Airline Pilot Responsibilities

Z

zaurus

Well-Known Member
I understand airline pilots pay is based on seniority and the size of their aircraft. But why should the salaries differ based on size of the plane? Since pilots are usually the first on the scene regarding an accident, if they can save their butts during an inflight emergency, the passengers will be saved as well for the most part. Their overall responsibility is saving their own necks and the passengers will follow. Unless the pilot has a death wish, saving numero uno is a great safety feature for the passengers.

One other question, with the growth of the regional airline industry with its crippling wages, do you think they would cross the picket line in mass if the legacy pilots go on strike in the future for recouping their loss wages? It seems the regional pilots are an insurance card for legacy management against their pilots striking.
 
zaurus said:
I understand airline pilots pay is based on seniority and the size of their aircraft. But why should the salaries differ based on size of the plane? Since pilots are usually the first on the scene regarding an accident, if they can save their butts during an inflight emergency, the passengers will be saved as well for the most part. Their overall responsibility is saving their own necks and the passengers will follow. Unless the pilot has a death wish, saving numero uno is a great safety feature for the passengers.

One other question, with the growth of the regional airline industry with its crippling wages, do you think they would cross the picket line in mass if the legacy pilots go on strike in the future for recouping their loss wages? It seems the regional pilots are an insurance card for legacy management against their pilots striking.
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The size of the aircraft is reasonably (not always) commensurate with a pilot's experience. More experienced pilots yield higher wages. I actually would think a pilot's overall responsibility goes primarily to his passengers first, protecting the safety of other people next, then to his crew and himself, then the airplane.

Regarding your second question: Only a fool would cross a picket line.
 
ljg said:
The size of the aircraft is reasonably (not always) commensurate with a pilot's experience. More experienced pilots yield higher wages. I actually would think a pilot's overall responsibility goes primarily to his passengers first, protecting the safety of other people next, then to his crew and himself, then the airplane.

Regarding your second question: Only a fool would cross a picket line.
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It's based on the revenue that the aircraft brings in (very loosely). Per seat mile, CRJ pilots make WAY more than a 777 captain. :) Of course, there are fewer seats, and fewer miles, so the 777 captain makes more in actual pay.

Think about it this way, since a Cessna 172 can't generate enough revenue to pay you $100,000 a year, you'll never find a job paying that much for flying one. The same goes for all aircraft. Eventually the economics don't work out.

The seniority of the plane is a result of the pay, not the other way around. If you paid more for the smaller aircraft, it would become more senior. Since the larger aircraft can support higher pay, those aircraft go more senior.

The company couldn't care less about experience when it comes to pay.
 
zaurus said:
One other question, with the growth of the regional airline industry with its crippling wages, do you think they would cross the picket line in mass if the legacy pilots go on strike in the future for recouping their loss wages? It seems the regional pilots are an insurance card for legacy management against their pilots striking.
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No. Some tools might, but the vast majority have enough respect for themselves, and their peers to stand along side striking pilots rather than stab them in the back and earn the scab stink.
 
PhilosopherPilot said:
It's based on the revenue that the aircraft brings in (very loosely). Per seat mile, CRJ pilots make WAY more than a 777 captain. :) Of course, there are fewer seats, and fewer miles, so the 777 captain makes more in actual pay.
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You can also view compensation from the efficiency and productivity standpoint. In one hour of flight time, the Boeing 777 pilot might move 300 people, whereas the Regional Jet pilot will move about 50. If you compare a jet and turboprop of similar capacity, the same holds true: In one hour of flight time, the jet will---in general---travel farther than the turboprop.
 
jtrain609 said:
So, go ahead, finish the statement and cite a job flying a 172 that pays $100,000 a year.
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If you worked your freaking butt off and worked 12 months with no vacation, at my last survey job, it would be possible, or at least really close. More to the point, a 172 and other single engine airplanes can generate the revenue.

There's also people running small charters stuff in 182's 206's etc that manage 100k in income on those airplanes. Owner operated etc.
 
z987k said:
If you worked your freaking butt off and worked 12 months with no vacation, at my last survey job, it would be possible, or at least really close. More to the point, a 172 and other single engine airplanes can generate the revenue.

There's also people running small charters stuff in 182's 206's etc that manage 100k in income on those airplanes. Owner operated etc.
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Ok, ok. I was talking about the 121 world. Size of aircraft has little to do with pay in part 91 or even some 135 ops. You may be able to find a rich dude who will pay you $150,000 a year to cart him around in a cub. My point stands.

Even in your example pay is tied to revenue generated. You work your butt off, and generate a lot of revenue, and you get paid well. Same point I made. Pay is referenced to the revenue generated, not aircraft size.
 
do you think they would cross the picket line in mass if the legacy pilots go on strike in the future for recouping their loss wages? It seems the regional pilots are an insurance card for legacy management against their pilots striking
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No. Full stop.

I know you're coming from a place of intellectual curiosity and not of malice, but painting the bottom half of the airline industry as a legion of ordained line-crossers is more than a little insulting. Regional guys would cross the line at a trickle, if at all, and those unfortunates who did so would immediately see a downward trend in their quality of life that would make them wish for the days of newhire reserve on an RJ.
 
thepotato232 said:
No. Full stop.

I know you're coming from a place of intellectual curiosity and not of malice, but painting the bottom half of the airline industry as a legion of ordained line-crossers is more than a little insulting. Regional guys would cross the line at a trickle, if at all, and those unfortunates who did so would immediately see a downward trend in their quality of life that would make them wish for the days of newhire reserve on an RJ.
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Whatever happened to Onno Bulk from the Spirit strike?
 
dasleben said:
Pay has 0% to do with aircraft size, souls on board, range, or responsibility. It's 100% based on what you can negotiate.
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And what you can negotiate us based upon revenue generated, at least in the 121 world. If it weren't, the company would eventually go out of business.

No one on the planet is paid in a vacuum. Dollars in has to be greater than dollars out. I'm not saying that we can't negotiate more than we have right now, but saying it isn't related at all to aircraft revenue is just ridiculous.
 
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