You’ve definitely hit the gold mine man! I’m 24 and an airline pilot so I can speak to the other side of the industry. I’ll say this…quality of life and opportunity definitely favor the charter flying. However, I did speak to a FedEx captain who showed me a paystub for $54k in one month. Granted, it is all about seniority but the money is in cargo! Not uncommon for senior cargo captains to make $500k plus. Add in some other responsibilities like sim instructor, etc…$750k+ 🤷🏼♂️
In the Europe story is completely different. I fly citation jet and make 1700€ per month net as FO. Salary in per say wizzair is 21k per year GROSS for F/O and 26k for SFO. You get extra per landing and miles and that takes u to like 4500€ gross. In Europe tax is higher u get from 2500-3000. And for business aviation. I know that Vista jet pays 4000 gross for FO. So all in all ridiculously low salaries in Europe.
It's actually around 12.5% more. As a W2 employee your employer pays half your social security and FICA. I own a company and am a 1099. Although, it appears 1099 pays more; they only pay it on adjusted net income. I end up only owing taxes on a small percent of my income. You can write up meals, office expenses, your car (if you do it right), gas, insurance, mileage, any financial or property losses, and until recently even any sales tax you paid through the year. There's many more deductions. Its not a bad gig. I will admit dancing with the IRS could be scary at times, and April 15th every year is my least favorite day of the year.
Love the transparency. I was in a very similar situation than you 10 years ago. I flew a Lear 55 and a Lear 60 part 91 making 90k. Had the same mentality of wanting my skills and personality to show my worth over others (I am very competitive). As soon as I hit 23 I went to a regional which didn’t pay a quarter of what they pay now and took a huge pay cut. The money is made in the airlines. The stability is in the airlines. You don’t want to be 50 years old and have 23 year old Ryan that smiles better, and is more hungry and will do the job at half your salary taking your position. That’s what the years of seniority in an airline gets you. I agree it’s unfortunate that you’re just a number but trust me in the long run that’s a good thing. Big airlines want 121 time. In part 91 you don’t know when or where you’re going on most cases, think about calling sick or if something happens what happens. Trust me jump over young and don’t wait around too much. It’s worth it. An idea I am a first officer at a major U.S. airline and I make 200k. I call sick and no one bats an eye, I have travel benefits and many other benefits corporate doesn’t have. A sacrifice at 23 isn’t the same as a sacrifice at 40. The first year will be bad although with how airlines are it won’t be that hard as it was for me but I guarantee you it’s worth it for a career. I have a friend that works at frontier that was flying G650s. He doesn’t regret it one bit and only regrets not doing it sooner. Regardless best of luck to you. You seem like a go getter. I just left those same questioned they left me when I was young and that I answered myself and made the move.
Hey Ryan, been watching your videos for a while now, ever since your ATP days, and man you are one driven individual. I'm a little older than you (25) and decided to switch into the aviation industry (just wrapping up my private), but I like how you show your multiple streams of income. I think it's great to show the reality that pilots should have a plan b. Much respect and keep the vids coming!
I was a free lance flight examiner for a while for CAE MESA on their European program. They are a European based company who paid decent wages with benefits to their CFI''s. The company's ethos was not to screw their CFI's. An attitude which was reflected in the quality of the instruction given to the students.
Just turned 21, headed to ATP at the end of this month with credit Private. Wish I had started as early as you did, mad respect. Thanks for the great video! Excited for the journey.
Whew, so many acronyms. I just came here to see what it would cost to hire a full time, exclusive pilot and what they would expect. i.e. I would want availability to be almost constant and good to go at anytime (other than vacation times etc) ,perdiem when out, aircraft to buy that they can fly etc. Would I have to have 2 pilots? Or 1 for a smaller like cessna 310. up to a Citation M2? NON-International mostly, Possibly onnce a year overseas. Could they be 1099 or corporate employee? What benefits would they want? Based on the numbers you mentioned I would definitely want them to work for me exclusively with 24/7 on call. Ultimately I would love to find one that's both a pilot and certified VIP protection. So I wouldn't need so many bodies.
