Roost Air Lounge => Aviation related topics => Topic started by: cj5_pilot on February 02, 2007, 05:31:12 PM
Title: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: cj5_pilot on February 02, 2007, 05:31:12 PM
Saw this and had to look....hmmm 14 hour days, 7 days a week....13 calender days off per FAA regs....this sorta stuff normal for you helicopter pilots out there?
Job Information Job Order Number: 24795 - AK0024795 Occupation Title: Commercial Pilots Job Title: Helicopter Pilot Job Duration: Full Time Over 150 Days Job Position(s): 10 Type of Employer: Private Sector
Job Requirements Minimum Age: 18 Test Requirement: No test required Description of testing performed: None Specified Hiring Requirements: Years of Education Requirement: Attained High School Diploma Months of Experience Requirement: 1 year(s) Driver's License Certification Requirement: No
Compensation and Hours Salary Range: $7,500.00 - $0.00 Month Pay Comments: DOE (Depends on Experience) Hours per Week: 40 Shift: Other, see job description Supplemental Compensation: Yes Other Benefits: None Other Benefits: Salary plus compensation for every revenue hour flown in the amount of: $50.00 (if pilot has between 1000-1500 hours PIC (Pilot in Command time) $60.00 (if the pilot has between 1500-2000 hours of PIC; $75.00 (if pilot has between 2000 hours of PIC)
Work Site Location City, State, Zip Code: Wasilla, AK 99687 Public Transportation accessible: No
Job Description Seasonal Employment from 04/12/07-10/31/07: Long line vertical Reference Specialist. Engaged in drill moves on mining operations, placement of non-specific equipment with precision up to 200-foot line, moving people and sling equipment. 14 duty hours per day seven days a week. 13 days off per calendar quarter as mandated by the FAA. Requirements: FAA Commercial Pilots License Long-Line Vertical Reference Flying in mining drills experience with emphasis on external precision sling experience.
Special Skills (degrees, certifications, software, etc.) Long Line Vertical reference flying
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: Mike on February 02, 2007, 05:43:05 PM
Yup... sounds like a normal helicopter job to me.
I did 12 days on 2 days off from May until November for the last 5 years flying for the forest service. It has just now gone down with being chief pilot and all...
Helicopter Flying can be real work !! sleeping in the field, no days off, 14hr days, flying 8hrs a day, longlining (hanging out the door) all day,and so on.
BUT! ...there is some money to be made and sometimes it can be a lot of fun!
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: TheSoccerMom on February 02, 2007, 06:44:02 PM
Like Mike said, those are normal hours... which is why, when it's busy, you really do look forward to sleeping on the floor with all the mouse poops!!
HEE. ;D
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: undatc on February 02, 2007, 06:46:03 PM
$7500 a month, wow. Wish Id make that when I start controlling. Im lookin at about 38k a year to start, and within 10 years about 100k.
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: TheSoccerMom on February 02, 2007, 06:55:30 PM
Some of us are STILL broke but that's the way it goes, sometimes!!!!! ;D
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: undatc on February 02, 2007, 07:04:48 PM
Not saying I wont be broke, I'll have almost 90k in student loans to pay off :( ::complaining: ::loony:: ::banghead::
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: Baradium on February 03, 2007, 08:54:36 AM
$7500 a month, wow. Wish Id make that when I start controlling. Im lookin at about 38k a year to start, and within 10 years about 100k.
38k a year sounds really good right about now. :p
REALLY!!! ?? ::unbelieveable::
How much are you making right now? If you don't mind me asking.... I have a few friends who are wanting to get into stuck wing and wanted to know what to expect....
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: Mike on February 03, 2007, 05:06:38 PM
$7500 a month, wow. Wish Id make that when I start controlling. Im lookin at about 38k a year to start, and within 10 years about 100k.
uhm...yeah....
If you look closely, you won't make that when you START flying helicopters either. It's gonna take you a few years 'till you get there. A few loooooong, looooooong, rought, Ramen-noodle-eating, flight instructing, pimping yourself out years . . . ;)
Then there is longlining: It takes SKILL more than anything. It's one of those things that you might not eventually pick up if you practice long enough. I've seen people who never got the hang of it and had to find something else.... It can be a very sobering experience. Have seen a few students completely crushed . . .
