Pilot Pay:(

[wheelsup]

That was exactly what Robert Crandall and others said in 1978 to try to stop airline deregulation. Crandall believed deregulation would ruin the industry and that free market principles couldn't be applied to what is essentially a public utility.

While it may have hurt the companies pocket books deregulation has whole heartily been good for the population. Lots more flights for lots less money and its safer than ever.

I wouldn't compare an airline to a public utility. Utilities take billions to get started, and decades to develop a new power plant or water system. Airlines? Get a few VC's together and bodda bing bodda boom you've got yourself a [skybus, jetblue, virgin america, etc).

 

[wheelsup]

We have normal line pilots in the 402 making $80,000/year. XJT doesn't get that much higher unless you're in the training department.

Sad state of affairs, really. I'd love to get back into 121, but honestly at this point it's a tough decision whether or not I'd even want to take recall. My QOL and pay would diminish greatly going from a 9-passenger piston twin to a 50-passenger jet.

That may be true, however I remember seeing when I applied to Cape Air a pay scale that come from the company website as averaging $34k/yr.

So how long are those pilots at the company and how many days do they work?

 

[tonyw]

That was exactly what Robert Crandall and others said in 1978 to try to stop airline deregulation. Crandall believed deregulation would ruin the industry and that free market principles couldn't be applied to what is essentially a public utility.

Well, utilities have certainly been better for their shareholders than airlines have. I know that people say that deregulation opened air travel to the masses but I'll risk being called an elitist and say that I don't think the masses need to be flying.

But wait, some will say. You just said that the air transport system is vital to the economy. And it is. But I think it's more vital as a carrier of cargo than it is of passengers.

 

[cmill]

From what you've READ. Not from the experience you have. Not from what your friends are doing. Not from where you're worked. From what you've read.

And how much is the guy at Cape Air going to top out at? How much is the guy in the Bush going to top out at?

Here let me put it in perspective for you; if I went back to ExpressJet, I'll make $1.5 million MORE at ExpressJet than I will as an attorney doing public interest work. That's over a career. And if you think every attorney makes big money, you're wrong. Many make $50,000 a year for a few decades and either retire from that job or somehow find their way into high paying job for a few years.

Sorry man, beleive it or not, you can make quite a bit of money flying pistons, and you dont even have to go to Alaska. But then again, this kind of work is dangerous, and every pilot that does it is a cowboy. I have no problem with that mentality if it keeps all the SJS kids from under cutting my pay.

 

[DC10FlyBy]

This isn't exactly too motivational for us future pilots. Lets just hope things pick back up soon.

 

[dasleben]

That may be true, however I remember seeing when I applied to Cape Air a pay scale that come from the company website as averaging $34k/yr.

So how long are those pilots at the company and how many days do they work?

Those guys are certainly senior. 8+ years with the company, usually. The guys down in the Caribbean I know making that kind of money usually work a 3 on/3 off hard line (about 15 days off per month). Just saying, it's possible with a bit of seniority.

Starting pay is certainly higher than $34,000. My first year W2 is testament to that. I'll probably only do $34,000-$35,000 this year, but I never work. I work a 5 on/5 off hard line where I'm home for lunch each day. 35-40 hours block time each month. I could make more, but I wanted the QOL so I could work on other projects.

Just as cmill said, you can make decent money flying piston airplanes around. Nobody wants to do it, so they have to raise pay to get people to apply. When I got on with 9K, I told all my furloughed buddies that I'd be happy to walk resumes in. Nobody took me up on it. Everyone wanted to stay in something turbine. The very few who did end up landing another turbine job are making less than I am, and that's sad.

 

[wheelsup]

Just as cmill said, you can make decent money flying piston airplanes around. Nobody wants to do it, so they have to raise pay to get people to apply. When I got on with 9K, I told all my furloughed buddies that I'd be happy to walk resumes in. Nobody took me up on it. Everyone wanted to stay in something turbine. The very few who did end up landing another turbine job are making less than I am, and that's sad.

I was actually called to interview there after I got hired here. When the downgrade happened a buddy and I were seriously considering going to Cape Air instead of sitting right seat again and taking a voluntary furlough. I however had a wife and part of the reason I came to a commuter was because I wanted to settle down, I didn't want to do the move every 6 months that Cape Air has you do, and buying a house in either location was not feasible on income. COL in both areas is expensive.

 

[wheelsup]

Well, utilities have certainly been better for their shareholders than airlines have. I know that people say that deregulation opened air travel to the masses but I'll risk being called an elitist and say that I don't think the masses need to be flying.

But wait, some will say. You just said that the air transport system is vital to the economy. And it is. But I think it's more vital as a carrier of cargo than it is of passengers.

Making air travel affordable has opened up many areas of our economy and giving people access to quick, cheap travel is important. Why you would think otherwise astounds me.

 

[dasleben]

I was actually called to interview there after I got hired here. When the downgrade happened a buddy and I were seriously considering going to Cape Air instead of sitting right seat again and taking a voluntary furlough. I however had a wife and part of the reason I came to a commuter was because I wanted to settle down, I didn't want to do the move every 6 months that Cape Air has you do, and buying a house in either location was not feasible on income. COL in both areas is expensive.

I live just outside of Lancaster, PA. It's cheap here. You don't have to move every 6 months. Some people do, but most don't. I elected to skip the Caribbean this year (which went surprisingly senior).

 

[Matt13C]

I live just outside of Lancaster, PA. It's cheap here. You don't have to move every 6 months. Some people do, but most don't. I elected to skip the Caribbean this year (which went surprisingly senior).

Off track a bit, but how do you get to BOS for your flights? Does LNS have flights or do you have to drive to PHL or MDT?

I would love to fly for Cape Air, if I could stay where I live now and commute that would be fantastic!

 

[Cruise]

I live just outside of Lancaster, PA. It's cheap here. You don't have to move every 6 months. Some people do, but most don't. I elected to skip the Caribbean this year (which went surprisingly senior).

Off track a bit, but how do you get to BOS for your flights? Does LNS have flights or do you have to drive to PHL or MDT?

......

:yeahthat:

Do you have a crashpad or something similar in BOS?

 

[dasleben]

Err, sorry. Haven't changed my location in a while. Standby.

Fixed (to show my hub at least).

I'm based in LNS and do the LNS-BWI flights. We get TDY people down here occasionally and they'll usually ride JetBlue or AirTran BOS-BWI then ride on company from BWI-LNS or BWI-HGR.

 

[Matt13C]

Err, sorry. Haven't changed my location in a while. Standby.

Fixed (to show my hub at least).

I'm based in LNS and do the LNS-BWI flights. We get TDY people down here occasionally and they'll usually ride JetBlue or AirTran BOS-BWI then ride on company from BWI-LNS or BWI-HGR.

Ah, cool. Do you think Cape will ever move into TTN? I flew on a 737 BOS-TTN back in the day, it was rather full. Currently the terminal goes un-used.