I see a lot of young folks here commenting. For you youngies. Understand that this guy is super lucky. This guy hit the lottery. No joke! Understand that his path is not normal but extremely lucky. Please don't think this happens to everyone. The standard is that you do not fly an airplane like that until your 40ish or even 50ish years old. Some people may never ever fly a G650 or Global because they never got that type rating offered to them for free. Again, I see to many yuenglings commenting that don't get it. If your looking for money. The airlines will be the best option on AVERAGE! If your looking to live the dream then corporate is the way, but put money second. This review is not the norm. You probably have a 1 to 2 percent chance of this happening to you.
Truer words have never been spoken. Lottery ticket for this kid. I know countless people who have spent years at regionals only to just get on at a major at 45 yrs old. Timing means everything. Also know some that caught the wave and are flying FedEex international at 35 yrs old. Your mileage may vary. Stay safe out there
@@kronosblade3002 everyone has a fate and destiny. I started my career in 4th grade. I may be lucky/ blessed but I worked my tush of many young yrs and still.
This is pretty spot on. It's about timing. At 23, most pilots are CFI's making about $10/hour on average. Also you can reasonably expect to be at a major before 40. The pilot shortage has accelerated this a little. One of my flight instructors started at a regional in 2016, and in 2021, is now a Jetblue FO. He's in his very early 30's.
Great insight. Looking forward to completing my training in an accelerated academy soon. Probably moving to Vegas to network into a right seat after completion. See ya in the air soon🦾
as a student currently that is still looking for a direction this was a fantastic video really pulls the curtains back and shows off the info with some well placed wisdom helped me alot
Can you do a video on the lifestyle differences between commercial, corporate, charter, etc? Like what does their weekly, monthly, and yearly work routines look like for the salaries they make?
At 18 years corporate flying and 21 years airline, I can say there are two completely different worlds. As corporate, you will be tied to the landing gear of your aircraft. As airline pilot, you will just fly with no baby-sitting airplanes with seniority job security.
Yes 2 different worlds but airline world is pretty much everywhere the same while corporate world offers an almost endless difference of experiences and lifestyles. Unfortunately what's common within both worlds now is job insecurity.
Meh. It's kinda accurate. But I have a feeling you don't know know what an airline job is like. For one, you get amazing medical benefits, 16% 401k match (like 16% even if you don't add a dime of your earnings 😳). Then there's profit sharing bonuses, not to mention flying anywhere worldwide for free. Yes free. Or riding other airlines for the price of tax only. If you like to travel, that's pretty awesome. The best part is, there's unions that take care of you. So you never have to worry about your job going away (or working half the year). Granted, we aren't usually chillin' in,,,,, wherever that was you were at. Now,,, we usually have about 15 days off/month. So 3-4 days per week. I'm never gone from my family more than a few days. Guessing you don't have a family yet. But when you do,,, being gone a lot won't be cool. Now,,,, some airlines are also paying up to $100,000 cash signing bonus. Think about that. 100k cash just to walk in the door. Of course the job itself is different. At the airlines we don't have a few fancy people on board. We have hundreds of lives we're responsible for. Kinda different. A private jet goes down,,, meh. An airliner goes down,,,, people's families were on board - it makes the news. Seniority? Yeah,, it does matter. That's more of a problem with young people like yourself though. No one is willing to put in their time. Instant gratification is the new game. It may take some time to gain seniority,,, but then it means more. Anything quickly gained can be quickly taken. Seniority cannot. I think it's apples to oranges. Really two totally different jobs. Unless you've been at the airlines, I don't think you should make comparisons. Just talk about what you know. Personally,,, I'm jealous. I would have loved to fly some cool stuff like the Gulfstream, but I went from a Duchess straight in to a CL65. I'd say that I'll see ya around in my right seat,,, but I'll be at a major before you could get through training at a regional. Good luck with corporate man. Just don't glorify it. Unless you're at a Fortune 500 company,,,, airlines are the way to go. 😉 - Josh
Congrats on getting the G650 job at a young age. My experience was similar. I got a G-IV job with no jet time and being relatively young. You’re correct about the airline pay structure. Years with the company equates to the compensation. However, I have been flying for a Fortune 50 Company for the last 20 years and our salaries are based on years with the company. The longer you’ve been here, the more you make. We top out in our salary range at year 20. I think you’ll find that most good corporate jobs compensate the same way. When we interview to hire pilots, we are assuming that if you’re resume is good enough to get the interview, you’re qualified and are probably a good pilot. So, being a good pilot and doing a great job while important, doesn’t factor in to your compensation. Another factor is we hire Captains. We also have a self sign up policy for crewing trips. Basically I pick my schedule. We have some guys who work less than I do and some that may work more. It doesn’t effect compensation. We are unique with the self sign up but for the guys I know at other good corporate jobs, their compensation is years of service based within the given salary range their company has in place.
