Originally Posted by
slyguy
So here is my quandary. I have been semi employed at a 135 outfit for the last year, just making ends meet with contract work. I have been considering applying at the regionals, but am concerned about the QOL on first year pay, having to be away from family for basically a year on reserve at a minimum. I just want some feedback on what kind of paychecks I can expect first year. I'm not looking for the stories of that one awesome paycheck. I'm looking for an average. Thanks.
Most guys I know don't even make ends meat. You can probably search each airline's thread to get a glimpse of each, or just look under APC's airline profiles (probably quicker and easier). You can do the math but figure $22-26/fh (rough jet average) with 70-75hr min. Some reserves go above min but there's a lot that don't. If you take out taxes and insurance then you'll probably be standing in the food stamp line. Research next time before you post or you'll end up getting drilled from some of the more elegant users.