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Thread is focused on commuter/commercial but what does a corporate pilot of a Cessna Mustang/CJ make in comparison?
Honestly, it varies wildly. It will depend upon the employer. I had a friend flying Hawkers who made 20K/yr in the right seat. But some corporate pilots do very, very well.
Yeah, I considered a PPL. You can't do anything with it that would earn you even one cent, though. It's the expense that bothers me. Once I spend $10K for that, I'd have to spend $130 per hour just to fly a Cessna after that. Enjoyable yes, but too costly.
There are other options available. Once earning your private, the best bet would be to search around for a flying club that provides you access to an aircraft for a fraction of the costs associated with normal renting. Another opportunity is to get in on a partnership. A friend called me two days ago from Oshkosh asking if I wanted to go in on a partnership on an airplane purchase. The bird he fell in love with was a Cessna 140, for sale price was $15,000, but he had a belief that it could be had for about $10,000 in current condition. Dividing that by 4 folks would only be $2,500, plus a pre-buy inspection, fresh annual, and some routine maintenance...the "trouble" is the rest of the maintenance that could be possible depending on how it was stored, and that's stuff we wouldn't know until getting into the pre-buy. Plus location. After purchasing an airplane though you're splitting insurance (which he's getting a quote on), hanger space (about $75/month) and fuel costs at ~$6/hour.
Still not cheap, but considerably cheaper to operate than renting a bird from someone else for $130/hour.
There are other options available. Once earning your private, the best bet would be to search around for a flying club that provides you access to an aircraft for a fraction of the costs associated with normal renting. Another opportunity is to get in on a partnership. A friend called me two days ago from Oshkosh asking if I wanted to go in on a partnership on an airplane purchase. The bird he fell in love with was a Cessna 140, for sale price was $15,000, but he had a belief that it could be had for about $10,000 in current condition. Dividing that by 4 folks would only be $2,500, plus a pre-buy inspection, fresh annual, and some routine maintenance...the "trouble" is the rest of the maintenance that could be possible depending on how it was stored, and that's stuff we wouldn't know until getting into the pre-buy. Plus location. After purchasing an airplane though you're splitting insurance (which he's getting a quote on), hanger space (about $75/month) and fuel costs at ~$6/hour.
Still not cheap, but considerably cheaper to operate than renting a bird from someone else for $130/hour.
You make an intriguing case, yet the only flying club I've seen so far around me that offers memberships is one that will charge $300.00 a year to be a member and then charge the $130/hour on top of that.
You make an intriguing case, yet the only flying club I've seen so far around me that offers memberships is one that will charge $300.00 a year to be a member and then charge the $130/hour on top of that.
If your location is correct (Canada) it's because operating aircraft up there is much more expensive than in the States. $130/hr for a 172 in Canada is actually a decent deal.
If your location is correct (Canada) it's because operating aircraft up there is much more expensive than in the States. $130/hr for a 172 in Canada is actually a decent deal.
Being a pilot is financially bad. to become a captain can take 8 years for a regional. Co-pilot make only little money.
You can't chart upgrade times in an unstable group like the regionals, contracts come and go on a whim. I can remember folks at American Eagle (back before it was a "brand") and it was a typical "long" upgrade process, similar to most major airlines taking a FO 8 years to upgrade (most majors were around 12 years, so not much more). I upgraded at Trans States in 14 months, however I was downgraded when the age 65 rule went into effect, along with most of my peers, and many of our FO's were furloughed. The furloughed FO's came back within a year or so (those who hadn't found other/better aviation jobs), the downgraded captains sat right seat for 5 years before having a chance to upgrade again...some found better jobs also and moved up and out.
For folks who try to pick a regional upgrade, it can prove to be very daunting...as the upgrade that was quick yesterday may be long tomorrow...and might lead a person to several different regionals, moving laterally, chasing the left seat...which does nothing but keep a person in the low echelons of pay for a longer period of time.
Very true. My first regional, qx, had upgrade times pushing eleven yrs when I left after two yrs. Moved on to another that had upgrade times of about three yrs when I arrived. Then things slowed down. People I hired on with are just now upgrading there, at seven yrs. Things change fast and vary wildly from carrier to carrier. It's a crapshoot.
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