As a 1099 (independent contractor) you're liable for paying self employment taxes. From practicality viewpoint, you're paying both the employee and employer employment taxes which come to 15.3% of AGI vs. 7.65%. And not getting any company health benefits means you're not getting the employer subsidy which is probably worth at least another $4-5k per year. At that income level you're not eligible for any ACA subsidies. Plus, there's no tax withholding so you have to come up with all the taxes you owe all at once when you file. Unless you know how to manage being self employed, it is NOT an advantage taxwise.
I have a friend who works union construction job, I am self employed construction. Based when I started we both made around 75k out of which he paid 20k in taxes with all the benefits he had and I only paid close to 7k. Plus all the benefits he has he never uses so that's lost money in my book. Everyone says that as an employee you don't pay as much but it's not true from my experience. At the same time if I wanted to start my day late or take a day off and then work hard to finish the job I still make the same money , where him if he doesn't clock in he's not making anything. So self employed I think its great.
@@thetruthyes My point wasn't self employment was bad per se. It just has to be managed. Incorporating with a Sub S is good start. But there's something definitely off on your figures. The self employment taxes alone on $75k of Schedule C income is around $11,500. And that's before figuring income taxes.
@@johnm.3279 Yeah, this guy is full of hot air. He probably paid $7k at tax time, not counting quarterly estimated payments that he sent in. Yes, as a contractor you can deduct expenses to offset SOME income taxes, but self-employment you can't offset.
Im 18, just started college. I already work on cars and get paid to do so, I race and get paid to do so and paid to win, and I have a pretty big following and quite a bit of connections in the automotive scene. My real passion is aeronautics and my plan is to go to the navy after college to become a pilot. I am already saving all of the money I have made now, I plan to live far below my means while in the navy and save money while also getting my wings. Then I plan to fly privately after the navy and start an airline or private jet service with the money I have saved. I also plan to open a shop for big power cars as well. You have been a huge inspiration to me and I plan to be as far ahead of my peers as humanly possible.
One piece of advice regarding your future plans in aviation, DON'T let anyone change your mind, keep focused on what's ahead, don't get discouraged as sometimes things don't go exactly right. KEEP Focused on that goal and you will succeed ! One day you will look back and say, wow that was a lot of work but it will all be worth the final outcome.
I am just getting to know a Lady that is a "Private Jet" Pilot. We have not talked about incomes, yet... but as our relationship gets stronger, this will certainly become 'relevant' ... So this is Great information for me to know a 'range' of where our combined income will fall... as well as something of an idea what her spending habits look like. Not that I would make such a decision based on incomes... but it IS a part of blending our futures together.
