To start off, I'm a 1099 contract pilot. I maintain all my own training and currency, my clients pay for nothing other than services rendered in either their own plane or a dry lease from a 3rd party. Everyone at my airport is charging $400/day, whether they are flying a bonanza or a King Air. I understand that this is a bit low for a turboprop, but as I am here short term I am falling in line with the other pilots and not rocking the boat.

Recently, I flew for a company two days in a row. The first day I flew them for 6 legs, 5.8 hours and 12 hours of duty. As I have billed daily in the past, I was planning on sending them an invoice for $400. The next day I got a short notice callout to fly a few of their employees in a C414. On climb out, I started having issues with the right engine, and decided to discontinue the flight, returning to our originating airport.

As I bill for daily pilot services and have billed them daily in the past, I sent them an invoice for $400. They balked at that and said they are only willing to pay for an hour or two of my time.

So essentially, they want to pay hourly or daily, whichever is cheapest for them, determined on a case by case basis. I have told them this is unacceptable to me, and they can either pay hourly or daily. I don't want to bill 1 or 2 hours when they use 1 or 2 hours, and only bill for 8 if I am on duty for 14+... (My hourly is $50/hr minimum $200 charge)

Am I out of line? I feel that it is unfair to allow them to pay me hourly for short days and daily (a low rate anyway) for long days. I'm getting the short end of the stick both ways. Not to mention that in the case of an emergency or even an abnormality their pilot should be thinking about the successful completion of the flight, not how he is only getting paid $50 for the day.

I think one of the problems is that their regular pilot is really nice to them. She doesn't bill anything for mechanicals and short repo flights. I'm pretty sure her husband makes good money, so she is a bit of a hobbyist. Another pilot that flies for them is super low time, and is just happy to be flying for them part time and not instructing. They are spoiled with cheap labor.

To wrap it up I sent them 2 bills last night, both hourly. I'm sure they won't be happy.

 

I would think a sit down discussion with the owners would be in order. You should be applauded for your decision making. Would they rather you push on with a chance of major emergency and flirt with a engine overhaul after landing? We are all paid for a service, and quite honestly what you went through is EXACTLY why we are compensated.

 

I would bill them a daily rate. They took you off the table, so to speak, so you couldn't be used elsewhere. It was their equipment that malfunctioned, the outcome of the flight is not on you. Looking at it from a business owners perspective (as a 1099 you are a business owner), they wasted YOUR time.
They used your services and need to properly pay for them.

 

Spot on!

They hire you for they day at your rate. You were available for that day. If they couldn't use you for whatever reason, that isn't your fault. Think of it like a dance hall that is reserved for a group, and the group cancels ten minutes into the event. They still have to pay.

 

Contract pilot pay should be pay-per-day no matter what the situation.
This sounds like an operator who has had enough pilots acquiesce to their demands that it will take them having trouble finding pilots or the pilots all stand up to them.
Good luck.

And yes, $400/ day is very low.

 

Anybody know what a "fair rate" is for King Air 350 PIC/Captain, contract pilot day rate ?

 

I think it depends on location. In the Northeast I would expect $5-600.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I appreciate your responses. Today I spoke with their regular pilot, or rather, she cussed me out for 2 minutes while I listened patiently. I refused to get into her yelling match, because in my opinion once you start yelling you have already lost the argument. Apparently she was upset not only that I am refusing to accept her rate, but that I sent an email along with my invoices in which I put forth my rates, and my reasoning behind them. Seemed like she is taking the whole thing really personally, which I don't understand. In any case she flatly refused to pay me for the day with the mechanical. On one hand I want to let it go as its only $400, but on the other hand I want to pursue based on principal. Crap like this persists because nobody is willing to stand up to it.

As I am leaving California in 2 weeks I will not be around to see the matter through in small claims court, I might see an attorney about it though.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I think it depends a lot on location. A friend of mine in San Diego said King air 200 contract guys are going for $800 a day. If that's the case I need to move! If you are paying for your own type and training, I would expect 650/day. I looked into getting that type and it isn't cheap! I don't think that's at all high considering King Air 90's go for $450-500.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

And a slight correction to my OP. The 414 was a dry lease, so a 3rd parties airplane. I don't think it changes much since they still hired me to provide pilot service for the day.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk