Hourly wage
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- KISS_MY_TCAS
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Hourly wage
Since my original thread is nearly 2 years old and a lot has changed in the industry in that time, the original thread has gained a new interest. This new poll is designed to reflect changes over that time and give a sense of where AMEs currently stand at the time of this posting. My employer raised the payscale substantially and it worked, all to hire experienced AMEs, so I imagine similar is happening elsewhere. I work on 703/704 and 705 machines and am licensed M1 and M2 with a fist full of ACAs for 35/hr.
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Re: Hourly wage
Licenced M1,M2. ACA(M, E) on M1 A/C ,turboprop. Top of ACA scale just shy of $33/hr.



GIT-R-DONE!
Re: Hourly wage
33.20$/hour basic salary (top of pay scale) at a large Maple leaf branded carrier. Endorsement premium is 0.17$/hour for every active endorsements after the first one. Defined benefits pension plan paying out 70% of the average of best 3 years after 35 years of service.Hard to talk of salary without mentioning the pension or lack thereof.
Last edited by lupin on Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Hourly wage
32.00 with M1 a wide selection of ACAs on smaller charter ops and GA. No shift work 8-5 mon-fri
- northwings
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Re: Hourly wage
$23/hr, M1 with ACA, small charter and medevac ops. Shift is all over the place 24/7.
Upside is very low cost of living.

Nothin' beats the hobo life, stabbin' folks with my hobo knife
Re: Hourly wage
$30/hr. 8 years GA experience. M1. payscale increased significantly last year
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Re: Hourly wage
A simple wage doesn't tell you what a guy is really bringing home.
Anything you make over ~$18/hr full-time is stolen by the federal government at 22%.
Anything you make over ~$36/hr full-time is raped by the federal government at 26%.
You can get rid of those high taxes by investing the money you make in the upper brackets in tax deductible stuff but depending on where you live, whether there is a second household income, and your life situation, you might not be able to get by on $37,885/year.
So a mech making $35/hr in Vancouver is not going to be doing much better than one in Manitoba making $25/hr.
Then there are benefits. Benefits are worth a lot because they aren't taxed and can easily add $5 to $10 per hour on salary vs buying them or the services separately. Also pension plans, travel deals, bonuses, profit sharing, company vehicles, etc all add up above a regular salary and aren't easily quantified.
Then there is the quality of life. How much responsibility do you have when shit hits the fan? How many apprentices do you have to baby sit while appeasing the powers that be when a plane isn't delivered on time or is damaged during maintenance. Do you work shift work? Do you have to travel long distances? Is your shop well equipped or a shit hole?
Having worked near the top end of the scale I took a huge pay cut so I could enjoy working as a mech again. It will take a lot more than the highest number here to get me to leave.
Anything you make over ~$18/hr full-time is stolen by the federal government at 22%.
Anything you make over ~$36/hr full-time is raped by the federal government at 26%.
You can get rid of those high taxes by investing the money you make in the upper brackets in tax deductible stuff but depending on where you live, whether there is a second household income, and your life situation, you might not be able to get by on $37,885/year.
So a mech making $35/hr in Vancouver is not going to be doing much better than one in Manitoba making $25/hr.
Then there are benefits. Benefits are worth a lot because they aren't taxed and can easily add $5 to $10 per hour on salary vs buying them or the services separately. Also pension plans, travel deals, bonuses, profit sharing, company vehicles, etc all add up above a regular salary and aren't easily quantified.
Then there is the quality of life. How much responsibility do you have when shit hits the fan? How many apprentices do you have to baby sit while appeasing the powers that be when a plane isn't delivered on time or is damaged during maintenance. Do you work shift work? Do you have to travel long distances? Is your shop well equipped or a shit hole?
Having worked near the top end of the scale I took a huge pay cut so I could enjoy working as a mech again. It will take a lot more than the highest number here to get me to leave.
Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
Re: Hourly wage
I flyforpie,
How about adding the pension plan or RRSP matching plan to your list.... That makes a huge difference in wages and benefits. And for your info.... Québec taxes social benefits...
I updated my last posting to add the pension information
Lupin
How about adding the pension plan or RRSP matching plan to your list.... That makes a huge difference in wages and benefits. And for your info.... Québec taxes social benefits...
I updated my last posting to add the pension information
Lupin
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Re: Hourly wage
Yes, pension plans, company matched RRSPs. Also add health and wellness benefits (so much per year to pay for say a gym membership or ski pass, etc) tool allowances, clothing allowances (for footwear, coveralls).
Quebec taxes social benefits? That sucks? Provincial income tax varies from province to province as well.
And don't forget to subtract union dues and lost income for job action.
Quebec taxes social benefits? That sucks? Provincial income tax varies from province to province as well.
And don't forget to subtract union dues and lost income for job action.
Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
- KISS_MY_TCAS
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Re: Hourly wage
I agree completely, but for simplicity's sake the poll was set up just to take at face value the number that shows up on the cheque per hour. WAY too many variables involved depending on all the points you listed, but generally the first question either asked of or answered by a prospective employer is the hourly rate, everything else either sweetens the deal or takes away from it. The poll is simply a baseline, and obviously does not take into account all of the other variables including locale and lifestyle.iflyforpie wrote:A simple wage doesn't tell you what a guy is really bringing home.
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Re: Hourly wage
$21 starting wage for apprentices M1 turbo props and c185s but a high cost of living, licensed goes up to $30 plus $1.50 for dualing and $3 per ACA
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Re: Hourly wage
I don't make an hourly wage, but if divide my gross annual by the 2080 hrs a year worked by a mon-friday stiff, I am around $31/hr. Add per diems and not having to pay my own cost of living for 220+ days a year, good benefits, great support from the office, getting paid to travel the world, and 3 weeks off 6 or 7 times a year, someone would have to pay me over 90K a year for me to even consider going back to working my ass off 40 hrs a week and getting a whopping two weeks holidays a year.
Of course there is the ying to that yang..... but I don't have a family, house, or anything to make me want to go home after work.
Of course there is the ying to that yang..... but I don't have a family, house, or anything to make me want to go home after work.
TT: don't care PIC: still don't care MPIC: really really don't care TURBINE: get a life.
Life's never fair, get a helmet.
Life's never fair, get a helmet.
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Re: Hourly wage
25/hr, two years licensed, and three aca's on turbo prop and piston twin. East Coast. Good benefits and pension plan.
Re: Hourly wage
Where the hell do the guys at 39 dollars plus (14 percent )work.I would like to apply for a position.
Re: Hourly wage
They must be Contractors.casey wrote:Where the hell do the guys at 39 dollars plus (14 percent )work.I would like to apply for a position.
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Re: Hourly wage
Don't forget to add that they are probably experience and good at what they do. It seems to me that freshly licensed engineers seem to think they should make the same as those of us who have a couple more whiskersconehead wrote:They must be Contractors.casey wrote:Where the hell do the guys at 39 dollars plus (14 percent )work.I would like to apply for a position.