CPT Ryan, thought I might chime in and give you a little chuckle. When I was your present age I got my first professional ride as a FO!! IT WAS AN UPHILL CLIMB TO THE COCKPIT! You guessed it; the glorious DC-3. I was guaranteed 500 a month, but after relocating and reporting for work I was told that I would actually be starting it 280 a month until the probationary period was over. Keeping those 1790 synced was a monumental task. Yeah that was a long time ago. you would probably call that dinosaur stuff. Really happy for you and I pray that you only go up from here. Let me be honest with you about one thing; sure flying is demanding and you can really get overloaded sometimes, but every time I got paid I actually had the feeling I should be paying them because I love flying that much. I hope you love it as much as I do. Do you remember what Leonardo da Vinci's famous quote was? "For once man has tasted flight he shall walk forever with his eyes turned skyward, for there he has been, and there he longs to be"......... Cordially & Best Wishes, Chuck 🛫🛬📖🙏
Flying private jets isn’t for everyone. Especially if you come from airline experience. They’re two completely different worlds of flying. Private jet flying is definitely more relaxed than airline, I guess that’s why there’s so many old guys doing it. However the schedules can be pretty bad with 8 to 14 days on the road. Also I kind of missed seeing people when I flew a Gulfstream for a few years. It wasn’t very glamorous sneaking around FBOs compared to the event that is being inside an airline terminal. That’s just me though, some guys could care less about flying boxes or one guy across the world. Overall, the airlines offer more stability and better schedules, however day to day, flying private jets was better.
I agree. I think the allure to airlines is the stability it offers. I know guys who love flying for corporate but are worried of being kicked out of a job if they loose their medical whereas the airlines off more support and peace of mind. Not to mention if you have a family, you’re oftentimes home more often unless you fly cargo.
I feel seniority in some fields is holding us back, not in al cases because experience comes trough time but it also takes away incentives for younger people
So …YOU think your the best pilot….and because YOU think that ……you should be senior and be paid more. Typical response from a self entitled arrogant 20 something
Sick man! Good on you. I’ve seen your videos over the last couple years. I started seeing them when I was instrument instrument pilot school 3-1/2 years ago. Since then, I’ve graduated college (141), flight instructed, obtained a E175 type with republic airways, escaped furlough by coming to the cargo side of things and now hold a 737-800 type rating and fly for southern air. Sounds like we both made some sick progress in a short amount of time. My first flight ever was 2/16/16.
One of my friends is a co-captain on a G650 flying a corporate gig. He makes around $250k a year. I'm a bit surprised to hear a F/O salary on that jet is so low.
I'm 26. This is motivation! I feel as though time is running out but I won't give up. I've been flying on and off for 10 years now but definitely getting my PPL next year! no more excuses and bad decisions.
You understand we can pickup open time at 1.5-2x our rate at the airlines and make more if you want. Guys in my class picked up and made 200k 2nd year at my major.
Yeah that’s assuming you get to a major. If you get there, yeah absolutely there’s more money for less work, but things can happen and you end up stuck at a regional.
@@Murdock987 you must be one of those “I can’t afford the pay cut” kinda guys. Spirit/Frontier/allegiant were swallowing up any regional/corporate guy up.
@@jonc5508 That was a bit of a personal assumption don’t you think? No I’m not one of those guys, but I don’t hate on lifers either. They had family circumstances they had to take care of and couldn’t afford a cut, i would never fault a man for making a family choice. Nowadays the first year major pay is good enough there’s no excuse to not make the jump. My only point was it’s not guaranteed and some people make it sound that way.
Man I've been trying to get my PPL since 2018. I work for an airline as a flight attendant and taking time off is kinda difficult. I went back to school this summer and it didn't end well so now I'm in debt and trying to pay that off before I go back and kinda losing hope.
It’s alllll about networking to get these jobs. He was right about the fact that your “personality” factors in. It’s not strictly a meritocracy. They have to like you and you need to “fit” a certain type of profile too.
Keep that job! I am a Learjet 35 PIC in Germany and I make, with all benefits, 90000 USD at the age of 31. And I guess you didn’t have to pay for the type rating. In Germany you usually have to pay the rating. Really awesome at your young age to have and grasp that opportunity.
I’m not sure because I’m not a pilot but in the US after high school you have to pay for everything unless you get into a great company that will pay for you to get your certifications but if you need the certification before even working there’s even fewer companies that would pay for that
My first flying gig in the private jet scene I was flying either the citation 550 captain that was paying 400 per day and later down the like I flew as FO on a falcon 50 and that brought me 550 a day. Both with the same company under part 91.
