Why pilot pay is low....

[Skyboss]

The problem isn't pilot pay, it's pilot productivity:

Here's the basic math on it.

An RJ flies on average 3,500 block hours a year. Say as a minimum, you need 3.5 crews. Tack on to that an addition 22% for worker efficiency (national average) and another (9% for vacation). Add to that benefits of 35% (again average).

Crew Cost = (Hourly Rate)*(# of crews staffed)*1.22*1.09*1.35/(minimum crew required)

Minimum crew required = Aircraft annual block hours/1,000

What this says is while you might not make jack, it's costing the airline. How much? At max efficiency (rarely done - 3.5 crews per aircraft) it would cost the airline $34.21 a block hour for a FO making $19.20. For an airline with 6 crews for the same aircraft: $58.65. For 8 crews: $78.20.

Not a flame on pilots, just something to consider... Some airlines have 6-9 crews per aircraft. If your airline had 4 crews per bird vs. 6 or 7, you could make a lot more. Of course you'd have to work a bit more, but not much more. It equates to 3.75 hrs/month.

 

[Dash8301]

Many Pilot groups have been duped into accepting low pay to fly shiny new jets just to " get their time" and move on. On that same note ALPA National has not fully supported the regional pilots in negotating contracts and in some cases has presured to accept lower rates and benefits. Until we as regional pilots stand up and support each other instead of undercut each other. Only the can we get better pay and work rules industry wide.

 

[Lequip]

"Until we as regional pilots stand up and support each other instead of undercut each other. Only the can we get better pay and work rules industry wide."

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Wake up and smell some Java...NEVER going to happen, NEVER !!!!!

 

[pilotyip]

Do not do it for the money

Hey guys all the airlines in the US have lost more since 2001 than they have made in their entire history of all the airlines since time started. How are hey going to pay more money to anyone. My brother-in law, owns a Muffler Shop, (non-college graduate) lives in a neighborhood with Doctors, Lawyers and, other professionals because he makes over $200K per year. Sends his kids to private schools, lots of vacations, etc. You fly airplanes because you like to fly airplanes, if you want to make money go to a trade school out of high school and run a muffler shop. By making flying a reasonable paying job, $100K per year is a great number as far as I am concerned, it may keep away those pilots who are in for the money. Then pilots who like to fly for living will have their dream jobs.

 

[FN FAL]

Hey guys all the airlines in the US have lost more since 2001 than they have made in their entire history of all the airlines since time started. How are hey going to pay more money to anyone. My brother-in law, owns a Muffler Shop, (non-college graduate) lives in a neighborhood with Doctors, Lawyers and, other professionals because he makes over $200K per year. Sends his kids to private schools, lots of vacations, etc. You fly airplanes because you like to fly airplanes, if you want to make money go to a trade school out of high school and run a muffler shop. By making flying a reasonable paying job, $100K per year is a great number as far as I am concerned, it may keep away those pilots who are in for the money. Then pilots who like to fly for living will have their dream jobs.

Ha, you should see the house down the street from where I live. Most of them are pretty nice anyway, but this guy's place is like an urban mansion. He owns a little rat shed looking place of business in our little town of 25,000. His license plate reads, "LUV2WELD". He's a freaking welder.

His next door neighbor's place is pretty huge and well laid out as well, he's a guy that broke out into the landscaping business after deciding he didn't like working in an office for other people. (sound familiar)

Flying is a service industry. As long as there are people willing to shell out big bucks just to stand in line to be a servant...wages are going to be low.

 

[banned username 2]

Why pilot pay is low....

Because the MagLev is going to replace all air travel and the MagLev crews keep "lowering the bar" and working for substandard wages since they just love driving MagLev's, most claim they would do it for free! That is the REAL problem with Pilot Pay!

 

[Skyboss]

Pathetic.

Everyone knows the real reason is because Falcon Jets are junk and their flight crews are idiots.

