cappelation

I knew I would be hearing this sooner or later. The company I work at is trying to put an EA-500 on their charter certificate. We "senior" flight instructors are going to be the "eligable" SICs for the Eclipse. Under 135 the Eclipse has to have an SIC to be legal. My company is going to "135 train us" maybe 3 hours max..and all of our own studying with an oral after two weeks of self study.

Claiming that the Eclipse SIC training is "invaluable experience" and worth around $3000... they are thinking of a plan to basically not pay us SICs. I heard that a percentage of each flight would be taken from our pay to "repay" the "valuable SIC checkride". The other option was that we would not be paid at all until the "amount in $ of training was repaid through work". Basically assuming that us CFIs would be so awed at the fact we are getting to sit right seat in a jet that they could justify not paying us to run the 135 operation. Management claiming "this is the way of the industry, always has been and always will be"

The way is see it ...the Eclipse has to have two pilots to be ran legally 135...we dont fly...neither do they. Instead of a having a percentage taken out of each paycheck or flying for free..until we have "repaid training" they should just run a 6 month training contract that is pro-rated like every other 135 operation out there.

Now we get to the pay...assuming things work out and we do get paid... what would the going rate daily be for a contract Eciplse 135 SIC be?
Im assuming all trips that we do would be 700 NM or less assuming around 1.5 hours to 2 hours of flight each way. That being said if they choose to pay us $35 dollars a flight hour and try to justify that as decent "flight pay" i feel violated as an individual and as a pilot that people would think we will work for free.

Im thinking the Eciplse 500 should bring $200 a day minimum any thoughts on this situation?

flylow