This is something that is rarely if not ever talked about the rich. People think that rich people hoard all their money but they hired thousands to keep their private pilots paid, staff, mechanic, etc....
The difference is airline pilots are all held to the same standard and we all know our shit. Compared to private jet pilots as you mentioned where the number of pilots who “know their shit” isn’t 100%. The business jet accident rate vs the airline’s bears all the evidence you need.
@@vikings844 The point being this guy thinks he should be paid more than others because he’s “better” and “works harder” than other corporate pilots. That’s not a thing at the airlines. We are held to the same standard. Some guys certainly work harder to have a greater knowledge base than the baseline standard, but the standard is high and it’s got a proven track record for keeping passengers and crew safe. The same can’t be said for corporate aviation.
Love the video man, feel like I’ve been shooting out apps everywhere lately. I would kill for an FO position on a Citation or similar. Looking for anything I can get to get a start in the corporate world.
My uncle was a pilot for American airlines for 7 years he made 200k start and at end was at 350k now the last 12 years he's flew a private jet for a couple billionaires and makes 1mill a year
Great info in the video for up and coming pilots and those thinking about a career in aviation. You are a good example of drive and motivation= results. But one thing that I noticed was about the 1099 vs w-2: Did you say that being on a 1099 is better than a W-2? NEGATIVE. At the end of the year, you have to pay income tax on the 108k, plus another 15.3% soc/medicare taxes. On a w-2, you still would pay income taxes, but only half (7.65%) of the employee taxes, your employer is supposed to pay the other half. A 1099 is an illegal way for many companies to get out of paying the 7.65% and also providing benefits (health insurance, paid vacation). If you work on a schedule and have no choice in taking trips, then you are an employee not a contractor. But if you are cool with the setup, no worries. Just don't forget to send in your quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS. As I'm sure you know, besides doing the income tax return each year, as a contractor you are required to calculate/estimate your taxes and send in 1/4 of the amount quarterly.
Corporate flying has kind is intreuiging! Maybe when I'm a bit old but for now I'll stick to Crop Spraying :) Great pay for a short season, and usually pretty exciting thanks for sharing your journey!
Nice video and definitely educational for someone starting out in the industry and interested in Charters, unfortunately, the article he’s referencing doesn’t talk about the Majors or Cargo…. To give you an idea of the dark side of things, as a Cargo Captain, if you get on with a good company, you’ll fly nice aircraft, at my airline, we’re lucky enough to get to fly brand new 747-8 AC, we don’t have to put up with the issues relating to people or passengers (HELL YEAH!!!) and routinely have a guarantee (for a maxed out International Captain) of around $450,000.00 but more realistically, will bring in between $500,00.00 to $650/700,000.00 depending on how hard you wanna work. Yeah, to make the crazy money, you’ll have to take an few extra flight here and there, but the money is there if you want to make it. Younger pilots at my airline are upgrading to Captain, I think around 7-8 years which is nothing…. Cargo is not the most glamorous compared to the double breasted guys/gals, but for most of us night crawlers, (International flights are mostly flown in the day time hours btw) we consider freight the way to go, less air-traffic, quiet radios, less bad weather and more directs. Not to mention the biggest value to our jobs, A-Plan or PENSION…. discounted stock purchase and a matching B-Fund from our salary up to the Govt limit (our airline is at 12% or approx $34,600 annually, others cargos guys are at 9%, others don’t have a B-Fund) plus up to 5 weeks of annual vacation…. Airline pilot central.com list all the airlines, there numbers are a little off, but close enough to get an idea…. Again, the article this guy is talking about only mentions Charter, which is fine, but imo the pay is commensurate to the work. The biggest thing to take away in today’s environment is that everybody is hiring, there is a huge pilot shortage currently and forecast for the next 10 years, any place that has major attached to it whether it be a cargo company or a passenger carrier, he’s going to provide you with a really nice career. You just have to find what fits the best for you and your family. Good luck to everyone.
