First Year Regional Stuff

Maurus

Maurus

The Great Gazoo
I am bored so I smashed some numbers together so some people can understand what first year is like financially at a regional. I am not 100% done with first year so the numbers are not perfect. They will be close to what I actually will make.

Total Pay: $22500

Total Per Diem: $7300

Average Credits Per Month: ~97 Hours *

The First Paycheck of the month ranged from $600-$650

The Second Paycheck of the month ranged from $900-$1700 (Includes Per Diem)

Both of the above are after tax and bennifits are taken out.

Depending on your taxes and choices for benefits approximately 25-35% of your pay will go to "the man". Per diem is added after.


Of my time on first year pay every month except 2 were at minimum days off. I broke guarantee and/or had premium pay every month except one after training was complete.

I was on reserve for 4 months and had some form of a line ever since.

I am at one of the "better" regionals so depending on where you go you could get some very different results.


*My average credit number is based on 10 months of line pay. The first two months are per diem only while in training so I excluded them. The average is not what I was awarded. It includes premium pay and as a result is a bit higher than what I actually worked.
 
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Couple of notes on that...

Per diem is added in after taxes, as long as you are doing an overnight. If you do a day trip it's taxable. Most places that doesn't matter, but some places it makes a pretty big difference.

While $22,000 is a very small amount of money to make (especially with the level of work that a pilot does) it is livable if a) you don't have much in the way of debt you are paying off b) you are able to be based in a small city with a very low cost of living c) you cut back on all your expenses that you can (so you'd better either not drink or be happy with PBR) and d) understand that the pay gets better after a year. Not a whole lot better, but enough you can start living your life a little bit.

My first year pay 9 years ago (without per diem) was $21,950. Fortunately for me I was living in a very low cost city (Dayton, OH) had a car and education that was paid off, had about $300 a month in flight training loans and lived with an awesome housemate (@FlybyLaw) who was in a similar situation. We certainly scrimped on some things but I never felt like I wouldn't make it through.

Interestingly enough this latest jump for me from a regional to a major (one of the few with really bad first year pay still) has been more difficult financially. Part of that is due to the fact that I now live in one of the most expensive cities in the country, but it's also because I'm not just out of college and willing to live on the lower end of the scale anymore. I've have a taste of the good life (regional captain pay) and am not willing to go back to having a roommate or eating ramen noodles (the cheap kind, not the awesome type @Derg is always posting pictures of) 5 days a week. I knew this was coming though so for the last 5 years I was putting everything I could in to savings and wouldn't you know it, I've burned through most of that savings between moving and living out here.

TL;DR: First year regional pay is livable without too much stress if certain conditions (pre job financials, local cost of living) are met. Jumping from a regional captain spot to first year Major/LCC pay (if it isn't one of the carriers that has raised pay already) can be tough as well and requires planning for.
 
Yup. I saved up a bunch of money before jumping to my regional. Luckily I didn't have to use much of it and now it is more of a fall back in case of furlough or something similar. Just sucks since I could pay off my small loan with that money.
 
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Good info! Mind telling us which company this was at? Perhaps that would make things a little more useful for prospective new-hires.

For comparison's sake, my average monthly take-home pay while on first year pay at my regional (QX) was $2,436.08. Second year average was $3,414.60, including a 5-week period I didn't work due to a medical leave of absence. I picked up occasional premium pay, but not a huge amount.
 
I averaged $1700 in pay and per diem after deductions each month. I commute so I paid $45/month for parking and $175/month for a Crashpad. I also have a decent sized loan payment each month of $760. I went to a regional with a signing bonus which really only paid for my expenses back home while in class for three months (don't ask lol).

I work as a painter everyday off. That's the only way I make it work. Its better now on second year pay. First of the month check is about $800 and second check is about $1500.
 
Derg said:
Now all I want is ramen.
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ramen_oriental.jpg
 
BobDDuck said:
ramen_oriental.jpg
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IMG_5123.JPG

This is what I lived off of there.

I was lucky because I spent nearly 4 months in training for the different types. I was getting stacks on stacks of per diem. Now I really worry about having to go back to 121 if anything bad happens to my current job.
 
BobDDuck said:
Is that place worth the line? It's about 2 blocks from me, but I've never gone.
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The line usually went quick but I was there for an early dinner after my morning line.
If that was crowded then I would go back to the Thai place on Kuhio and Lewers or happy hour prices at Gyu-Kaku.
 
Cessnaflyer said:
The line usually went quick but I was there for an early dinner after my morning line.
If that was crowded then I would go back to the Thai place on Kuhio and Lewers or happy hour prices at Gyu-Kaku.
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I've been to the Thai place and thought it sucked. Maybe just what I got though. Gyu-Kaku is ok but it's about 50% food and 50% MSG. I'll give that other place a try though.
 
dbrault17 said:
I averaged $1700 in pay and per diem after deductions each month. I commute so I paid $45/month for parking and $175/month for a Crashpad. I also have a decent sized loan payment each month of $760. I went to a regional with a signing bonus which really only paid for my expenses back home while in class for three months (don't ask lol).

I work as a painter everyday off. That's the only way I make it work. Its better now on second year pay. First of the month check is about $800 and second check is about $1500.
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Delete the crashpad expenses and the parking pass expenses and you're basically where I was, plus or minus. Reserve guarantee on first year pay is a bad situation.
 
pete2800 said:
Good info! Mind telling us which company this was at? Perhaps that would make things a little more useful for prospective new-hires.

For comparison's sake, my average monthly take-home pay while on first year pay at my regional (QX) was $2,436.08. Second year average was $3,414.60, including a 5-week period I didn't work due to a medical leave of absence. I picked up occasional premium pay, but not a huge amount.
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That sounds like one hell of a pay raise from my perspective. Not to mention flying while making that money, versus working at a restaurant and chucking bags. I am lucky to see 1600/mo now and days... Sure it is not good money by today's standards, but I wouldn't complain seeing 1200 going into my pocket every two weeks. (no kids, and a girlfriend who also has a low income).
 
JDean3204 said:
That sounds like one hell of a pay raise from my perspective. Not to mention flying while making that money, versus working at a restaurant and chucking bags. I am lucky to see 1600/mo now and days... Sure it is not good money by today's standards, but I wouldn't complain seeing 1200 going into my pocket every two weeks. (no kids, and a girlfriend who also has a low income).
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Yeah, it's definitely been 'survivable' for me here.

To those that say all regionals are equal, I respectfully disagree. The best one is based wherever you live. Some do pay more than others.
 
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