As one of many seriously considering the rotor transition, one big thing is getting an accurate picture of pay for the first couple years at a regional. How does it work and what, realistically, does $36 per hour with a 75 hour minimum actually translate into (bonuses aside)? I expect that there is more to the story than just $36X75hrsX12mos. Navigating the websites and getting a good understanding of pay and allowances for someone not used to the lingo is a bit challenging. Would love to fly but I’m not young and single anymore so getting through the first couple years of a regional first officer budget is a big consideration. Thanks!
Ricke,
The best way to determine annual salary is the hourly rate, times 1,000 hours per year. This generally accounts for things like vacation pay, incentive pay, etc while not being too optimistic.
To did a little deeper, the monthly pay is the hourly rate, times 75-85 hours of flight time, plus a few hundred dollars in per diem. Take a look in my “Flying The Line” section for an article on how pilot pay works.
Chris