@@firelily77 No, I don’t think so, depending on where you’re at in the process of becoming a pilot, you may be limited bc our mandatory retirement age for part 121/117 pilots is currently age 65. Many think that number may go up to help out with the pilot shortage but for now it’s age 65. Besides all that, women are sought after employees in this male dominated industry, so doors will open for you that may not for others, plus, and more importantly, you have to follow your dreams where ever they may take you, no sense in having regret when it’s got too late to do anything about, now is the time... Feel free to PM me or reply here and I’ll send you my contact info, if you need more advice…. Jeff
As an airline pilot unfortunately I have to agree. I was a captain making good money but then downgraded due to Covid and now paid close to half as much. The seniority system works if you manage to be there a while. But the system does encourage you to do the bare minimum. If you have a 75 hour line (most post Covid lines only pay this) then you essentially leave your home for upwards of 21 days per month. And if you bid reserve and live in base you might fly only a few days yet you get 75 hours either way.
Isn’t that kind of the point of being an airline pilot though. As we get older our seniority gets better and eventually the goal is to do the least amount of work for the most amount of money?
If you want to be a commercial pilot in major airline you need a bachelor Didi if you want to be a regional airline pilot you have to ask ATP school or any school that what they need and if you want to be just a private pilot you can just go from high school to any school and yeah you can get your private party trading but you have to have first class second class third class certificate medical certificate
*I'd love to fly corporate one day, so I love following your journey because you also taught, and are into real estate - all my interests' as well. Keep up the great videos!*
It’s always been my dream to become a pilot. I remember being 10 years old waking up early morning just to play flight simulator x. Lol I was using nothing but mouth and key board lol but those days really instilled my love for flying and aeronautics. One day I will become a pilot 👏🤝✈️💗🥲
I completely understand desiring a merit based system for pay and believe that's likely the best approach in a wide variety of industries. However, I think it's generally a bad fit for transportation, or really, any industry where safety, not productivity, has to be priority number one. That kind of culture at the airlines would ultimately cause the focus on safety to be pushed aside in favor of individuals looking for every opportunity to impress their employer and get ahead. Basically, trading in safety for profit. The risks are just too high to move to a non-union, merit based system. I'd also argue that the airlines do care how good you are and how hard you work. That's why there are certain requirements for being considered for the job, an interview process, check rides, training, etc. People who are not motivated, careless, and have a bad attitude are not likely to get to the point where they're being hired as pilots for an airline.
Shit is so different now. I instructed for ATP after going thru their program back in 2006 and I think the pay was $800 a month with a rent free apartment. Sounded great then especially since I was in Long Beach, CA and rent was expensive. I only made $19/hr at the regionals first year too but have been at Fedex for 5 years now so I guess it all paid off. Could never do the corporate schedule or that type of flying for people. The planes and destinations are nice I'm sure but it's not for me. I'll take his airline job with good seniority no matter how dumb he thinks that way of living is.
There are many things that come into play. I was held in Houston because an agency did not supply crew for my RPN-10 Falcon 8X to traverse GOMEX between Houston and Miami.
Another great informative video for aspiring pilots like yourself. Would you be able to do a video about people wanting to spend serious dollars on a Gulfstream type ratings training like the pros and cons? Thank you.
Hmmm. I spent 8 years corporate, 22 years airline, I certainly would not agree with your airline pay statements. "It's based on experience, it's based on character....." (your words on corporate pay). You'll learn rapidly about "brown-nosing", "butt-kissing" and other factors that can cause you to easily get passed over for the left seat in a non-seniority corporate system. "As apposed to the airlines where it's a big ..... company where you are just a number in a system...... where you get paid accordingly by how long you've been at the company", while that statement is true based on the "hourly pay", you make it sound like a pilot who has been there 10 years makes more than a pilot who has been there 5 years. The 10 year pilot makes more "per flight hour". But if 'said' pilot hardly ever flies, then that is completely untrue. Not to mention "extra-fly", "open-time", etc available to pilots who want to pick up to make extra money. Additionally, the pilot who has been there 10 years will be more experienced in that company's operations, and more often than that not, have far more flight experience. The truth is, how many major airline pilots leave the airlines to go fly corporate? In my 35 years of commercial flying I've never met one that did so before retirement age. How many corporate guys go to the airlines? Too many to count. Why? Vacation, schedules, quality of life, retirement benefits, and most definitely PAY. And you don't have to brown nose to advance. You DO however have to earn it. Through checkrides and training evaluations, chief pilot reviews, etc. Yes, a seniority system has flaws, but after living through both systems for over 20,000+ flight hours in jets, I know which is better.
