Question About Pay Scales

H

Horned_Frog_Flyer

New Member
Pay Determination Hourly
Embraer ERJ-135 75 Line
Seniority FO Captain
1 Year $21/hr. $45/hr.
2 Years $28/hr. $48/hr.
3 Years $33/hr. $51/hr.
4 Years $34/hr. $53/hr.
5 Years $35/hr. $55/hr

Please reference the above chart. It is a standard pay chart that basically exists with all airlines (regionals through the majors).

Here is my question: When an FO to CPT upgrade happens, does the new CPT start at the CPT w/ one year cell in the matrix? For instance, an FO with three years on this chart would be making $33/hr. Assume that during that year she gets upped to CPT on the same line. Is her pay now $51/hr. (CPT w/ three years)? Or is it $45/hr. (CPT w/ one year)?

Then, what happens if she were to change lines/types? Say she goes from a CPT on an ERJ-135 to a CPT on an ERJ-145 where the pay is a little higher. Or does she have to become an FO on that line/type first? And does she start back over at year one on the new line/type for pay purposes?

Hope that's not too confusing.
wink.gif


Thanks for you help!

HFF
 
Seniority refers to your time with the company, not in a particular seat or aircraft type. If you're a third-year FO and upgrade to captain, you are on the "third-year" captain pay scale ($51 / hour in your example).

As an FO, you are normally assigned an aircraft type - the company will put you where they need you. It's quite possible that you will upgrade to captain in an aircraft type that you've never flown. This is quite common where I work. There are some jet FO's here who upgrade in the turboprop. There is no requirement for them to act as FO's in the airplane first.

At the company where I work (a.k.a. "The World's Most Senior Regional Airline"), captain slots are awarded by seniority. If you take the first available upgrade class, you will end up in the turboprop. Only the most senior captains have a reasonable chance of making it into the RJ.

FFFI
 
Thanks Fearless, that really helps my understanding of the system.

I am guessing if one were an FO on a jet and got offered an upgrade on a Turbo Prop, that would be a smart move to make then, yes?

What are the pros and cons of doing that?

HFF
 
The question of whether to upgrade to captain on the turbo-prop or upgrade to FO on the FJ is a matter of preferance. Many would take the captain upgrade because then you would be building pilot in command time which is what you need to be competative for the majors. Upgrading to the RJ builds turbo-jet time, which is also good, but usually not as vaulable as PIC. A lot of pilots feel it is kind of a milestone to be flying a jet and welcome the chance while others feel the same way about being an airline captain. Personally if I end up at a regional that flies turbo-props and RJs, I'll upgrade to captain on the turbo-prop first, and start building the turbine PIC time.
 
It can also depend on quality of life. If you're sitting pretty as a RJ FO based in the same city you live in, and you can hold a CA seat on a turboprop, but that CA seat would require a commute to San Juan, which is better?

It depends....are you willing to commute, and absorb all the related hassle & expense? Some people are, some people aren't!
 
If seniority refers to time with the company does it include non-flying positions? If one works the line/ramp rats for a company and then gets hired for the same company do they get to keep seniority?
 
For things like non-rev priority, maybe (assuming there was no break in your employment). For pilot seniority, afraid not.
 
For an intracompany transfer, you keep your original hire date for non-revving and your hire date as a pilot for seniority benefits.
 
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If seniority refers to time with the company does it include non-flying positions? If one works the line/ramp rats for a company and then gets hired for the same company do they get to keep seniority?

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Both.

Example:

When I was first hired by Simmons Airlines (a prEagle carrier), we were wholly owned by AMR corporation. Therefore my 'company' senority clock started ticking on 30 Nov 1995. My Eagle Flight Attendant senority clock also started ticking on 30 Nov 1995. When I made the transfer to be an American Airlines flight attendant, my Eagle flight attendant clock stopped on 1 March 2001. When I finished AA FA class my American Airlines Flight Attendant clock started ticking, 19 April 2001. Now, my company senority clock never stopped, (except for the 6 weeks I spent in ground school with American) it kept ticking along until my first furlough in Sept of 2001. On 27 Sep 2001 both my flight attendant senority clock and my company senority clock stopped. They both started again on 1 April 2002, and stopped again 12 Oct 2002. I was somewhat of an anomaly when I got to AA because my employee number was misleading. I kept my employee number, and it made me look far senior than I actually was.

So to make a long story longer, generally when you start within an airline, at whatever capacity, you begin buillding company senority, which is useful for things like travel privliges, retirement & non-rev travel boarding priority (if your airline's travel program goes by senority. But if you move to a different position within the company, say from ramp agent to pilot, you don't build senority as a pilot, which affects bidding & pay, until you are a pilot.
 
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On that note, what is the average time for a command at a regional in the US?

Aussie

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I would venture to guess 3 years at a regional right now. That's an average, so some less some more!
 
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