dzswoop717 5 #1 July 23, 2013 I have been out of the business end of skydiving for over 10 years. I have recently purchased a Cessna 206. I am making some jumps at our friends private airport and would like to know What the going rate for a Jump pilot should be. This is strictly for fun and there are no tandems or students. We like to make 3 jumps starting at 10am and we are finished by 1pm. There are just 4 of us that jump together so we are splitting the fuel and pilots pay. The pilots that fly for me live within 20 minutes of the airport and We all help with fueling and moving the plane in and out of the hanger. Most of the pilots would fly for free, but I want to compensate them for there skill and time. What is a fair wage? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #2 July 23, 2013 182/206 pilots get anywhere from $10 to $15 per load in normal operations, meaning jumping all day and working on a regular basis. Sometimes when our DZ is 'closed' during the week, the staff will get together from some hop n pops, and what we generally do is have everyone kick in $10 or $15 to pay the pilot, but we usually have 6 or 8 people jumping. If there are 4 of you splitting the costs, I'd say everyone kicking in $15 or $20 should cover it. The price per jump should still be less than regular DZ prices, and you get the luxury of your own private DZ/plane/pilot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakflyer9999 1 #3 July 23, 2013 Assuming that you are in the US, the pilots must have a commercial rating to accept payment. Even logging the time can be considered compensation. Of course the only way the FAA would most likely get involved would be if something went wrong, but from personal experience I know that it can happen. I was on a load that had a fatality. The pilot wasn't properly rated to fly the load and had his license suspended for 6 months in addition to a $2000 fine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzswoop717 5 #4 July 23, 2013 The guys flying for me so far have been airline pilots. with former jump flying experience. I talked to my local FAA and they said it was ok to use a private pilot to fly the plane but he would have to pay his share of the fuel just like the jumpers would. I don't have any private pilots around here that I feel comfortable to let fly my plane right now. There are a couple of private pilots in the area that are great pilots but they have no jump pilot experience and for right now I would rather stick with the professionals. Is 10 dollars per load a fair pay considering we only do 3 loads a day a few times a month. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #5 July 23, 2013 How far are they driving to get there? Are these guys mainly flying because they are your friends and they like the crowd that is jumping? I think a show up fee, of 25 bucks, and then 10 dollars a load would be good compensation. That way the pilot can buy a nice dinner for his or her trouble. I have seen clubs pay 25 an hour on the hobbs, but I don't have a good handle on what market rate really is."The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzswoop717 5 #6 July 24, 2013 The closest lives 8 miles away and the farthest has a 15 mile drive. All have been our friends for many years. One got many multi engine hours flying for me in the eighties (now has 13,000 hrs and is an airline pilot). They are top notch pilots that have flown us for free and say they love doing it. I just want to compensate them for their time and show them how much we appreiciate what they do for us. In the eighties and ninties I paid a buck a head. Half my pilots wouldn't take the money at the end of the weekend, they just had fun. Times have changed and I don't want to take them for granted. Thank you for you comments. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fencebuster 7 #7 July 24, 2013 $10 per tach hour plus $1.00 per slot seems reasonable.Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #8 July 24, 2013 fencebuster$10 per tach hour plus $1.00 per slot seems reasonable. It does?---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fencebuster 7 #9 July 25, 2013 Well, that's what I pay for my C-182 and C-U206 pilots. They stay around and do good work. My skydivers love them. And they don't break my planes.Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,523 #10 July 25, 2013 $10 a load is a bit on the low side, but for pilots who are doing it for fun (or building hours, which these guys aren't doing) it's ok. One thing to remember is that being a jump pilot can be a lot of fun. Especially for your situation, where the pilot isn't going full speed from early to late, sneaking in a bathroom break here and there, eating on the way up, ect., ect. The best part is the descent. alone in the plane and a chance to just "play." Airline pilots don't get to do that a lot. It's also fun to open the door in flight (normally a bad thing) and to watch the jumpers go."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DBCOOPER 5 #11 July 25, 2013 diablopilot ***$10 per tach hour plus $1.00 per slot seems reasonable. It does? Seems quite reasonable.I mean they probably only spent 25K to get their ratings. So they fly a load of tandems, only takes them .5. Thats nine bucks. Now the kid packing those tandems makes three times that and his training cost him nothing.Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzswoop717 5 #12 July 25, 2013 There are no tandems and no packers. This is not a Drop zone. We are a group of 4 people who want to make a couple of jumps every other Sunday. Like I said earlier, these pilots have been our friends for years, they have been flying for free. I just wanted to get an idea of what a Cessna pilot earns in the year 2013. I had no idea what to pay them, I didn't want to offend them with my out dated pay scale. I sort of wish I wouldn't have posted this. Exactly why I don't jump at a DZ anymore. We don't have to put up with the BS, smart asses and know it alls!!!!! Just jump for fun like the old days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DBCOOPER 5 #13 July 25, 2013 I was responding to Fencebusters pay scales and what some in the industry think is fair. If you're all friends and its not anything but friends, payment should be more along the line of presents or gift cards. $25 a flight hour would be appropiate.Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpwally 0 #14 July 26, 2013 any idea what Otter drivers get ? just curious, never even thought about pilots pay till this thread showed up...smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottMO 0 #15 July 27, 2013 I remember being a jumppilot flying 182's in 1990-94 for 2.00/load. Then 95-96 at a different DZ for 5.00/load. Of course, jump tickets were 9-10/load and gas was cheaper, and I was doing ti for the hours, etc, but there were plenty of summer days of 18 or 19 loads per day in a cessna... Its good to see pilots getting a little better pay... :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rwieder 0 #16 July 28, 2013 QuoteThere are no tandems and no packers. This is not a Drop zone. We are a group of 4 people who want to make a couple of jumps every other Sunday. Like I said earlier, these pilots have been our friends for years, they have been flying for free. I just wanted to get an idea of what a Cessna pilot earns in the year 2013. I had no idea what to pay them. I sort of wish I wouldn't have posted this. Exactly why I don't jump at a DZ anymore. We don't have to put up with the BS, smart asses and know it alls!!!!! Just jump for fun like the old days. Myself and a few friendlies have much the same arrangement, for the very same reasons. It sure is cool. We pay our pilot by the day, not the hour or load. Why? Because that's what he asked for and it was so reasonable we couldn't refuse. Best- Richard Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jct 0 #17 July 29, 2013 jumpwallyany idea what Otter drivers get ? just curious, never even thought about pilots pay till this thread showed up... I used to get $125 just for showing up, then once I flew a certain amount of loads, I would start making more for each load after that. On a typical busy day I would bring in $300-350. Not bad, but could be exhausting at times going 10-12 hours straight with just a few bathroom breaks while hot fueling. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwhenline 0 #18 July 30, 2013 give him a few bottles of good wine and call it a day. they are obviously not doing it for the money and a gift is more generous and personal than fifty bucks cash dwh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
