I would love to become an airline pilot?
Airlines
Patrick asked:
Please tell me how much the average airline pilot makes. Also what is some pros and cons about being an airline pilot. Lastly please tell me some advice.
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Please tell me how much the average airline pilot makes. Also what is some pros and cons about being an airline pilot. Lastly please tell me some advice.
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August 28th, 2008 at 8:18 am
my mom works for the airport.if you love traveling places and staying overnight there than it would be the right job for you .it requires alot of training though
August 29th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
1) How much do pilots make?
The anwser to this question VARIES WILDLY. That depends on if they are airline, military or corporate/charter and the type of equipment flown, their years of service and various other factors.
For example, airline pilot pay is something the general public often has a lot of misconceptions about and they think everyone makes a ton of money. The general ‘glamorization’ of the career leads many people to think that airline pilots make $250-300K+ a year and that they work two weeks or less a month. While there are a select few captains at the major carriers that do, they are by far the minority.
That said:
According to the Air Line Pilots Association, their average major* airline member Captain is 50 years old, with 18 years seniority and makes $182,000 a year. A non-major airline Captain is 41 years old with 10 years of seniority and makes $70,000 a year.
The average ALPA First Officer member at a major airline is 43 years old with 10 years of seniority and makes $121,000 per year, while an ALPA non major First Officer is age 35 with 3 years of service and makes $33,000.
*A major airline is a carrier with more than a billion in sales annually. American, Delta, Northwest, United, Continental, US Airways, Southwest, Alaska (and even several ‘regional’ carriers) are considered majors by that definition. However, not all major carriers pilots are members of the ALPA union, notably AA & SWA who have their own in house unions.
Factors affecting pilot pay:
~ Time with the company (seniority)
~ Aircraft flown
~ Whether they are a Captain or First Officer (seat)
~ The hours in their monthly schedule
~ The payscale at their specific airline
A pilots pay is figured upon the hourly rate for their seat and their equipment based upon the pay grade for their seniority. Each company also has a set ‘minimum guarantee’ flight hour pay in their pilot contract. This is generally about 75 hours per month but varies slightly by airline. (A few majors guarantee is only 65!) However, in no case will the pilot earn less than the ‘minimum guarantee’. They may fly less than 75 actual flight hours, but they will still be paid for the 75 per their guarantee. If they get a flight schedule that is blocked for more flight hours than the minimum guarantee, they will then get paid for the greater amount of time flown instead, plus per diem. Flight crew make from $1-3 per hour in ‘per diem’ for every hour they are away from their domicile on a trip to cover expenses. This generally adds a few hundred dollars to their pay check.
A general comparison of starting monthly First Officer pay by airline*:
~ AMERICAN - $2,240
~ CONTINENTAL - $2,500
~ DELTA - $3,640
~ FED EX - $3,700
~ NORTHWEST - $2,574
~ SOUTHWEST - $3,744
~ UNITED - $1,950
~ US AIRWAYS - $1,875
~ UPS - $2,187
*all without per diem, based on minimum monthly guarantee, first year pay in smallest fleet type
Here is a Captain pay comparison* at 12 years of seniority, by the largest type in fleet (best paying):
~ American 777 - $12,352
~ Continental 777 - $14,688
~ Delta 777 - $14,040
~ Fed EX widebody $14,874
~ Northwest 747 - $14,586
~ Southwest 737 - $14,196
~ United 747 - $11,570
~ US Airways A330 $11,520
~ UPS (all a/c) $15,390
In the civilian career path progression, a pilot will usually work at a regional carrier before moving on to a major airline. Regional new hires make close to $20K a year to start! While some regionals pay close to $30K after 3 years or so, it takes several years at other to make that much. Starting out in this career one must expect to make some very low wages until they begin to build seniority with their airline and move up the payscale.
Largest connection carrier, “Express” or regional affiliate airlines starting gross monthly pay:
~ American Eagle $1,725
~ Comair - $1,72
~ Chautauqua - $1,650
~ Mesa - $1,596
~ Mesaba - $1,800
~ Pinnacle $1,575
~ Skywest $1,425
~ Trans States $1,628
PROS-
You get to fly & see the world! Your office has a great view.
CONS-
You are gone an awful lot and miss many holidays with family. It is also hard on relationships, you spend half the month in a hotel and the flight training to become one is very expensive.
ADVICE-
On what in peticular??? Try this site first-
August 30th, 2008 at 5:45 am
if you would love to become one money wouldnt matter .
they make really good money though
August 31st, 2008 at 7:24 am
IF YOU TRULY WOULD LOVE TO BECOME AN AIRLINE PILOT, THEN DO IT, DESPITE THE HIGH COSTS OF TRAINING AND THE LOW BEGINNING SALARIES.
DAMN THE TORPEDOES, FULL SPEED AHEAD!!
SOME ADVICE, THOUGH: AIRLINES LOOK FOR WELL-ROUNDED COLLEGE-TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WHO CAN SOLVE ANY AND EVERY PROBLEM AS IT ARISES; WHO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY OF CARRYING HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS; WHO OPERATE THE CRAFT LIKE AN EFFICIENT BUSINESS; WHOSE VERY PRESENCE IS GOOD ADVERTISING FOR THE AIRLINE.
IF YOU LACK IN ANY OF THE ABOVE, START NOW TO FILL IN THE GAPS IN YOUR BACKGROUND.
And remember, the best routes and best promotions go to the all-around best performers.
AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.