Salary

[FarsadK-IL-509]

JJ, Can you tell me how much a Pilot makes? I heard all kinds of things and I dont know what to believe. I heard people say 10,000 a month some say 20,000 a month and others even say 30,000 a month(this one sounds ridiculously high).

[SkyWest JJ]

Your best resource for pilot salaries is this link:

http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines.html

Find the airline you are interested in, and then you can find the hourly rate. A very rough way to interpret the hourly rate is to multiply by 1000 hours----that is an average of how many flight hours you will credit in a year. So---if an airline rate is $24/hr----then that is $24,000 per year---or about $2,000 per month.

A first year regional pilot will make around $22,000 per year. Depending on the airline, second year pay is closer to $40,000. A 4th-year captain at a regional might make $65,000 per year. Major airline salaries will range from a 2nd year FO making $70,000 per year and a 7-year captain making $150,000.

[CaseyC-GA-509]

Just for some clarification.. When one says "a 4th-year captain", does that imply 4 total years with an airline, including FO time, or is it actually the 4th year as captain?

Thanks

[SkyWest JJ]

Great question, Casey--

When I say 4th year captain--I mean the pilot has been with the airline for 4 years since their new hire class. The pay rate is found by looking at the column for 4th year and the captain row.

JJ

[CaseyC-GA-509]

Hi again JJ
What makes up the difference in the gap between block time and what time you actually get paid for?

[SkyWest JJ]

Hi Casey--

Block time is roughly: the time that the aircraft leaves the blocks (or chocks) and starts moving under its own power for flight until the time that the aircraft is blocked (chocked) at the end of the flight. So, simply block time is flight time.

However--I am typically paid from 10 to 30 hours more per month than what I actually block. This is where each airline is different based upon the contract and rules they have established for how they get paid. How do I get paid more than what I actually fly?

Here are some examples:

• We are paid a minimum of 3 hours and 45 minutes any day we fly. The last 4-day trip I did started with only one leg on the first day from LAX to Seattle. So--I only flew about 2 hours---but I was paid 3:45 for that day.
  
• We are paid 100% for deadhead flights---this is when the company needs to move us to another airport for a flight (or to get to training). It counts as zero block--but for a deadhead from LAX-ORD I will earn around 4:30.
  
• We get paid at least 1/2 of our scheduled duty time. (Duty time is the time from when you show up at the airport until you are released). So---if my day will take 12 hours---I get paid for at least 6 hours---even if I only fly 2 hours. And on top of that---for any duty over 12 hours in a single period we are paid an additional 1 for 1 amount of credit for any of that time over 12 hours.
  
• If a flight cancels--then we are paid for that flight. So again, zero block time, but you get credit time.
  
• Flights are blocked using averages. If it normally takes 3 hours to fly LAX to Vancouver that is the average block. We get paid block or better. So--the minimum I will make for that flight is 3 hours---even if with strong tailwinds the flight only takes 2 hours and 15 minutes. If for some reason we hold enroute due to weather and the flight takes 3 hours and 30 minutes---then we get the extra 30 minutes as pay.

Does that make a little sense? It's hard to understand until you get to the airlines and see it in person. Just know that every airline treats the same situation a little differently--good to keep in mind when you are comparing airlines.