TT: don't care PIC: still don't care MPIC: really really don't care TURBINE: get a life.
Life's never fair, get a helmet.
Life's never fair, get a helmet.
Re: Hourly wage
Hi Ballssssssss I do have grey trust me i started in 1983 worked in YPL YQT YYZ YXU YTS YVP M1 M2 lots of experience from on the floor to managment.If they make 39 plus contracting that makes sense but if it is reguler employment it would be nice to know where so i can press our bosses for increases.Its is nice to have examples to provide.
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Re: Hourly wage
"So if i was a E6 engineer/crew chief with three endorsements i would be making 28.59 plus 5.00 plus 3.00 for a total of 36.59 an hour.
There were a couple of provisions missed out, must add 5% to this, for location of base (ie Thompson). Also 1.00 for every 5 yrs service up to 15 years. A ten year crew chief is about $40.42"
That's a quote from another thread search calmair
There were a couple of provisions missed out, must add 5% to this, for location of base (ie Thompson). Also 1.00 for every 5 yrs service up to 15 years. A ten year crew chief is about $40.42"
That's a quote from another thread search calmair
Underpaid, Underappreciated
Fred
Fred
Re: Hourly wage
There hasn't been a lot of change here for payscales, we've always been competing with Calgary so the payscale is usually matched to Calgary.
~FOX~
~FOX~
Last edited by Fox 3 on Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Hourly wage
Last contract- 40$/hr. 2 week in/out.
Company payscales are execuses. (basic amount) I've seen them bend and flex while I was an apprentice. After learning that 10 yrs ago, it is now my time to go out and bend/flex company payscales.
Before you ame's out there flame away, think of it this way:
In order for our occupation to demand the higher wage it deserves, you need certain people out there not willing to compromise, and thusly driving the wage up in the process.
PS
I have never met a company that hasn't been willing to pay my wage, or hotel's/meals/transportation.
I feel that NO ONE is this industry has a right to complain. We are all responsible for what we sign out as engineers, for what we deem airworthy, and what we determine is safe. Why would wage be any different?
Company payscales are execuses. (basic amount) I've seen them bend and flex while I was an apprentice. After learning that 10 yrs ago, it is now my time to go out and bend/flex company payscales.
Before you ame's out there flame away, think of it this way:
In order for our occupation to demand the higher wage it deserves, you need certain people out there not willing to compromise, and thusly driving the wage up in the process.
PS
I have never met a company that hasn't been willing to pay my wage, or hotel's/meals/transportation.
I feel that NO ONE is this industry has a right to complain. We are all responsible for what we sign out as engineers, for what we deem airworthy, and what we determine is safe. Why would wage be any different?
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Re: Hourly wage
I made $32.50ish as top ACA Avionics at AC but now $35/hr plus $50/day per diem with flights, accomodation liability and WCB paid for. Just turned down $39/hr but with no flights, per diems or accomodations and I have turned down $37/hr no per diem, WCB, liability, but with accomodation and flight.
If there is one thing I insist on is accomodations and per diem or equivalent on my hourly wage to cover such costs. Too many cheap companies out there that want an experience guy (16 years for me), but don't want to put the money where their mouth is.
If there is one thing I insist on is accomodations and per diem or equivalent on my hourly wage to cover such costs. Too many cheap companies out there that want an experience guy (16 years for me), but don't want to put the money where their mouth is.