How much to charge??
 

Just got offered a side gig to fly some pipeline patrol, maybe five days of flying. I've never contracted myself out. What would be a fair amount?
Low and slow in a cardinal 177. I would be just flying, there would be another person on board doing whatever they do.

Thanks

$50/hr...................

I'll do it for $49/hr

Is there a guarentee or estimate how many hours per shift/day?

See that's how it all starts. You should have said 52 and sold me on how your worth more than the $50 guy:rolleyes:. Up sell!

But serious I have no idea what this kind of work is worth.

What area of the country?

MN,IL,SD,ND

No this is a small job, two lines to fly. One should take two days and the other 2 1/2 days. The guy will take care of hotel rooms not sure about meals , I still need to get more details. He said he normally does it himself but he let his medical expire a couple of months ago. The job needs to get done in the next couple of weeks.

They took our jobs!;)

Never flown pipeline patrol, but I'd expect $200-300/day for this kind of work.

For reference, we pay $300/day for Cirrus contract pilots when we need one.

Charge what you think you are worth. If you think you are worth 60 a day plus the hotel and food then charge 60. I'd say 150 or more a day is not unreasonable. If you think in hours you will be working each day (8, 9, 10 etc.) and multiply what you make (or half of what you make or 2 times what you make or whatever) an hour at your current job that would give you an idea.

Bottom line, don't sell yourself short...charge what you think you are worth!

maybe charging by hobbs hour could be the way to go

I would not go with the Hobbs time. Don't you wanna get paid for fueling the plane and the walk around and the times when you fly for an hour and then WX forces you down?

Also, then you can go as fast or slow as you want.

I may get a part time gig as a jump pilot. It's $100 a day and you only work from 800-1300. If I were you, I'd get $200 + a day. Especially since there are overnights.

$1, Bob! :D

Bob's gone it's Drew now a days:o

I was thinking $35hr

I need to build cardinal time.

I'll pay $19 per hobbs hour...

I will pay $21, no medical, no travel, and I will pay for my own hotels.

I'll do it for free. I just need the hours! It would be payment enough not having to pay to rent an airplane!

BTW...what's the contact info?

All my posts were in jest of course. :)

OK a lot of you folks are telling me how you are willing to pay, are you guys still paying for training.

I need to give this guy a call tomorrow and let him know how much I need. I'm thinking between 35-45 an hr, which I think is avg going rate for an instructor at local FBO. That's the only thing I have to compare it to.

It'll never be the same again.

Its a joke designed to poke fun at the slide of the aviation industry. No one should be willing to PAY for a job. SWA requiring you to buy your type is bad enough.

45 an hour is not a bad rate... When I bill as "pilot services" my employer charges 300 for the day, but I only see half of that... so 300 is not an unheard of number. If you figure it out, for an 8 hour day that translates to a little more than 37/hr.... Its a fair rate....

Yea I know, I should have put a smilely face to keep the tone.

Still looking for serious replies though.

I fly pipeline and get $20 per flight hour in a 172 plus $20 a day for doing reports. It works out to about 22- 27 hours a week which I usually do in 3 days, I instruct the other days. If I contracted out I would ask for more but keep in mind there are tons of guys out there who I'm sure would do it for less. I have several people waiting for me to leave this job!

$25-35 per hour. You probably won't be able to expect much more than that.

I would hold out till you find a pipeline company with a flowthrough to delta.

Hahahaha......winner

What is 1st yr FO pay at your regional?? Take that number and double it for your pipeline flying.

400 per day plus all expenses paid. Then again, you did day this was in a 177 Cardinal... so, you may want to up the rate a bit to cover the increased risk associated with such old equipment and an obvious lack of system redundancy.

So, you may want to start off at $500 for the day.... remember, your not the local CFI trying to beg his/her way into building hours to go fly at a 135 or regional airline... You don't need the extra flying at all. If they want you, you are more than willing to do it for them; at your price.

You already have your seniority number, are already flying at an airline, you don't need the extra flying anymore... if they WANT you, they have to PAY you.... if you do it for less than what the folks here are telling you to, then you are just lowering the bar... and doing it without the excuses of needing a seniority number, or more hours and all that other BS.

$500 isn't going to happen. No way. Not when most places are offereing $15-$20 and getting it. I'd stick with $30 per hour then fly slow as hell.