I have what I believe is a pretty simple question but haven’t been able to find a clear and definitive answer. I’m considering starting down this path toward becoming a regional airline pilot as a career change at age 50. To help me with that decision I’m doing a lot of analysis and part that is salary projections. I’ve found various 12 yr pay scales for regional airlines and there is one for FO and one for CA.
My question is this, when you upgrade from FO to CA does your new hourly pay become the rate shown for year 1 on the CA scale or the one equal to your actual years with that airline at the point of upgrade?
It would be the same year pay. 3yr FO upgrades to 3yr Capt.
But depending on the airline, seniority, and flying, your take home pay might actually be less the first year of upgrade.
Example, I’m a Senior FO that can bid for a good schedule and earn OT & 110hrs/month making about $75k. I have some JR Capt friends that have been on Reserve and made less than me because they are only making Min Guarantee (76hr of pay).
With Covid ending that probably won’t happen as much.
As Chris said the year reference refers to “years of service” with the airline, not years in the seat.
I also want to point out the example he gives (with FOs making more than Capts) while possible is actually pretty rare and apparent if you look at the numbers. Further it also requires much more work as an FO than it does as Capt to get the salaries close.
Hi, if a FO chooses to wait a few more years after being eligible to upgrade, will he or she have a higher seniority within the CA group? With that seniority, would it be possible to skip being on reserve in the CA group? Thanks
Hypothetically speaking, yes. I have seen this first-hand with Q400 CA’s transitioning to the E175. Their seniority is higher than mine which has dropped my seniority from 54% to 60%. Thankfully I still have a line…for now.
Yes, many pilots choose to do this, and most airlines allow this. (Envoy was one airline force upgrading FOs at 1000hr time in type).
There are pros and cons to each method. Pilots that wait sacrifice PIC time (potential to be hired by Major) for QOL. Pilots that take first upgrade sacrifice a lot of QOL in hopes of being hired by Major faster.
Yes that’s exactly how it works. It’s generally a question of quality of life vs money. In fact many airlines will actually let you bid seniority “contingencies”. This allows you for example to bid for SFO 737 CA @ 40%. Meaning you’re saying you only want that upgrade if your at or above X seniority ON that plane IN that base.