Turbine otter wages.

[supercub7]

Just wondering what a dhc3 pilot makes these days. Currently I am making 5000 a month plus 10 cents a mile on mileage and 1 day off a week. Thanks for the replies.

[phillyfan]

$5000 + $20 an hour. I get a day off when the weather sucks and on Christmas Day.

[180]

$6000 a month. 4 on, 3 off.

[oldncold]

did that include accomodation for the summer? how many hrs did ya fly
thx

[Rudy]

In Nakina they were getting 8.5-9k per month. That was a while ago though.

20 on 10 off I believe.

[turboguy]

you get paid what you're worth

[supercub7]

No accomadation. The average day is about 10 hours long and is mostly flying fisherman to various lodges and outpost camps with the odd mining exploration trip thrown in.

[lebowsky]

hello mates,
i am totally new to this forum and am Italian.
i get surprised about the wages you get up there boys, really lucky!
now a stupid question, since i am not into the Canadian current situation:
what is the miminum requested to the average pilot described in this thread?
CPL/ME/IR with how many hours? Type? nr of float hours?

Many thanks

[shinysideup]

How do these wages compare with a caravan float pilot? Are they or should they be in the same group? Seasonal and/or all year round?

[Meatservo]

In Nakina they were getting 8.5-9k per month. That was a while ago though.

20 on 10 off I believe.

Is that year-round Rudy? Wow, that's pretty good if it is. Hell, it's pretty good even if it's not, considering the schedule.

[Bede]

hello mates,
i am totally new to this forum and am Italian.
i get surprised about the wages you get up there boys, really lucky!
now a stupid question, since i am not into the Canadian current situation:
what is the miminum requested to the average pilot described in this thread?
CPL/ME/IR with how many hours? Type? nr of float hours?

Many thanks

Most of these guys would probably have a few thousand hours on floats.

[supercub7]

What do the pilots make at wilderness north flying the otter? schedule, accomadations etc.?

[deerhunt]

Supercub 7, it sounds to me like you think you aren't making enough money.I guess if thats the case, as it is with any job, you can always go find a job somewhere else that pays more. Time to move on.

[rum runner]

In Nakina they were getting 8.5-9k per month. That was a while ago though.

20 on 10 off I believe.

Is that year-round Rudy? Wow, that's pretty good if it is. Hell, it's pretty good even if it's not, considering the schedule.

That is year round, but consider it ABUSE pay. I believe the healthy paycheque is a means to try and keep people around for more than one season.

[Midnight Sun Flyer]

you get paid what you're worth

Salary is Not so important to me as working with good people and a respectable Company but in the North Pilots normally get paid a little better than down South.

[gongshowking]

Reading this makes me want to jump off the balcony im on. I made 5g per month at my first beaver gig and that was years ago. Even the big guys in Van are paying barely 30 an hour to fly an otter. Any company with any dignity should be paying at least 350 a day plus 40 cents a mile. But who am i, just a lowly cog in the Canadian aviation machine. Im sure a few years at walmart as a greeter i can work my way up to Otter wages. Its all our own faults, "yes sir ill work for that...just oh ever so happy to have the grand chance to fly your plane....sure sure...ill work 28 days a month with a smile on my face in BF nowhere....sure sure..ill even go stand up all those 45s of diesel for you btw flights......just let me fly...ill almost do it for free......."

PS is the abuse of Nakina still in effect? Does his face still turn purple at the drop of a hat......all you can do is laugh!!!!

[SuperchargedRS]

you get paid what you're worth

Salary is Not so important to me as working with good people and a respectable Company but in the North Pilots normally get paid a little better than down South.

Is should be if you want the other two.

Funny how a good salary goes hand and hand with a "respectable Company" and "good people",

a company is respectable when it treats and pays its people well, you will also find that good people tend to flock to these type of companies.

[snowbird87]

Just wondering what a dhc3 pilot makes these days. Currently I am making 5000 a month plus 10 cents a mile on mileage and 1 day off a week. Thanks for the replies.

They are not paid enough for what they do for sure, an experienced and skilled Turbine Otter Pilot with 5000 hours is worth $200,000 plus a year now. In the alberta oil patch almost any un-skilled job out there will pay you more than that if you're a good worker, because of the work loads and single pilot an turbine Otter Pilot is worth more than a airline Captain.

