73belair]

You really ought to think about what you just said. I work for a great corporate and make more money than any FO and most Capt in the airlines. Oh yea the safey record according to the Feds in Corporate 91 jet operators is better than 121 airlines. That is per 100,000 hours of flight time the jet corporate has the best safety record in the industry.

So when you dont make it in the airlines, dont come crawling to a corporate job. You are the type that give airline guys a bad rep.

Are they hireing?

 

[movingviolation]

I had "the greatest job in the world" teaching aerobatics in a T-6. Talk about a demanding plane... and dangerous work (talking some bonanza driving idiot through aerobatics while he tries to kill you). And for this 'honor' I got paid 18,500 a year. (after my second year).

It was a big step up from the $9,800 a year CFI job pulling 6 days a week. Now with 5 years experience I am making almost 24,000 a year flying freight around. Wow, that's allmost a 300% raise since I started out. At this rate I'll be off foodstamps sometime in the next 20 years!

The delivery drivers who pick up my freight every night laugh at the fact that they make more money than I do.

"Livin the dream with the greatest job in the world"

 

[skyaddict]

Instructing out in CA (Bay Area) late 90s to 2001 - $45K- was paid for every hour of ground and flight and sometimes grossed $500+/day, while fools did traffic watch for $6/hour. ACA FO year 1 - $22K or so, year 2, $35K or so, year 3 $42 K or so, year 4 running the same but about to get furloughed... I still haven't made as much as I did instructing. I agree it is literally outrageous that jet pilots are paid one dime less than a livable wage of $30K or so, but there seems a limitless supply of fools at every rung on the ladder who will build time at zero pay or pay for time, to supply race to the bottom labor pool.

The most disgusting thing in this industry is that approximately half of all the time spent on the job is paid at per diem rates only, i.e. $1.50 an hour or whatever it happens to be. A 12 hour day of busy turns, weather delays, etc can end up being 6 hours or less of block time paid. By contrast when I was an independent contractor, instructing, I charged for all my time including pre- and postflight, so long as I was working.

 

[neflier]

I'm a capt on the dojet at ACA. Been here a little over five years. I grossed just a hair over $80,000 in 2004, with Nov and Dec at min guaruntee (75hrs) and no perdiem while I wait for training.

Of course, I don't remember much of Jan-Oct because my arse was planted in the dojet seat for most ot it.

Enjoy it while it last. If you are at ACA for 5 yrs, that means you should be displaced to the right seat. I was on the fifth year scale when I took the voluntary on Jan 1. If I stayed, I expected to make low 30's in '05. That's after you factor in the commuting expenses associated with IAD. If you were on the 328, then I'm assuming that you'll also be a commuter.

BTW, I was also on the 328. LGA then BOS and finally CVG based. We probably flew together at some point. I hope every thing works out for you.

 

[FN FAL]

You really ought to think about what you just said. I work for a great corporate and make more money than any FO and most Capt in the airlines. Oh yea the safey record according to the Feds in Corporate 91 jet operators is better than 121 airlines. That is per 100,000 hours of flight time the jet corporate has the best safety record in the industry.

So when you dont make it in the airlines, dont come crawling to a corporate job. You are the type that give airline guys a bad rep.

You must have been too young to remember the tv show Miami Vice...it's not your fault, but I don't think he was refering to the corporate culture that you were thinking of.

 

[taloft]

The most disgusting thing in this industry is that approximately half of all the time spent on the job is paid at per diem rates only, i.e. $1.50 an hour or whatever it happens to be. A 12 hour day of busy turns, weather delays, etc can end up being 6 hours or less of block time paid.

I'm an adopting a new policy. When anyone asks what I make, I'm just dividing my hourly pay by half to come up with an accurate amount. Unless she's hot, then I'm doubling it.

 

[Dutch]

Yeah, double the wages but never admit to being a pilot. Tell her you're a "systems manager in the aluminum tubing industry". Best thing I learned in new-hire class, thanks mAAtt.

 

[6'0 AGL]

You really ought to think about what you just said. I work for a great corporate and make more money than any FO and most Capt in the airlines. Oh yea the safey record according to the Feds in Corporate 91 jet operators is better than 121 airlines. That is per 100,000 hours of flight time the jet corporate has the best safety record in the industry.

So when you dont make it in the airlines, dont come crawling to a corporate job. You are the type that give airline guys a bad rep.

Lighten up Laurence....I was talking about the Miami Vice Kind of flying...don't be so touchy....Dude read the entire response I replied to!!! GAW!!!!!!

And how many "jobs" do you know that you have to throw the cargo in the plastic bags out the window?

 

[Four02Driver]

I fly for Cape Air and pulled in just over 50k flying a c402 and the kicker I'm home in my own bed EVERY night