135 schedule Vs 9-5 schedule

lr31apilot

Well-Known Member
I ran a little experiment on my 135 schedule versus a “normal” job schedule. We wrote down all the hours away from home for the month to compare against a friends schedule that works a standard 9 to 5 cubical type job.

FYI: We both make about the same salary, represent a family of three, and are about the same age. I work at a sub-par 135 operator and crew 3 airplanes: 2 learjets and one piston twin. I have few to no real days off a month and get 2 weeks vacation a year. I receive a set salary no matter how many days I work. I only really know my days off after they happen.

He works at a very large light bulb distribution company (think Dunder Mifflin but with light bulbs instead of paper). He works Monday through Friday and has a 30 min commute to the office. He gets 2 weeks paid vacation a year an all the normal HR stuff that comes with a big company.

The Findings:

I worked 15 Days and spent 198 hours away from home. Much of the time away from home was during night hours on overnight trips. Wednesday the 5th was counted as a workday because I came in the door at 0200.

He worked 20 days and spent 180 hours away from home all during day time hours.

Next month could be completely different. What do the 121 numbers look like?

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My October schedule (121) has me away from home: 183 hours.
Time off: 20 days. (however I have 4 military days, My original award had 15 days off)

My Sept schedule had 14 days off and 242 hours at "work."

I live in base, so my commute is 15 minutes. Commuters will have vastly different numbers.
 
This is an interesting comparison. I would think that not only could you determine your real pay-per-hour, but also make some generalizations about QOL, as well.
 
Interesting thread! My numbers vary from month to month. This year, my average has been about 380 hours (16 days) away from home during a given month, but it can be more or less than that. July was about 440 hours TAFB (18 days), but September was 230 (9.5). Simply depends on the schedule for that month.

Keep in mind that this is long-haul 121 charter, and my days on come in large blocks.
 
I work a six and three schedule. Three days. Three nights. Three days off 12 hour shifts at the airport for the days, on call from home for the nights. 21 days of vacation (5 years of service).

On average I work less hours than my wife who is .8 as an MRI Tech.
 
I work a six and three schedule. Three days. Three nights. Three days off 12 hour shifts at the airport for the days, on call from home for the nights. 21 days of vacation (5 years of service).

On average I work less hours than my wife who is .8 as an MRI Tech.
 
Typical schedule for my large corporation gig is being away from home 450 hours/month. Working from home now, which is unusual, but very welcome. I get 7 weeks PTO, which makes up for the large amount of time on the road to a degree.
 
Hmmm, in perspective, the Navy had me at work 360 hours a month and away from home 720 hours a month. All that for $2200 a month ;)
 
Full time Guard Pilot: In a 28-day month I typically work 194 hours, am away from home 223 hours, and get 8 days off a month.
 
Alright, to just screw with all of your data, I work month on, month off. I am gone for every second of every other month. The months I am home is pure days off. No call outs, nothing (okay, I do have training once a year during that time). Paid every month. If we could get rid of our self-appointed "chief pilot", this would be one of the best jobs possible. Yes, the month on sucks, but a full 6 months out of the year home with no obligations, other than being with the family...
 
So what's the comparison for? Trying to determine your actual pay-per-hour?

It all started because my wife goes to a lot of events (birthdays, baby showers, weddings.... ext.) alone because a lot of charters happen on the weekends and I have to work. Recently I started picking up on more sympathetic comments from people about how "difficult" of a work schedule we have as a family. I decided to get to the bottom of this myth busters style and see if we really have it that bad.

I dont think you can compare hourly rates between pilots and non-pilots because so much of my time "working" is spent eating and sleeping but you can compare time at home on an even scale.
 
I dont think you can compare hourly rates between pilots and non-pilots because so much of my time "working" is spent eating and sleeping but you can compare time at home on an even scale.

Well, if you want to compare QOL, compare how many hours you vs your neighbor spends "on the job," where "on the job" starts for you when you park your car at your home airport to when you put the key in the ignition on the way home. Then do the same for your neighbor, where his "on the job" starts when he arrives at the office and ends when he leaves. If your neighbor takes business trips, then include any time his car is parked at the airport.

Once you have your hours/year and his hours/year, take earnings/year and divide it by hours/year. That will give you a good estimate of both yours and his earnings/hour, and you'll really see where you can compare with QOL.
 
Alright, to just screw with all of your data, I work month on, month off. I am gone for every second of every other month. The months I am home is pure days off. No call outs, nothing (okay, I do have training once a year during that time). Paid every month. If we could get rid of our self-appointed "chief pilot", this would be one of the best jobs possible. Yes, the month on sucks, but a full 6 months out of the year home with no obligations, other than being with the family...

LOL not to derail the thread but my worst run in with a pilot was with a guy who claimed to be the assistant Chief Pilot of a CRQ based 135 operator. A little fact checking revealed the position did not exist.
 
The only thing wrong with this, in pov, is that the other guy, most likely, works at the same time as his wife and his kids school hours. So his total time away from family might only be 2-3 hours per day. To some that is a better comparison. Some other jobs (think IT) let you work from home when requested so that factors in as well.

Yes pilots spend more days at home but who cares if you're home alone.
 
The only thing wrong with this, in pov, is that the other guy, most likely, works at the same time as his wife and his kids school hours. So his total time away from family might only be 2-3 hours per day. To some that is a better comparison. Some other jobs (think IT) let you work from home when requested so that factors in as well.

Yes pilots spend more days at home but who cares if you're home alone.

Very good point. My son is only 1 so that does not play a roll for me yet but it is still a good point.
 
204hrs away from home and 9 days off a month typically. I have some half days in there and I hear my schedule will be improving to give me another48hrs at home in the near future though!
 
I use the same thought process as Gotwxd, lr31, and PGT have mentioned when considering QOL issues.
 
Lets see, this week will be about 130 hours away from home, next week will be close to 150 hours away from home. What is QOL again? because I dont have that at all right now...
 
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