While working as a flight instructor in small planes might average you $30-40k a year, the jump to a regional airline has changed significantly in the last 6 months. You need at least 1000 hours of time flying before going to the regionals, and you usually instruct or time build from 250 hours onward to the 1000 - 1500 that’s required.
As a first officer at most of the regionals, you are making 75-100 a a flight hour at a 75 hour a month guarantee. This jump almost overnight, is due to an extreme captain shortage from the regionals, as those pilots left jobs for the major airlines. It’s there that can make more money and enjoy a higher quality of life.
So thankfully it’s getting a lot better! But yes, it wasn’t that long ago that wages were atrocious for the work we did.
thebetterman88 t1_ir3br6b wrote
Reply to comment by DiogenesStudent in [Image]Patience and motivation. by Ok_Chocolate_3480
Hey! Current regional first officer here.
While working as a flight instructor in small planes might average you $30-40k a year, the jump to a regional airline has changed significantly in the last 6 months. You need at least 1000 hours of time flying before going to the regionals, and you usually instruct or time build from 250 hours onward to the 1000 - 1500 that’s required.
As a first officer at most of the regionals, you are making 75-100 a a flight hour at a 75 hour a month guarantee. This jump almost overnight, is due to an extreme captain shortage from the regionals, as those pilots left jobs for the major airlines. It’s there that can make more money and enjoy a higher quality of life.
So thankfully it’s getting a lot better! But yes, it wasn’t that long ago that wages were atrocious for the work we did.