Originally Posted by TheBlueGuy

I'll chime in from the neglected step-child side of the aviation industry. 135/133 (longline) utility/firefighting helicopter work. 15+ years.

$170,000 base pay
$11,700 flight + bonus pay
$1900 per diem
$5000 IRA 3% match
$188,600 Total gross compensation

Slow fire year so only about 300 hours flown. Schedule is terrible when it exists at all, work 200+ days a year usually. Flying can be good fun but still question my career choices. Mostly due to losing a few good friends to crashes. An impossible task to improve the safety of these contraptions to anywhere near 121 safety. I'm glad y'all keep pushing for better pay and QoL because it has slowly forced our industry to adjust too.