I’m a little outdated, having come off a partially paid ExTO during the pandemic, and going right in to an unpaid LOA. However, the money and the jobs are out there, but it’s not easy. In my day, one went to whoever would take them. I happened to get lucky, and found a career culture that fit me like a glove. My input would be to have something else going on that is completely non aviation related. If you can find a spouse who works with you as a team on the side gig, even better. Flying reserves or guard is good as well, you can get orders to active duty if we go through a lost decade again. I know a couple that own an insurance agency, another in financial advising, a real estate team. As crazy as it sounds, my wife and I farm. I always did the office work part of farming from hotel rooms when on a trip. Their wasn’t a ton of time to do it, but it was enough. Get an early start, make sacrifices that are an investment, then you hit 52 like me and working for others is 100% optional. The one thing my wife and I did do that a lot of people would struggle with, is we lived on the wages of a baggage handler, and invested the rest in land. I have a few mil in my B fund last time I checked, I’ll have a great military pension and benefits when I turn 60. But I sank my wages in to something I could touch with my own hands that produces valuable products. Money is a unit of measurement that represents the value of your work, that can be exchanged with others. But the number itself doesn’t matter in my case. I will always be able to exchange what I produce for what I can’t produce for myself. That’s the safest thing in the world for us, and you can develop your own plan based on what works for you. Then again, as Eisenhower said, “plans are worthless, but planning is essential.”
Considering the amount you fly ...on/off, that is one amazing pay. Time is the most valuable asset. The more amount of affordable free time you have is AMAZING. Hourly worth is the number one thing to calculate. I'd rather get payed $60/hr for less time spent working than $20/hr full time.
I'm 44 years old and have recently decided this is what I want to pursue for a career. But as I'm researching I'm seeing there's so many things going against me, mainly my age and the astronomical cost of it all. Is it too late for me now or should I get the loans and take the leap?
36 and feel like my job is at a standstill... considering getting my pilots license and going commercial. Just hesitant about leaving this union job. Need to see if I'd pass the medical first due to an old back injury.
I’ve been GIV Chief Pilot , 747-400 contract captain for Singapore - I got my training as a Marine C-130Pilot - I spent 20 years with AA - 2000-2008 flying LAX Captain 767 just to Kona Maui and Kauai - dude - don’t throw shade on airlines - check out RUclipsr fly with garret - he’s you’re age right seat AA 737 - best gig EVER
You said you don’t have the “same tax burden as a W2 employee” that’s not true, it’s actually the opposite. Income tax is owed based on income, not whether you’re W2 or 1099, but when you’re a 1099 you owe both the employee and employer share of FICA, so the tax burden is bigger as a 1099 than a W2.
Hi. Airline guy here. There is a massive difference in the 91/135 world. You have to find the right ones. My uncle flies for a part 91 outfit in chicago for an extraordinarily wealthy family. His salary is 225k a year plus benefits. Falcon 7X CA
Get an airline job and your first year you will make the same money. In 10 years you will be closer to 300k. Best thing is you are a number, you di your job and go home. You also enjoy 15-20 days off a month and you aren't strapped to the phone. If you want to work hard 500k is not out of the question.
Hey Ryan. Love your content, keep up the great work! I have a few questions. I understand that it is possible to rent a jet and to hire a pilot for an chartered flight. Am I correct in this understanding? And if so, where would someone start to look if they where looking for a pilot for hire and a plane for rent?
