first year float wages (bush)

dabeuk · Post by **dabeuk** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:02 am

i have a thread elswhere on here thought it might work better in this section.

ive been trying to get some numbers together to figure out in my own head what the standard pay is out here for a first year float driver in the bush.

can anyone try to help me out here, im getting 1500 (maybe 2K soon) and clearly im not satisfied. ive heard numbers all over the board ranging from 1500-4000 for a first year float driver.

can some one give me some typical numbers here please, when this raise comes soon to 2k im trying to figure out what i should do, accept it and say nothing, or demand more??

Liquid Charlie · Post by **Liquid Charlie** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:56 am

as far as I can see -- 1st year and 2k/mo -- I wouldn't complain -- experience = money -- the hard reality of flying in canada

Highsea · Post by **Highsea** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:03 pm

What's your time at right now?
What are you flying?

sky Rookie · Post by **sky Rookie** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:43 am

got 2600 a month first year and that was more that most, id say take the shit wages for a year get what u need to bargain and then don't take them nemore, well just take less of them, unfortunately they may be kinda shitty for a while

boozy · Post by **boozy** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:15 am

No doubt this topic has been and will be beaten to death, but its always relevant since wages are not a static point in the bush flying business these days.

Personally, if your doing a "standard" first year in the bush 1500/month is not a whole lot different than a skeg guard up the cornhole. Your getting screwed royally my friend.....BIG TIME...BIG TIME. Anyone who says...oh its your first year so take the pay is screwing all of us over. I wont go too much into why this is wrong in a million ways except for this point: we have a dockhand here where I work, who can't tie his own shoelaces and he makes around 3000/month. And its not hard work what he's doing as much he'll want to tell you.

If your checked out on a cessna right now, and you fly it regularily, I guarantee you there is no one in line to replace you right now (that is qualified). The ball is in your court, don't take a penny less than than 2500/month for f&@K sake. You should be getting three thousand a month as a first year cessna pilot if you can cut the mustard. I know a lot of guys who are getting that...and they're worth it. I don't know if you are...but 2500/month if you dont' know which end of a hammer to swing and 3000 if you do.

Meatservo · Post by **Meatservo** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:05 am

Agreed... Beat to death. I usually have no patience for 1st year "pilots" whining about their wages, but in this case... I got $1800/month in 1994 to work in "dispatch", load planes, dig outhouse holes and other crappy jobs, and fly the "camp check" 180. I would have thought wages would have gone up in the last 14 years...

dabeuk · Post by **dabeuk** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:18 am

i agree with boozy here, i dont get why we allow ourselves to get shot in the foot like we do.

perhaps this post been labled "First Year" would that lead people to belive that this is my first job ever?? ive already been doing wheel work for about 3 years and thought id try the floats out this year with around 1100tt and 130 on floats (currently working) i have been thrown back to square one in the wages department getting green wages.

am i green? when it comes to floats myself i have to say yes as there is alot to that wet stuff. but on the other hand i considder myself a little bit more of an asset than my new cpl co-workers with similar float time as i.

should i stop moaning or take action, i know people dont like moaners, but i feel like im been robbed here.

any advice given is greatly appreaciated, and thankyou to those who have already posted on this

dabeuk

Highflyinpilot · Post by **Highflyinpilot** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 3:08 pm

To add to the question, when you say 2600$ or 1500 or whatever a month, do you mean after or before taxes. Just curious.

dabeuk · Post by **dabeuk** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:18 am

before for me

Highflyinpilot · Post by **Highflyinpilot** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 5:59 pm

Kzanol · Post by **Kzanol** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:30 pm

Dabuek... If it isn't a big problem, can you tell us where you work. What you are getting paid is criminal and the guy you are working for is cruel. Please inform us of where this is so that in the future so that rookies like me can stay far away from places like that. If you don't wish to post the business name on the thread, PM me.

dabeuk · Post by **dabeuk** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:54 am

check pm

Highflyinpilot · Post by **Highflyinpilot** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:31 pm

Ok so not being in the aviation industry anymore, im assuming that what dabeuk said at 1500 is below the norm? I hope so.

Ronner · Post by **Ronner** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:53 pm

what about a Beaver pilot with 600tt first float job.

boozy · Post by **boozy** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:38 pm

hey for anyone thats flying a beaver, I have a facebook group I started up that basically deals with wages. It doesn't really deal with anything actually, its just a place where we can post where some jobs are and what people are paying. Three years ago, I though 3000/month was a good beaver wage....well I was out to lunch. One can check it out by looking up Beaver Pilot Union and I think I have to allow ya in the site...yada yada yada

sky Rookie · Post by **sky Rookie** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:24 am

its hard to stay motivated about flying sometimes, i couldnt give two shits about low wages right now, but one day the rubber will break and more funds will be needed

Human Factor · Post by **Human Factor** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 5:14 am

dabeuk , that's $9.38/hr (assuming a "normal" 8 hr day, 5 day week which I guarantee you're not working)... barely above minimum wage, probably below if you're putting in long days. Your employer should be embarrassed.

dabeuk · Post by **dabeuk** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:34 pm

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:05 pm

wow i wish i was really getting that much, 80 week whats that??

this is sad. 5 bucks an hour for what we do is f_*@kIng disheartening

Disheartening? Look at the positive side you are now a real commercial pilot living the dream.

chu me · Post by **chu me** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:03 pm

Thats twice in the last few weeks you made piss my pants Cat, keep knocking them out of the park!!!!!!!

Lost Lake · Post by **Lost Lake** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:18 pm

Hey daebuk.. The best is yet to come. After you build up a few thousand hours in the float business, and almost make a decent wage, try getting your multi-ifr and go work for the air ambulance or 704 operators. Don't forget to throw in an ATPL upgrade too. Then you get to fly a bigger plane for $2,000 a month and if you're really lucky, you can pay some whoring company money to do it!!

Ya gotta luv this business. I think I'll find a pschiatrist for my next medical

turboguy · Post by **turboguy** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:14 pm

As a new float pilot you can pretty much expect to take it up the ass for quite sometime. It will get better.

DHC-2T · Post by **DHC-2T** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 8:03 pm

I was hired to fly for this airservice near the border on the big lake in a town that starts with a "K" . After all the false promices and verbal abuse 2 people quit and one was fired. I was hoping for a wage increase from 5.00 an hour to well 6.00 would have been great for a first timer. and that is a low average. I had to leave the airservice cuz my kids were starving.

AlXpat · Post by **AlXpat** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:56 pm

That's weird...

I though every float operator was nice, and pilots, well paid from the start !!

The Shadow · Post by **The Shadow** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:15 am

Well if you are tired of getting screwed stay away from Kenora Air Service. Between the lousy wages, junk aircraft, Benny The Snitch and all the other clowns you will find in the organization you will want to pass on working there. I have seen BIG MJ come running out of the warf office sreaming at the top of her lungs at the poor dock hand (doing his best to satisfy the big units request) calling him every derogitory name in the book, some I havn't even heard of in front of 100 people. You will never see a bigger collection back stabbers in your life.

first year float wages (bush)

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