sigep_nm

So I know over the past year (and probably before that) we have had at least a hundred threads about how we as regional pilots are underpaid. I completely agree with what almost everyone has said, however I always come away empty handed on the answer, which "How much are you worth". So here is the opportunity for us all to give an honest answer.

I will start. All I have ever wanted in a job is to be paid an honest days pay, for an honest day of work. While we would all love to be paid 100 an hour f/o pay, its not realistic. I dont even believe that 50 an hour (some have actually requested this) is realistic, and in reality it makes us all look pretty silly. So this is what I want for a first year FO pay. $30 an hour is reasonable, which equates to roughly 30,000 a year to start. That is about the average blue collar pay across most of the country. I am choosing not to differentiate between jet vs. prop, even though hands down a 34 seat turboprop generates a much better operating cost than a 50 seat jet. Overall benefits seem to be not much of a concern to some people, but that is one area that we should be able to lobby more about. Nothing will bankrupt you quicker than not having health insurance, or even in certain cases having a subpar one. I am hoping to get some good positive feedback on this one, and please if you post a response put legitimate information, and something like, "i am a pilot and need to drive a BMW" Thanks for time and I look forward to some good information. RickAir777 care to start? Saaborowski fire away as well.

mccube5

Since you asked....

FO pay should start at $35 and top off somewhere around $50 after year 5.

Capt. pay should start somewhere in the neighborhood of $60 after year 3 and go upwards of $100 after year 10.

I don't think those are unrealistic expectations. God knows these execs. giving themselves 10+ million a year can pony up that kind of cash.

JoeyMeatballs

Well let me start, I think first year pay at a regional level should be at least 30, if not 40k a year, and at a major, nothing less thank 50-60k, CAL 1st year pay is a joke........... I think the wages of Pre-9/11 at least at the major level was fair, and the regionals well, I dont know I wouldnt mind the pay being ****ty if we only had to spend a year or two at the regional level, so in that case I think our pay needs to be raised, as regional F/O's I think a 3yr F/O should be making 50-60K and as a CA 90-100K is fair, I think what we need to improve on is QOL, more than 12 days off, anything lesss, especially for commuters is just hellish. To be honest my old boss was an American A-300 CA, he had two airplanes, an ultra-light, a few Harley's, and A BMW and a lot of money in the bank, to be honest I would like to be able to have a nice car, a boat, and airplane and a beach house, as well as money to buy nice sh*t................basically I want to make enough money to be able to buy toys and not have to worry about having enough money to pay the bills, yeah I am in for a rough ride I know.....

172capt

Looking over my latest pay stub...... about 11,456 so far this year!

Slice

You guys are aiming way too low on the pay scale...and these days I'm worth way more dead than alive.

dojetdriver

I have to assume he didn't have a wife?

Also, those old and wise words prevail;

If it flies, floats, or FORNICATES, LEASE IT!

tsween

I can see why the regionals can start FO's off low, they have invested a lot of money in us during training, hotels, etc. But i do agree that this still is way too low. I would like to see a bigger jump from first to second year pay after you have put a year in and "paid back" their investment in you.

I do not see where 40k second year is unrealistic. Think about it, some pilots have a college education, that cost upwards of 100k. Pilots have generally worked their rears off to get the ratings and certs to get here. We have invested a lot of time, effort and $ (even sacraficed) to get our flight time and potential jobs as a pilot. Sure, we can take a low first year pay, thats ok, as i dont expect to start out high, but regional FO pay is, lets say, far from where it needs to be. Second year pay should be higher.

I hope to make capt quick cause my savings will be gone if i have to live with FO pay for a few years.

And yes, perhaps those ceos could not take such a large bonus and give pilots a raise

FlyerJosh

I agree.

The biggest problem with the pay scales these days is that for some reason we equate bigger planes with bigger paychecks.

IMHO, pilots should be paid based on EXPERIENCE and YEARS OF SERVICE. Not on the size aircraft they fly. Yeah I know the arguement that larger planes = larger revenues, yada yada yada. But show me an airline that flies only 777s. Without the feed from smaller aircraft, those big planes wouldn't be nearly as profitable.

Likewise, airlines need to be charging more than peanuts for the service they offer. Most flights these days cost less than what it would cost to drive the same distance...

A first year First Officer at a regional should be making at least 40K. That's assuming that they have a college degree and meet at least ATP minimums when they get hired. FO payscales should top out around 85K after 10 years.

Captains at regionals should be making 70-120K with payscales there topping out after 15-20 years of service. The lifestyles, sacrifices and responsibility that flight crews deal with deserves much higher pay.

Ellen

I agree with you Slice. Mr. Fraternity Guy (who started the post), has no idea about worth yet because of his limited years of experience. $30,000 yearly for an airline pilot, is measley (to put it lightly). It may seem like a lot at 21 or 22 when you are in college drinking $12.00/case of Old Milwaukee in returnable bottles, but in reality, this type of pay, for the skill acquired and the dollars spent to acquire this skill is not sufficient.

Let's look at it another way. His suggestion of $30,000/yr annual pay is only (2) FULL CRJ 50's with each passenger paying $300 per ticket. Some of these CRJ's fly 4-7 legs a day, so this FO's annual salary and probably the Captain's salary too is paid with less than a full day of CRJ 50 utilization.

sigep_nm

Ellen,
First off not fraternity and not 22. Am 27 now, have a wife and four year old child. Dont fly a CRJ200, 700, or 900. So instead of bashing me answer the question that was posed, or dont post at all. Also the question was not asking what a ten year FO should make or what the CRJ's are worth either...they have done enough damage to this industry as it is. I cant believe I have to ask this agian but, WHAT ARE YOU AS FO FIRST YEAR FO WORTH? Not that hard to answer, but I know you specialize in personal attacks, so now back to the point before you ruin this thread....By the way thank you saabarowski and the rest of you that have answered this thread in a proffesional manner