Originally Posted by DashAviator

There are many pilots at Horizon that managed to survive for 10 years or more on FO pay (yes, it's hard). My annual pay as a FO ranged from a low of $18,000 to a high of $60,000. As a senior FO, my annual pay averaged around $50,000.

The company website claims that Year 1 compensation is around $80,000. I'm not sure where they're getting this number. Before taxes and deductions, here's what you can expect:

Pay: $40,000.
Per Diem: $5000
Bonus: $10,000 to $15,000 (plus maybe another $5000 at the completion of Year 1).

Total: $55,000 to $60,000.
Take-home pay: About $35,000 to $40,000.

I'm not sure what the bonus is at present - I heard that the Q400 payout is now $20,000. It's paid in two installments. After deductions, you'll get about $6700 of the $10,000 bonus. If I recall correctly, taxes on the bonus are withheld at the highest tax rate, so you'll get some money back when you file your taxes next year.

Incidentally, the numbers posted above for take-home pay seem about right. If you get a bonus, put it in the bank for an emergency fund or use it to pay down debt.

Other comments:

(1) Open time is paid at the REGULAR pay rate, unless you pick it up at premium pay (150%).

(2) Requirements to upgrade: 1000 hours Part 121. You may get partial credit for some types of Part 135 time or military time. I heard that the company and the FAA were waiving the 1000 hour requirement on a case-by-case basis, but you still need 750 hours Part 121 (or equivalent).

(3) The upgrade time for someone with no prior 121 experience is around 2 to 2.5 years. Use caution: The Q400 is not an easy aircraft to fly. You do not want to risk an accident, incident, or unsuccessful training event in this airplane.

Dash