Questions on becoming a Commercial Pilot

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

so for reference purposes $72 per hour is close to $150,000 per year in the typical work world (72 * 40 *52).

so how many hours would a captain typically fly per year?

Transport Canada limits hours per day, week, month, and year and airlines will have hours defined in contracts in many cases but I believe the maximum is 1200 hrs/year. Air Canada, Westjet et al. are probably more typically in the 800-900 hour range gauranteed in their contracts (option to pick up overtime on top of that). 72 hours would probably be a ballpark base per month as a minimum for the larger airlines.

[sa226]

In a very general sense, the pay for airline pilots is based on a credit hour system.

Most airlines have a minimum monthly guarantee of between 75 to 80 hours.

For the sake of argument make it 80 a month. 80 X 12 =960 hours a year.

Take whatever hourly rate you can find on the internet and plug that in. That is the basis for a pilots salary.

Per diems are generally in place to compensate for time away from home and what costs accompany that.

A more accurate description of what constitutes a "credit hour" is Brake release to brake set, with some nuances from company to company. Not "flying time." That way pilots are paid for taxiing, deicing, waiting for gates, etc.

[afc wimbledon]

As far as I could tell when looking into this with one of my foster kids being a pilot is a very crappy job these days, for most the pay is either low already or about to become very low, there are pilots in the US working part time in the local 7/11 to make ends meet.

I'd agree with the military route except its Canada and we don't have a alot of military pilots

[Northendzone]

that boggles my mind that someone in a safety sensitive position like that would only make $72 per hour with a cap of 1,200 hours - that is $86,400 per year - wow my mind is blown.......

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

that boggles my mind that someone in a safety sensitive position like that would only make $72 per hour with a cap of 1,200 hours - that is $86,400 per year - wow my mind is blown.......

Hopefully this makes you realize how good your current job is. Now get back to work, Brian.

- Your boss

[stazzy33]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

that boggles my mind that someone in a safety sensitive position like that would only make $72 per hour with a cap of 1,200 hours - that is $86,400 per year - wow my mind is blown.......

The way I understand it, those hourly rates are for West Jet Encore pilots (flying the Q400s), so beginning their careers as opposed to being a seasoned pilot. I am sure the rates on the mainline (flying the 737s, 767s, and eventually 787s) would be significantly higher.

[Northendzone]

So I did a quick google and found this:

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ine-pilot-pay/

The numbers in the table were more along the lines of what I was expecting

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by stazzy33

The way I understand it, those hourly rates are for West Jet Encore pilots (flying the Q400s), so beginning their careers as opposed to being a seasoned pilot. I am sure the rates on the mainline (flying the 737s, 767s, and eventually 787s) would be significantly higher.

Average Westjet pilot makes makes a little over 100k, A co-pilot as little as 58k and senior captain about 150k. Air-Canada pilots are a little better but not much.

Airlines all over are finding ways to reduce how much salary one can make. really sucks.