Just in case rookieatc missed this... I would genuinely like to know whether 100K a year after starting as ATC is realistic. I have a few acquaintances who are at the point of making career changes and ATC was an option they've considered. That kind of earning potential would make it more attractive.AirFrame wrote:Wow. Is that typical? If so, it would be financially attractive to quit my current job and go to NavCan.rookieatc wrote:Year one of ATC
Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
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Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
I made my first 6 figure income after 20 years of flying and 7000 plus hours in the bush.
It was at that time that I quit and started working in the oil patch. 2 years in I was over $100,000 year
It was at that time that I quit and started working in the oil patch. 2 years in I was over $100,000 year
Drinking lots of coffee lately, at a nice safe jungle desk, wishing I were flying......
Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
I've heard it's 100K plus to start if you can get IFR. (As long as you can suck it up for OJT and no pay during initial training). You also have no control over your posting.AirFrame wrote:Just in case rookieatc missed this... I would genuinely like to know whether 100K a year after starting as ATC is realistic. I have a few acquaintances who are at the point of making career changes and ATC was an option they've considered. That kind of earning potential would make it more attractive.AirFrame wrote:Wow. Is that typical? If so, it would be financially attractive to quit my current job and go to NavCan.rookieatc wrote:Year one of ATC
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Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
I work several 'jobs' other than piloting. One of the reasons is because I have so much time (another year where I didn't break 200 flight hours) and I have to do something with it. Another is because they are all things I like to do. Another is that they are all open-ended jobs that I can do pretty much any time I want for as much as I want. One of them is based out of my home. The cash is nice... but like I said before, it isn't cash that requires huge lifestyle sacrifices to get.B-rad wrote:That was a rhetorical question if you didn't notice...Shiny Side Up wrote: Yes, quite a few, myself included at various times in my career.
Why would you work a second job if time is so valuable and money not so important?
100% agreed. Even though I only fly a couple hundred hours a year, I get a much higher wage. But we should also demand fair treatment as employees as far as duty days, unforeseen circumstances, schedules, vacations, advancement, pressure, and disciplinary action.Maybe I'm not being understood when I mention the need for more money. I am not advocating that money at all costs and we should set life goals to be make as much money as we can. I'm arguing that we should be demanding high wages for the jobs we work as Pilots and not accepting meager wages like 24k a year and being proud of that.
Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
I was able to confirm this with a friend who works for NavCan. Typical small airport tower controllers start closer to $60K/year, ACC could be $100K. I understand that you have *some* control over your posting... You can bid for a number of places/regions... But at the end of the day if there's nothing available that you want you'll have to accept something you don't.sstaurus wrote:I've heard it's 100K plus to start if you can get IFR. (As long as you can suck it up for OJT and no pay during initial training). You also have no control over your posting.
Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
While salary starts around 60k at smaller towers, there is also ATC Premium, weekend and evening premiums, and overtime. I made 100k in my first full year of ATC (tower) but a lot of that was from taxable income from isolated post housing. Sure beat renting a room in a trailer for $800 a month!
Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
I was trying to refrain from commenting again as I already got in trouble once for replying to this thread. But seeing as how it's a conversation I'll comment one last time.sstaurus wrote:I've heard it's 100K plus to start if you can get IFR. (As long as you can suck it up for OJT and no pay during initial training). You also have no control over your posting.AirFrame wrote:Just in case rookieatc missed this... I would genuinely like to know whether 100K a year after starting as ATC is realistic. I have a few acquaintances who are at the point of making career changes and ATC was an option they've considered. That kind of earning potential would make it more attractive.AirFrame wrote: Wow. Is that typical? If so, it would be financially attractive to quit my current job and go to NavCan.
Yes the 100k was for IFR, the starting salary now for a year one IFR ATC is around 91k and change I believe. But add on top of that an operational facility premium which is anywhere from 10-25k, plus shift premiums, plus overtime it can all add up pretty quick. Success rates aren't that great, but it's a gamble I'm glad I made. As far as where you are posted, the centre you train at will be the centre you work at so that's pretty straight forward. Different story for VFR or FSS obviously though. You can view our collective agreement online at the CATCA website although it might be a confusing read.
Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
The base pay for an ATC-1 tower is in the $60K range but that's before any location premiums or overtime. My first year pay at an ATC-1 tower came in at over $90K. If you can stomach the thought of being sent somewhere a bit less cosmopolitan to start, it's a good career path.AirFrame wrote:I was able to confirm this with a friend who works for NavCan. Typical small airport tower controllers start closer to $60K/year, ACC could be $100K. I understand that you have *some* control over your posting... You can bid for a number of places/regions... But at the end of the day if there's nothing available that you want you'll have to accept something you don't.sstaurus wrote:I've heard it's 100K plus to start if you can get IFR. (As long as you can suck it up for OJT and no pay during initial training). You also have no control over your posting.
Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
What does the race to $100K mean? I know pilots that were making $100K in the 1980's. That was a lot of money back then! It took me until the late 1990's to do so. It was still good money. $100K in 2014 is OK money but certainly does not have near the purchasing power of the 1980's or 1990's.
Job security is worth more than a quick run to $100K and no guarantee that it will last.
Job security is worth more than a quick run to $100K and no guarantee that it will last.
Last edited by rudder on Sun Nov 02, 2014 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
5 Hours - Cessna 172 SP. Couldn't afford to continue flying lessons so went into Oil and Gas.
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Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
Wow, this hits hard!Cat Driver wrote:If I had my life to live again knowing what I do now about what is most important, I would not have been a pilot because I was away from home so much.
I'm currently flying on the other side of the planet, staring at my third Christmas
away from home...
There are no easy answers here, I guess. The best I can come up with is that one
has to do what they want to do when they want to do it. If your priorities change
along the line then you have to change your situation.
I wonder how a younger Cat would react to the advice of an older Cat...
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Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
Exact opposite for me. My days off significantly outnumber my days at work, I get to spend more time with my kids and doing the other things I want to do than my 9-5 working wife, and the only Christmases I've worked in the last 10 years have been ones I've volunteered to work. I can't think of any other job that would give me this kind of lifestyle.Cat Driver wrote:If I had my life to live again knowing what I do now about what is most important, I would not have been a pilot because I was away from home so much.
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Re: Your first T4 over $100k was when you had....
Most likely just ignored it, because that is how human nature works.I wonder how a younger Cat would react to the advice of an older Cat...
Aviation can be very different for a lot of pilots, some here have found good employment with a good home life.
I am fairly certain that they are in the minority.
On the plus side of my career, I saw a whole lot of the world and worked in some of the top positions in aviation and now that I am semi retired I live quite comfortably thanks to my pay scale towards the end of my career.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.