New Way to pay pilots

[skydog]

I was having a think about new and different ways of paying pilots and I came up with some ideas, that I submit for consideration. Instead of paying pilots by the flight hour, how about these ideas:

1) Pay pilots by the mile flown. For every mile flown, pay your pilots so many cents per mile. Since everything is about cost per ASM and RPM's, which is presumably how fares are calculated, it seems logical that pilot cost should be calculated the same way. Each leg would have a standard length. I think Chicago Express used to do this, and I think Southwest does a variation of this.

2) Pay pilots by the day. A pilot is paid a daily rate, regardless of the amount of hours he flies. This would encourage the company to maximize work days. I think USA 3000 does this. I have also heard the railroads do this.

3) A combination of 1and 2. Each pilot is paid a flat daily salary, and then gets paid so much per mile. Some trucking companes do this.

3) Pay them by the duty hour. A pilot goes on the clock when he reports on duty, and goes off the clock when he signs out. Seems fair. After all, he is at the company's beckon call for that entire time. He should be compensated for it, just like any other hourly worker.

I don't know if any of these ideas are better than the way it is done now, just different.

[meritflyer]

There may be a better way to pay pilots but unfortunately, the execs at the airlines would only bring up such a plan if they could screw pilots out of more money doing it.

[GrantHubbell]

Why don't they just get payed a flat salary, with the obligation to work X amount of days.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by GrantHubbell

Why don't they just get payed a flat salary, with the obligation to work X amount of days.

We do. It's called guarantee and contractual days off.

Here it's (hourly rate) x 75 hours/month = 12 days off minimum.

The thing about is, it's a pretty low payrate at the regional level.

[EatSleepFly]

Originally Posted by skydog

3) A combination of 1and 2. Each pilot is paid a flat daily salary, and then gets paid so much per mile. Some trucking companes do this.

Some on-demand cargo companies do this as well.

I don't care how they figure out my pay, as long as it shows up in my bank account on time and correctly every other week (which it does). Oh, and a little increase would be nice.

At my last job (on-demand cargo), we got paid a guaranteed # of hours regardless of actual flown. Over that, we got paid hourly. We also got a bonus for "international" flights every time we went through customs, and a bonus for each trip we picked up while already away from base ("doubles"). During the busy season doing doubles in and out of Canada all night could net a rather hefty paycheck, but it was mad hard work (as in 6-9 legs, 11 hours of flying in 17 hours of duty, night, all sorts of glorious wx, single pilot). All the bonuses there were nice, not sure they were always worth it though. Is it sick that I sometimes miss it?

[Van_Hoolio]

Every pax should be forced to cough up a $1 cash tip to each pilot.

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by skydog

1) Pay pilots by the mile flown. For every mile flown, pay your pilots so many cents per mile. Since everything is about cost per ASM and RPM's, which is presumably how fares are calculated, it seems logical that pilot cost should be calculated the same way. Each leg would have a standard length. I think Chicago Express used to do this, and I think Southwest does a variation of this.

Problem: If you're flying TUS to LAX, with is "X" miles, but you end up holding and diverting to SNA and then flying onto LAX when the fog clears, are you paid straightline distance from TUS to LAX, or TUS-SNA-LAX not including hold time?

2) Pay pilots by the day. A pilot is paid a daily rate, regardless of the amount of hours he flies. This would encourage the company to maximize work days. I think USA 3000 does this. I have also heard the railroads do this.

Some contracts already have 'minimum pay' per day.

3) A combination of 1and 2. Each pilot is paid a flat daily salary, and then gets paid so much per mile. Some trucking companes do this.

I-40 between Flagstaff and Albuquerque is a set distance. The miles you fly may vary widely because we do not fly point-a to point-b in a straight-line distance. We barely fly exactly as we're filed on a flight plan.

3) Pay them by the duty hour. A pilot goes on the clock when he reports on duty, and goes off the clock when he signs out. Seems fair. After all, he is at the company's beckon call for that entire time. He should be compensated for it, just like any other hourly worker.

See #2.

[seagull]

Actually, if you go to the historical basis for hourly rates for pilots, they DO include mileage. It was based on mileage and revenue, which is why most airline contracts have different pay for different equipment. This yielded a large pay jump when pilots went to jets. This is also, incidentally, WHY pilots flying large aircraft that fly fast get paid more than pilots flying smaller aircraft, even though you could argue that the smaller aircraft is more difficult (and argument that ignores some of the other issues involved, but we'll not go there for now!).

Our contract also does include minimum pay per day, per duty period and a trip rig for time away from base, as well as other various rules.

So, you see, your ideas are actually already incorporated!

[PGT]

pretty soon they will have to pay them with food stamps


sorry , coundnt resist

[Foxcow]

Originally Posted by PGT

pretty soon they will have to pay them with food stamps


sorry , coundnt resist

The pay at Great Lakes is so piss poor that most of those guys qualify for food stamps.

[aloft]

Originally Posted by Van_Hoolio

Every pax should be forced to cough up a $1 cash tip to each pilot.

I think Doug has said before that he'd do better financially working on cash tips than via his current pay.

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by Van_Hoolio

Every pax should be forced to cough up a $1 cash tip to each pilot.

It'd pay for lunch.

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Originally Posted by EatSleepFly

Is it sick that I sometimes miss it?

Come on, just admit you miss NEO!!!!!!

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by aloft

I think Doug has said before that he'd do better financially working on cash tips than via his current pay.

That was at the old rates even.

If we got tipped like cabbies, the average pilot would only have to work a few trips a month.

[killbilly]

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We have arrived at the gate and they're bringing the jetway up. To exit the plane, please swipe your credit or debit cards now so that we may open the door. Those of you paying cash, please ring your flight attendant call button now. Once we have collected everyone's money, we will open the cabin door, but not before, so please do this as expeditiously as possible..."

[Van_Hoolio]

Originally Posted by surreal1221

It'd pay for lunch.

5 legs in full Beech 1900s would yield almost $100. Work 15 days a month and that's $18,000. Add on typical 1st year pay and there you go.

[n57flyguy]

Originally Posted by skydog

2) Pay pilots by the day. A pilot is paid a daily rate, regardless of the amount of hours he flies. This would encourage the company to maximize work days. I think USA 3000 does this. I have also heard the railroads do this.

Some flight departments I know do this, there is also contract pilots that get paid by the day they are flying for them, or however long, paid by on the day I believe. Just a little corporate influence