I hear 2012 will be a big year for Airlines hiring new pilots and single engine don't count a whole lot.
that's just my 2-cents worth

[snowbird87]

Just wondering what a dhc3 pilot makes these days. Currently I am making 5000 a month plus 10 cents a mile on mileage and 1 day off a week. Thanks for the replies.

Chimo Air Service
was offering $6000. per month plus lodging.

[Cat Driver]

They are not paid enough for what they do for sure, an experienced and skilled Turbine Otter Pilot with 5000 hours is worth $200,000 plus a year now. In the alberta oil patch almost any un-skilled job out there will pay you more than that if you're a good worker, because of the work loads and single pilot an turbine Otter Pilot is worth more than a airline Captain.

Hey snowbird, I have more than 5000 hours and am going back flying for a year or two.

I will be flying a Husky on amphibs and a Bell 206, so how much do you think I am worth a year?

If the wages you are claiming are what should be paid I must be way out of touch with the industry.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

[iflyforpie]

They are not paid enough for what they do for sure, an experienced and skilled Turbine Otter Pilot with 5000 hours is worth $200,000 plus a year now. In the alberta oil patch almost any un-skilled job out there will pay you more than that if you're a good worker, because of the work loads and single pilot an turbine Otter Pilot is worth more than a airline Captain.

Those qualities have absolutely nothing to do with what a person is worth. Oil patch jobs pay a ton because they are fickle, dirty, and they suck. Top airline jobs pay a ton because pilots with the required hours and skills are rare.

Not knocking the skills, but you can make a qualified and competent turbine Otter pilot much easier than you can make a check captain for a major airline.

Supply and demand folks, not skills and responsibilities....

[snowbird87]

Hey snowbird, I have more than 5000 hours and am going back flying for a year or two.

I will be flying a Husky on amphibs and a Bell 206, so how much do you think I am worth a year?

If the wages you are claiming are what should be paid I must be way out of touch with the industry.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

I say it depends where you are flying hours per month etc.
flying a Husky should be worth $30.-$40. an hour now days.
An experienced bell 206 pilot with 1000 plus hours on type should get $70.00 per hour based on 600 hours a year.
if you are flying in the far north of in some war torn country you deserve more than that.
Never flown a Helicopter but that is what I hear, like ever thing else some is paid more than others if they are more skilled and willing to work hard.

[snowbird87]

They are not paid enough for what they do for sure, an experienced and skilled Turbine Otter Pilot with 5000 hours is worth $200,000 plus a year now. In the alberta oil patch almost any un-skilled job out there will pay you more than that if you're a good worker, because of the work loads and single pilot an turbine Otter Pilot is worth more than a airline Captain.

Those qualities have absolutely nothing to do with what a person is worth. Oil patch jobs pay a ton because they are fickle, dirty, and they suck. Top airline jobs pay a ton because pilots with the required hours and skills are rare.

Not knocking the skills, but you can make a qualified and competent turbine Otter pilot much easier than you can make a check captain for a major airline.

Supply and demand folks, not skills and responsibilities....

Pilots Skill and flying ability along with some common sense is the most important thing for a good bush pilot.
not like taking off from a 10,000 ft runway when you are taking off from a small Lake in an otter with 10 people in the back on a very Hot day, landing in white-out conditions north of the tree line or hauling a few hundred barrels of fuel to a mining site, it's nothing easy about it.
Yes a Good Otter Pilots is worth $200,000 plus per year based on 1000 hours flying time in the North.
highly skilled bush pilots have had no problens in the past making it to the airlines if that was what they wanted to do.

[Cat Driver]

I say it depends where you are flying hours per month etc.
flying a Husky should be worth $30.-$40. an hour now days.
An experienced bell 206 pilot with 1000 plus hours on type should get $70.00 per hour based on 600 hours a year.

You are basing the above pay on a eight hour duty day, 160 hours per month?

Husky pilot $76,800 per year.

Bell 206 pilot $134,400 per year.

Yet you feel a turbine Otter pilot is worth over $200,000 a year and should be paid more than an airline Captain?

You have some interesting ideas on pilot pay, what exactly is your background to come to these conclusions?

[Shiny Side Up]

Oil patch jobs pay a ton because they are fickle, dirty, and they suck.

You forgot the part about the long hours, no days off, and being about ten times more hazardous to your health than any aviation job. When I used to work oil-patch, twelve to fourteen hour days was the norm. Days off come when the job is done, or you get injured or killed.