wrxpilot

Mine was over $40k this year, and I really didn't work hard at all. The first several months of this year were on first year pay still, I was in training on another aircraft for a few weeks, and I even took some unpaid time off. There is a HUGE difference among the regionals, which is why there was only one I was willing to work for.

Slats

I would have to agree. Half way through 1st year pay and at the rate I am going I'll top 35k pretty easily. Like WRX says, there's a difference between regionals. Now that's adding per diem of course. Some argue its not income but if its in a check and I can use it to pay a bill or two, its income.

wrxpilot

It's more or less been like that for all but a handful of years due not to legislation, but competition.

About 800 or so before I flew a King Air as a SIC for a 135 op. That is still available for those that work for it. I networked by butt off for that opportunity, just like you can. The ATP rule has no effect on that segment of the industry.

Again, 800. Flying charter was my first gig post CFI. Though I still worked as a CFI during that time, as I was only paid a daily rate at the charter op and our schedule was very erratic.

I'm not sure, but I started in 2004. I had a family member as a CFI for a couple of ratings, which helped a lot. But I worked very hard to minimize the amount of instruction needed (and more importantly, to reduce the flight time), which I later found out is pretty unusual. For example, no matter how many times I told my instrument students to practice with Microsoft Flight Sim, most of them showed up unprepared and wasted tons of money. Having prepared students was very, very uncommon. I also flew the cheapest planes out there when I was working on my ratings, and didn't even use a GPS until I was a CFI.

Most of it was through Flight Instructing, and later as a charter pilot.

There are tons of ways to save on flight instruction costs, but the sad reality is most people are lazy and want everything handed to them. I only had a couple of students take my advice on how to be efficient with their money - most just complained.

Well, I started flying professionally a few years ago when I was 30. I first started flight training in my mid-20s, which was like 10 years ago. Not sure I'd be included in the old timer rant.

I think it is harder these days than it was in the '80s or something (as far as costs go). But it's not that much different from when I did it. Heck, I didn't get on with my regional until I had my ATP, over 2000 hours, and a type rating. There were a lot of people like that in my class, and we weren't even on the jetttttt! Lowly Brasilia for us.

wrxpilot

Upgrades were pretty long in the early/mid-90s as well weren't they Boiler? I remember hearing it was pretty brutal in the industry around Gulf War I and the mini-recession that was going on.

JohnnyG

I guess you're as good at detecting sarcasm as you are giving career advice. You sound like the 'lawyers' at every major flight school with 2,000 hours dual given and tons of advice about how to become and airline pilot but have never left flight instruction. You know the type, they trash one airline or another and probably haven't even MET anyone from them.

The offer still stands. I can put you on the phone with my friend, and you can tell her she's wrong and an idiot. Essentially, you can tell her what you said here.

Any pilot who wants to work and will do what it takes to make something happen for themselves has my respect. I'll never condescend to someone who wants to work and either can't or has to for peanuts. I don't have much to offer, but if anyone feels down and out and would like an okay instructing job, I'll do my best to help them out.

Do you go find people in wheelchairs and condescend to them about their 'entitlement' to walk?

I hope I never find myself in an airplane with you either.

Bellanca

What is worse than having to get the ATP mins, is what the new ATP is going to entail if the NPRM stands. The new "FAA-approved ATP Certification Training Program" that includes a bunch of ground, sim and a minimum of 10 hours of level D time, is what worries me the most as a flight instructor. The days of buying a few hours of seminole time and a checkride with a DPE are going to be over (which is already expensive as light twins are typically running $250/hour these days).

From what I've seen, level D sims are easily running $700-$1000/hour. I'm betting the Flight Safety, ATP, and Simuflite-type places will be charging $10,000-15,000 for these courses. I honestly cannot afford to put more money into flight training, especially considering that I've been living off of CFI pay for the past two years, and am looking at another 2-3 years of CFI pay to get to ATP mins.

Also, I feel for CFI's with less than 50 hours of multi with the new 50 hour multi requirement. Multi seems to be at a premium now more than ever. Between fuel and insurance costs, there are not many hours to be had instructing, and more and more part 91 and 135 outfits are going to single-engine high performance/turbine equipment and getting rid of the light and medium twins altogether.

I'm just hoping I can get a military pilot slot and get out of civilian flying until the dust from this NPRM settles, sts.

Red Forman

Please tell me where I said your friend is wrong and an idiot? Stop putting words in my mouth. You sound like a very angry person with an attitude problem. I'm just like that lawyer, except I've done flight instruction as a career, flew for an airline for a few years, and have been doing corporate for the past few. You are welcome to fly with me anytime, until I get the time to know you as a person I'll reserve making that kind of off the cuff judgement.

fullflank

Hang in there man, the whole atp law is going to get thrown out before its even in effect. Congress isnt going to let business suffer due to regulation. It may take until the end of 2013 but I doubt that long.

Leroy Smith

Will an ATP be required to get hired?? Or just before exercising the privileges??

JohnnyG

After August 2nd, you will not be able to work part 121 as a piot without an ATP. Before then, you can be grandfathered with Captain rules and the NPRM stuff.