 

[Catbird]

Why pilot pay is low?.... Because the majority would run over their grandmother to be next in line to fly left seat. Why does a majority of pricks gravitate towards flying a plane these days? Stupid, dumb, or egomaniac take your pick. If someone tells you that they are a "professional pilot" lead them to the nearest ATM so they can make a withdrawal for a nice reserved position "PFT" on the next spaceship to Uranus. You will have to be 2nd in line though, Tony C was the first pro with his money in hand.

 

[Skyboss]

Now that's funny.

 

[Otto]

Why is pilot pay so low? Simple...way more pilots than jobs.

 

[DoinTime]

Many Pilot groups have been duped into accepting low pay to fly shiny new jets just to " get their time" and move on. On that same note ALPA National has not fully supported the regional pilots in negotating contracts and in some cases has presured to accept lower rates and benefits. Until we as regional pilots stand up and support each other instead of undercut each other. Only the can we get better pay and work rules industry wide.

I'd like to hear some specifics here. Its pretty obvious to everyone here thats ever had any involvement with ALPA that you have no idea what your talking about.

 

[TWA Dude]

Why does a majority of pricks gravitate towards flying a plane these days? Stupid, dumb, or egomaniac take your pick.

I just do it cause it's cool.

 

[tarp]

Supply: Almost infinite.
Demand: Very low.
Result: Low salaries.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ready, watch:

#of airline seats: huge
# of airline passengers : low (but growing)
Result: low seat prices.

# of Hybrid SUV's built: Low
# of people wanting hybrid SUV's: High
Result: People paying 145% of sticker price for new truck.

Amount of oil in world: Steady to small decline due to mideast tension
Demand for oil: Spikes due to Chinese and other central Asian industrialization and no reduction of use in traditional industrialized nations.
Result: Oil prices soar.

No degree in Economics required. Too many people are chasing the dream and there are ten replacements for every job available and willing to work that job for peanuts.

 

[FN FAL]

If someone tells you that they are a "professional pilot" lead them to the nearest ATM so they can make a withdrawal for a nice reserved position "PFT" on the next spaceship to Uranus.

Hehehe...Dude, you said "Uranus"! Hehehehe.

 

[Luckydude!]

FLying for a living or living for flying ?

I do this job because I love it.It's a beutifull career, but my dreams does not pay my bills.I have been flying commercilly since 1998 and seen this industry fluctuate more than any other.Yes there's more careers that the pay it's better, but I let other people to practice thoes jobs.Go a head, be a wellder if you want.
On the other hand, I think, that if im going to fly your multimillon dollar plane with 19,34,50,70 or 100+ pax you should pay me accordingly.
If a lawyer makes a mistake sombody pays a little bit of money (sometimes a lot,jah.), If we make a mistake somebody will pay with theyr life.That a big risk and the airlines should pay us better for that.

Traffic tiket:moderate viloation 75+$, and may be a couple of points
Bust a FAR: Possible rebocation of your lisence!
PF CHANG'S Manager: About 40+$/h
1900-D Captain: First year 30$/h

Let my know if you agree!

 

[N8Dogg]

Why is pilot pay so low? There are too many guys watching "Top Gun", "Iron Eagle" wetting themselves while dreaming about becoming a "cool" pilot. I'm not disgruntled. Well, maybe I am.

 

[banned username 2]

Pathetic.

Everyone knows the real reason is because Falcon Jets are junk and their flight crews are idiots.

Guess I hit a little too close to SkyBoss's "Home" on that one...

SkyBoss, are you the latest graduate from the Gulfstream International MagLev Academy?

 

[FN FAL]

Why is pilot pay so low? There are too many guys watching "Top Gun", "Iron Eagle" wetting themselves while dreaming about becoming a "cool" pilot. I'm not disgruntled. Well, maybe I am.

well, make up your mind!
Are ya gruntled or disgruntled?...
I mean, if someone asks, you could
say something like,"well...I'm feeling a little un-gruntled today, but thankyou for asking!"

