Airline Pilot facts: :-/
Almost Every Time you see an Airline Pilot, they're not getting paid.
When you see an Airline pilot going through the same security you go through, he's not being paid.
When you see an Airline pilot walking in the terminal, he's not being paid.
When you see an Airline pilot at the gate pulling up paper work, planning the flight, and conferring with the agent, he's not being paid.
When you see an Airline pilot walking around the aircraft doing a preflight inspection, conferring with fuelers he's not being paid.
When you board the aircraft and look in the cockpit and see the Airline pilots setting up the aircraft, they're not getting paid.
When you land safely at your destination and walk off the aircraft and see the pilots shutting down the aircraft, they're not being paid.
When you see a pilot waiting for a ride to a hotel for the night, he's not being paid.
The only time the pilot of your aircraft is getting paid is when you DON'T see him...when he's locked behind the cockpit door as you push back from the gate. Every thing else he does until this point is for free, for no wages. no compensation... Nothing!
Airline Pilot Pay starts when the door closes and the brake is released.
When the door closes an electronic signal is sent to the company "clocking" the pilots in. The pilots are then paid until the next electronic signal gets sent when the door opens at the destination.
At most airlines it is against company policy to close the door and "drop the brake" earlier than 5 minutes before departure time.
The average airline pilot is at work for 12- 14 hours per day, yet gets paid for less than 6 - 7 hours.
The average airline pilot who is on "reserve" is required to go sit at the airport as a standby pilot in case another pilot calls in sick... he is required to be there ready to fly at a moments notice for a full 8 hour shift... yet is only paid for 3 hours of that duty.
The average airline pilot is away from home, at work, for 70+ hours a week, yet gets paid for only 15 to 18 hours per week.
Most pilots schedules have them working 15-18 days or more a month...that means they are not at home 50% - 60% the month. thats 40 - 50 % of the month is spent in different time zones, in low cost hotels, trying to get as much sleep as possible during a 7 hour overnight.
Holidays, weekends, birthdays, anniversaries, summer vacations, typically not at home.
A large majority of Pilots have spent 8 years or more flying in the military, risking their lives in the defense of our nation only to join the airlines for wages most people wouldn't accept in the civilian world.
Civilian trained pilots have spent a minimum of around $50,000 to acquire the training that qualifies them for a Regional Airline job.
The average airline pilot with less than 15 years seniority with any particular company is paid a wage LESS than the poverty level.
If a pilot with 15 years seniority at one company decides to go to another company, his seniority and pay starts over at year one!
When you see an airline pilot walking in the terminal there is a fair chance he qualifies for food stamps.
Most pilots do not attain the required experience level to be hired by an airline until they are well passed the age of 30. The average age of a new hire airline pilot is 32.
Airline pilots are subject to random drug and alcohol testing, any time they are at work. Fail it, even if the results are a false positive, they lose their job.
Airline pilots are required to undergo rigorous re-training and certification every 6 months, at which time they are allowed one strike - if failed they lose their jobs, licenses and livelihood.
Airline pilots are required to submit to random government "Line checks" during which their license could be revoked and livelihood destroyed.
Airline pilots are required to submit to a government medical examination every 6 months (Captains) and 12 months as First Officers. Year after year. If any abnormal condition is discovered regardless of age, their career is over. All the time and money invested in becoming a pilot - wasted!
An airline pilot is one of a few professions where you work behind a bullet proof door.
Like doctors and nurses Airline Pilots are responsible for the lives of hundreds of people a day, with any small mistake in performance resulting in the death of their customers and themselves, and the financial destruction of the company.
How many of your jobs require you to fight your way through thunderstorms, rain, snow, ice and turbulence, day and night, year after year? No mistakes allowed? The excuse " I had a bad day at work" never accepted? Bad days at work result in damage to company property, injury to personnel and passengers or worse - death.
Many pilots volunteer to be trained as Federal Flight Deck Officers, and carry weapons to defend their aircraft, crew and passengers. (yes they are out there) They maintain their proficiency and qualifications twice a year on their own time and money.
Airline pilot pay scales and hours worked are usually published to the public by absurdly overcompensated Airline Exec's who are waging a PR campaign against their Pilot Unions and trying to justify their own greedy bonus's and draconian wage and pension cuts.
Airline passengers just love this war between management and unions since they don't care if their airplane is flown by the most poorly paid inexperienced pilot, as long as the ticket is cheap
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