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: Baradium on February 03, 2007, 10:08:45 PM
How much are you making right now? If you don't mind me asking.... I have a few friends who are wanting to get into stuck wing and wanted to know what to expect....
I'll give you more than what you actually asked for since it's for people looking to get into it. ;)
Probobly a little over half that. Keep in mind we are allowed over 1/3 more time here than in the lower 48. I can legally fly 1400 hours in a year while a 121 guy down south can only fly 1000.
If I maxed out on hours (1400) I'd be at around 28,000 a year. I'm looking at probobly averaging 1200 hours a year (probobly a little less). Now, after 6 months of employment I got a massive .50 an hour raise, but that is counteracted (in my own humble opinion) by starting to have to pay our part to get medical coverage so I don't even count it.
I'm not counting the 50 cent raise, so I keep my figure at $20 an hour block time (which is what we log as well). 1200 hours would be $24,000 before taxes. It'd be $20,000 max allowed in the lower 48 (meaning you probobly aren't going to get to that point) assuming the same hourly rate (which isn't as uncommon as you may think.
Generally first year at any company is going to be $20-$22 block time.
Examples: Air Wisconsin has a yearly guarantee of $21,600 (75 hours a month at $24 an hour) starting wage. Big Sky has a guarantee of $18,720 and you have a $10,000 training contract for a year (if you leave before a year you owe a pro-rated amount of that $10,000). Trans States is $18,480 on reserve, $19,536 if you have a line (most airlines give the same guarantee if you are reserve or line).
Guarantees can be misleading. Some airlines you will rarely fly past the guarantee while others you will always do it. Additionally, if an airline is in trouble, you will be asked by the union to not fly more than the guarantee to make sure the airline needs as many pilots as possible (so same pay over the company pays more crews and they either don't have to lay off or don't have to lay off as many).
Many airlines also have a daily rate guarantee. IE, if you go into work you'll get at least x hours even if you don't fly. They may also have a guarantee for trips (IE, you get paid at least the estrimated block time even if you manage to catch major tailwinds and get home an hour early).
Here we get slightly more money to start (simply because company has the exemption to allow us to work more), but have no guarantee of any type. If I come in and sit for 8 hours at the hanger with a broken airplane and then fly a 1 hour flight, I get paid 1 hour (fortunately that doesn't happen too often). If I don't fly at all I lost money since I had to drive to the airport and back (and sit around) for nothing.
You really have to enjoy flying to get through starting out. It can be long days for short pay, and some people never achieve the "dream job" of a well paying major. Captains do get paid a good bit better, and many companies will up the pay for F/Os as their years with the company go up (we might as well not for the amounts they use here).
Our duty day limit is 14 hour duty day and 10 hours flight in a 24 hour period, but once again that is an Alaska exemption and we're probobly the only part 121 carrier in the state that uses it (the other guys using those limits are part 135, and that's their standard limit).
I do have periods where I'll go for a while without doing much more than work, but I think being able to fly makes up for it. The schedule I run can have days (like today) where the first half gets canceled and gives me a partial day off to relax around and everything. This is nice when I get myself into situations (on my own accord) where I volunteer to cover for guys and end up working 3-4 weeks with just a few days off (I'm in the middle of doing that to myself right now).
The key is not to get glossy eyed about the initial flying job. Very rare is the guy who starts out making any type of money, and I know guys here where my company was a step up from their previous flying job. It's all about working towards a goal. I really enjoy the Alaska flying and wouldn't mind staying here a while. The captains get paid enough that some guys do make a career here. Just don't get into it for the money, if you're in it for the flying then it's not too bad and you can even enjoy it, but if the money can take a long time to come around and if that's all you want then it'll just be another job.
If you treat it as a hobby that you can make a living doing, it's a lot better than thinking of it as just another job. Other fields look a lot better on paper for careers, but I for one wouldn't be happy doing anything else. So don't think that it's bad because I whine sometimes. I am *happy* to be here and wouldn't trade flying for any other job in the world.
Title: Re: Job Opening--I ain't qualified, but some of you might be!
Post by: snader on February 04, 2007, 07:45:57 AM
wow, didn't know u rotary wingers worked so hard ::unbelieveable::