 

[TopGun-MAV]

i'm averaging about 13k this year (haven't worked a full year). its ok. i live at home so i can save a bit. i do it for fun. i would work for free but the job came with a paycheck so its really free money!

maverick

 

[milehigh6080]

Ugh

Quote:
"i'm averaging about 13k this year (haven't worked a full year). its ok. i live at home so i can save a bit. i do it for fun. i would work for free but the job came with a paycheck so its really free money!

maverick"


Amazing, the sheer stupidity of some people really is amazing. Maybe if flying doesn't work out, we can all go pay Walmart $15k a year to work there- they have some super sweet credit card readers and I'd love to get my hands on those babies!

-Milehigh

 

[cynic]

Because any dumba$$ can turn the autopilot on. And I have plenty of flight time in jets, at a busy airports, in the rain, single engine, blah blah blah blah

Pretty soon you will all be replaced by monkeys

They are in training:
http://www.princessmonkey.com/monkeys/graphics/arthur_pbooks.jpg

They are everywhere:
http://www.houseoftheorangemonkey.co.uk/postimages/pilot.jpg
http://www.richland2.org/rte/Images/teacher_pictures/Tucker%20and%20Monkey.jpg

 

[Skyboss]

Guess I hit a little too close to SkyBoss's "Home" on that one...

SkyBoss, are you the latest graduate from the Gulfstream International MagLev Academy?

Just havin' fun. How is it going at the Falcon Window Washing Association Convention????

 

[banned username 2]

Just havin' fun. How is it going at the Falcon Window Washing Association Convention????

Doin just fine, we are going to replace our undercarriage with a MagLev recepticle... you know, preparing for the future...

 

[Skyboss]

Does it look like this and launch at 6,000 MPH???


http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/maglev/maglevfacts.html

We'll need more window washers.

 

[othello]

My 2 cents. I think it is your flight school/FBO's fault regional pay is so low, until CFI's start making more than 10-18$ an hour with little or no benifits I.E. Health/Dental. Bottom feeding regionals Like Great Lakes (and others) will continue to have an HR desk with rusumes stacked to the ceiling with cfi's eager to make 15$ and hr and upgrade in 18 month to make 27$ an hr as a 2ed yr regional captian.

Not directly bashing Lakes but your payscale makes me sick. Yet the line to work there isn't getting any shorter. It all starts with starved CFI's.

 

[pilotyip]

for othello

You and all the starving CFI's should band together and start a flight school and pay $50 per hour with a 100 a month guarentee. You would set the example on how CFI's should be treated. Oh! might not be able to do that unless you win the lotto. LOL

 

[BankAccount=0$]

As much as I enjoy the great Maglev debate, there is one important fact I just learned from the website Skyboss put the link to.



[font=arial, geneva, sans-serif][font=arial,geneva,sans-serif]Features

[font=arial,geneva,sans-serif]The heart of the MagLev system is its superconducting (SC) magnets or coils. The SC coils are made from wire made from the defunct Superconductor Super Collider program[/font]

[/font][/font]

Sorry SkyBoss but I'm gonna have to side with the BBQ expert on this one. This whole program looks like a easy excuse for the untold billions wasted on the supercollider program. Like they say, "Garbage in, garbage out"

 

[FR8mastr]

It cant be true, there is no way that their are more pilots than jobs!! I was just looking through my aviation periodical, and the ads in it told me that there is a major pilot shortage. And for only 60K I too can be one of the high paid aviators! I even saw proof, there is some dork standing on a jetway with no hat brass and a 4 engine airliner in the background.

 

[Skyboss]

This project is, but this one isn't the only program. There are about eight of them out there, one in commercial service in China and another to be built from Vegas to Prim. Los Angeles is also in final definition phase. It will run North to the Camarillo area, South to Orange County with the more important leg from Orange County Airport East to Riverside and into Prim then on to Vegas.

http://www.ci.las-vegas.nv.us/Files/SST090602.pdf