Originally Posted by
elmetal
Ok so: for as long as I've been a student in aviation (read: since mid 2009) all I ever heard about the business is that First officers of regionals make less than 25k a year and even in majors you're looking at very low income unless you're captain.
This file is either extremely misleading, or you guys have been lying to me!
This file shows exactly why people think pilots make too much money when they really don't.
Wha are some realistic figures? I know american eagle atr72s FOs don't make 50+
What are some first person accounts of correct salaries?
First of all a G450 job is not a fresh out of the flight school job. Many corporate pilots work there whole career without sitting in a late model gulfstream. This is the creme de la creme of corporate jobs please don't think otherwise. Flying this aircraft is the equivalent of a senior airline guy flying a 777 or 747 there is nothing better for a corporate pilot so please don't take this position lightly. I constantly here pilots complain about things like "the downward spiral of aviation" and then see guys on here saying they would fly this airplane for 85k and thats fine if you live in Tulsa Oklahoma or some other cheap cost of living area like it. However most of these jobs are in the New York Area or the Los Angeles area where 85k leaves you in lower middle class at best. Unlike the various airline positions around the country there is no commuting to and from your base, you live within 2 hours of your aircraft on a worst case scenario drive (ie, rush hour traffic). I am not saying 85k is not a lot of money but it dosen't cut it for this position in a major metro area. Someone told me a long time ago that unions don't protect pilots from management, unions protect pilots from each other, now I see why. We have to raise the bar not lower it. Corporate pilots made the same money 20 years ago as they do now but life costs alot more now. Let's keep our standards up and move forward not backwards. Times have been tough for the last 1 and 1/2 but things are turning around. I hear of new aircraft being delivered almost weekly and the majors are going to have to hire soon as well. I understand there is still alot of competition for pilot jobs but lowering your pay that you are willing to accept to undercut other pilots only hurts everyone. I just interviewed for a job and when they asked me what pay I wanted I replyed "I am looking for NBAA / Pro Pilot magazine salary numbers, no more no less" these are the standard numbers we should fly for. If a pilot can't see that maybe this industry isn't for them.
P.S. I did my time at Eagle for 17k a year so don't think I am being unresonable, I need to pay back all of the debt I accumulated during my time at eagle.LOL