PILOT PAY: 30 years ago? 30 years from now?
11-18-2014, 05:54 PM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 240
All the way back in 2002 cleared 1000/mo as new hire at a regional.
Made more laying tile on reserve.
Still trying to feel comfortable though I'm solidly upper middle class I'm told.
Starting to think it's never going to happen, and I'll retire with a third of what the guys who are going out now do.
Good thing I value more than money
Made more laying tile on reserve.
Still trying to feel comfortable though I'm solidly upper middle class I'm told.
Starting to think it's never going to happen, and I'll retire with a third of what the guys who are going out now do.
Good thing I value more than money
11-18-2014, 06:18 PM
#12
ATC retired/121 hired
Joined APC: Dec 2012
Position: 121 FO / glider for fun
Posts: 164
Originally Posted by OKLATEX
Three things I've learned in my airline career.
5 Years is Forever for an Airline, Upgrade times are nothing but past history and you will Upgrade to Captain somewhere between Year 1 and Year 30-35 in your case.
I can honestly say I've really enjoyed my career, but in no way has it gone in the direction I assumed it would and it seems to be continuously evolving. I think assumptions that far in advance are impossible.
Best advice I've gotten regarding finances are to stay married to your first wife and live within your means in your Second Officer/First Officer House.
5 Years is Forever for an Airline, Upgrade times are nothing but past history and you will Upgrade to Captain somewhere between Year 1 and Year 30-35 in your case.
I can honestly say I've really enjoyed my career, but in no way has it gone in the direction I assumed it would and it seems to be continuously evolving. I think assumptions that far in advance are impossible.
Best advice I've gotten regarding finances are to stay married to your first wife and live within your means in your Second Officer/First Officer House.
Best advice for anyone. You'll probably not end up where you aimed, but enjoy the ride! Not just airline career but in life in general.
11-18-2014, 06:39 PM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Position: 75/76 Right
Posts: 102
Originally Posted by KNOT on CALL
I've been thinking about this for a while now. I've got about 30-35 years to retirement and I'm trying to forecast the unforecastable, I know... However, I'm trying to look BACK 30 years to help me see what 30 years from now COULD look like in the payscale dept.
I don't want this thread to turn into a doom-and-gloom, nor a "pilotless-cockpit-by-then" kind of thread. Lets blissfully assume for a moment there will be 2 pilots in every cockpit for the next 50 years.
I do want help, however, in finding accurate documentation of actual pay rates of various major airlines pilot pay scals for the early to mid 1980s to compare to today. I am not looking for equivilant/adjusted-for-inflation numbers, just raw pay rates and min guarantee credit hour information. I can factor in my own inflation calculations on my own.
So if anyone out there has any info on this I'd appreciate the help!
(United, Delta, American, TWA, N.W., ...the big guys, past or present...)
Cheers
KonC
I don't want this thread to turn into a doom-and-gloom, nor a "pilotless-cockpit-by-then" kind of thread. Lets blissfully assume for a moment there will be 2 pilots in every cockpit for the next 50 years.
I do want help, however, in finding accurate documentation of actual pay rates of various major airlines pilot pay scals for the early to mid 1980s to compare to today. I am not looking for equivilant/adjusted-for-inflation numbers, just raw pay rates and min guarantee credit hour information. I can factor in my own inflation calculations on my own.
So if anyone out there has any info on this I'd appreciate the help!
(United, Delta, American, TWA, N.W., ...the big guys, past or present...)
Cheers
KonC
Thanks to the couple guys who posted what the OP was actually asking... And didn't just give unsolicited advice and opinions
11-19-2014, 05:14 AM
#14
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,728
It's impossible to accurately predict what's going to happen in this industry 10 years from now, let alone 30, but I welcome the discussion!
If you get 100 different opinions, 30 years from now one of those 100 might turn out to be correct, and that guy will say,
"SEE? I TOLD YOU SO!"
As far as the pay though, projecting forward, all I know is at Delta, our hourly pay rates today are 18% less than they were 10 years ago, in non-inflation adjusted dollars, while the company is making 400% more than they did 10 years ago.
Let's hope we can reverse that trend in our pay over the next 30 years.
If you get 100 different opinions, 30 years from now one of those 100 might turn out to be correct, and that guy will say,
"SEE? I TOLD YOU SO!"
As far as the pay though, projecting forward, all I know is at Delta, our hourly pay rates today are 18% less than they were 10 years ago, in non-inflation adjusted dollars, while the company is making 400% more than they did 10 years ago.
Let's hope we can reverse that trend in our pay over the next 30 years.
11-19-2014, 06:00 AM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2010
Position: Baja Vermont
Posts: 5,177
And 10 years of even low inflation subtracts another 15% in buying power AFTER a couple of years of increases in C2012. But, fear not, that 1 in a 100 guy will be right here posting about how smart he was 30 years ago. 
GF
GF
11-19-2014, 06:30 AM
#16
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,728
Originally Posted by galaxy flyer
And 10 years of even low inflation subtracts another 15% in buying power AFTER a couple of years of increases in C2012. But, fear not, that 1 in a 100 guy will be right here posting about how smart he was 30 years ago.
GF
GF
Yeah, no kidding!
Speaking of inflation, I saw an add in the local newspaper for the local Ford dealership. The same F150 I bought 10 years ago for about $32,000 is now listing for about $48,000!
But at least my pay rate is -less- today then it was when I bought mine!
I guess I'll keep it for another 10 years.
11-19-2014, 08:19 AM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: ERJ, CA
Posts: 718
Originally Posted by Timbo
Yeah, no kidding!
Speaking of inflation, I saw an add in the local newspaper for the local Ford dealership. The same F150 I bought 10 years ago for about $32,000 is now listing for about $48,000!
But at least my pay rate is -less- today then it was when I bought mine!
I guess I'll keep it for another 10 years.
Speaking of inflation, I saw an add in the local newspaper for the local Ford dealership. The same F150 I bought 10 years ago for about $32,000 is now listing for about $48,000!
But at least my pay rate is -less- today then it was when I bought mine!
I guess I'll keep it for another 10 years.
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11-20-2014, 12:21 AM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2005
Position: tri current
Posts: 1,485
USAir 1989, new hire pay was $26,000/year. Second year narrowbody F.O. was around $50,000. Narrowbody captain was $135,000. Same rigs as Timbo said, basically fly 3 four day trips in a month. Trip rig was 1 for 3 so a good 4 day paid 28 hours.
The big item missing from then to today is pension. USAir's was maxed out at 30 years and would be 65% of final average earnings at age 60. That's the huge pay cut no matter what hourly rates can be crawled back in future contracts.
Same with the rigs. Huge QOL and effective pay cut to lose a 1 for 3 trip rig.
Then there was vacation trip drop.
Some say that NWA captain pay in the late 70s/early 80s was equivalent to around $750,000/year today. Shocking when you look at it that way.
Typhoonpilot
The big item missing from then to today is pension. USAir's was maxed out at 30 years and would be 65% of final average earnings at age 60. That's the huge pay cut no matter what hourly rates can be crawled back in future contracts.
Same with the rigs. Huge QOL and effective pay cut to lose a 1 for 3 trip rig.
Then there was vacation trip drop.
Some say that NWA captain pay in the late 70s/early 80s was equivalent to around $750,000/year today. Shocking when you look at it that way.
Typhoonpilot
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