What are they? I was shocked that one of the glider pilots I used to goof off with 6-7 years ago is now dragging in $150k a year in aerospace. Another is flying drones and seems to be doing well. Ag pilots in Lamborghinis? Is aviation making a comeback?

Don't mean to pollute your thread (you know I'm good at it anyway). But there are still some great paying jobs with awesome benefits in the mining and oil drilling business, too. If I didn't get this job with Barrick mining, I would have pretty much given my 182 away to somebody (OK, maybe sell real cheap).

I hear you. Life as a bra fitter may not sound macho manno but at least It pays the avgas bill.

Nosedragger,

I have been looking for a part time job, if there is an opening in that line of work, I might be interested. I think I have a feel for the situation...

Steve

This website will give you an idea of what the various pilot positions pay.

Some pay pretty well and others you would qualify for food stamps.

http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com

I told all my ag students that they need a winter trade of some kind or a mean wife who would manage the seasonal income.

There's always been a shortage of engineers to plan, design and maintain airport facilities. Interesting work and pays well.

Drug smuggler pilot.

MAU MAU wrote:This website will give you an idea of what the various pilot positions pay.

Some pay pretty well and others you would qualify for food stamps.

http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com

That's interesting. I'm curious if those hourly rates are Hobbs hours or if they get paid pre and post flight. Either way, $200/hr for veteran captains is worthy of getting those first 3000 hours any way you can.

Payment is made on "Block Time", basically wheel chicks out to wheel chocks back in. No Hobbs meters in transport category airplanes, wristwatches instead.

Additionally there are monthly guarantees, usually 72-78 hours a month.

Also, each leg has a scheduled block time and most places pay block or better. Meaning, if you have a leg blocked at 1:00 and fly it in :50, you get paid 1:00. Or, if you fly it in 1:10 (over block), that's what you get. My 91 hour month is up to 93 due to this.

NOSEDRAGGER WROTE -

That's interesting. I'm curious if those hourly rates are Hobbs hours or if they get paid pre and post flight. Either way, $200/hr for veteran captains is worthy of getting those first 3000 hours any way you can.

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Ours are computer controlled and automatically transmit the 'out' and 'in' times based on door closure and brake release. If you remain at the gate for de-icing, or if there is a 'wheels up time' issued by ATC, we are paid for this time as well.

Not all airlines have this automatic time feature, and it was quite frustrating when our actual 'out' time would be real, and if you were a few minutes late, it would count against our airline with the DOT, yet a few competing airlines without the computers would call in their times to their operations, and even if they were 20 minutes late, they always reported an on time departure.

The above scenario made the DOT on time departure numbers a complete joke.

I'd be tempted to say air traffic control. It's hard to make a good living anymore in aviation, and the high income years are loaded towards your pre-retirement years.

Simple answer: CEO of Delta.....or maybe United.

MTV

Start my first flying gig officially today. Most pilots I know that fly Ag make $100K and many make over $200K. If u have ur own outfit profits can be substantially higher, but so is the risk.

We young folks are the future of aviation, any naysayers are just burned out or unable to think outside the box. There is opportunity all around us but u gotta work damn hard for it!!! For some of us these are the good old days

Skalywag wrote:Start my first flying gig officially today. Most pilots I know that fly Ag make $100K and many make over $200K. If u have ur own outfit profits can be substantially higher, but so is the risk.

We young folks are the future of aviation, any naysayers are just burned out or unable to think outside the box. There is opportunity all around us but u gotta work damn hard for it!!! For some of us these are the good old days

Congrats Luke! Good luck!

Thanks! I'm ridin backseat today

Way to go Luke, enjoy the new gig and fly safe.

Thanks Matt, will do...should get to solo tomorrow. These things get up and go empty, like puttin 400 horses on our wagons

Awesome, congrats!!