23 I was beer bonging 4 loco's in the Marines... Your making the correct choices in life my friend.
Typical marine 😂😂😂. Thank you for your service though
You have no idea how much I love this comment lmao
Me too! Yut!
😂😂
If I smell anymore 4loco in life I might die on the spot! 😭😂
You are a prime example of network=net worth. Good on you for getting out there and taking risks.
thank you, I really appreciate that
Well said. Keep at it
You’ve definitely hit the gold mine man! I’m 24 and an airline pilot so I can speak to the other side of the industry. I’ll say this…quality of life and opportunity definitely favor the charter flying. However, I did speak to a FedEx captain who showed me a paystub for $54k in one month. Granted, it is all about seniority but the money is in cargo! Not uncommon for senior cargo captains to make $500k plus. Add in some other responsibilities like sim instructor, etc…$750k+ 🤷🏼♂️
wow i might do this
@@bobby-bk9sw I know a FedEx 777 captain doing $350k a year working 10 days a month.
@@OMG_No_Way jesus
@@OMG_No_Way can I fly 2 at the same time? :)
In the Europe story is completely different. I fly citation jet and make 1700€ per month net as FO. Salary in per say wizzair is 21k per year GROSS for F/O and 26k for SFO. You get extra per landing and miles and that takes u to like 4500€ gross. In Europe tax is higher u get from 2500-3000. And for business aviation. I know that Vista jet pays 4000 gross for FO. So all in all ridiculously low salaries in Europe.
1099 recipients actually pay 7.5% MORE than W-2 employees. However, being self-employed you can deduct all kinds of expenses.
Exactly
Self employed pay the employee and employer share…FICA 15%+, but you have many more tax deductions on the income side
It's actually around 12.5% more. As a W2 employee your employer pays half your social security and FICA. I own a company and am a 1099. Although, it appears 1099 pays more; they only pay it on adjusted net income. I end up only owing taxes on a small percent of my income. You can write up meals, office expenses, your car (if you do it right), gas, insurance, mileage, any financial or property losses, and until recently even any sales tax you paid through the year. There's many more deductions. Its not a bad gig. I will admit dancing with the IRS could be scary at times, and April 15th every year is my least favorite day of the year.
Love the transparency. I was in a very similar situation than you 10 years ago. I flew a Lear 55 and a Lear 60 part 91 making 90k. Had the same mentality of wanting my skills and personality to show my worth over others (I am very competitive). As soon as I hit 23 I went to a regional which didn’t pay a quarter of what they pay now and took a huge pay cut. The money is made in the airlines. The stability is in the airlines. You don’t want to be 50 years old and have 23 year old Ryan that smiles better, and is more hungry and will do the job at half your salary taking your position. That’s what the years of seniority in an airline gets you. I agree it’s unfortunate that you’re just a number but trust me in the long run that’s a good thing. Big airlines want 121 time. In part 91 you don’t know when or where you’re going on most cases, think about calling sick or if something happens what happens.
Trust me jump over young and don’t wait around too much. It’s worth it. An idea I am a first officer at a major U.S. airline and I make 200k. I call sick and no one bats an eye, I have travel benefits and many other benefits corporate doesn’t have. A sacrifice at 23 isn’t the same as a sacrifice at 40. The first year will be bad although with how airlines are it won’t be that hard as it was for me but I guarantee you it’s worth it for a career. I have a friend that works at frontier that was flying G650s. He doesn’t regret it one bit and only regrets not doing it sooner.
Regardless best of luck to you. You seem like a go getter. I just left those same questioned they left me when I was young and that I answered myself and made the move.
What did you do to build up to that 1500 flight hours? I'm currently planning out my journey
Hey Ryan, been watching your videos for a while now, ever since your ATP days, and man you are one driven individual. I'm a little older than you (25) and decided to switch into the aviation industry (just wrapping up my private), but I like how you show your multiple streams of income. I think it's great to show the reality that pilots should have a plan b. Much respect and keep the vids coming!
Wow! Very successful. Especially at the age of 23.
I love your English, it's very understandable I havent not even noticed I've switched language
I was a free lance flight examiner for a while for CAE MESA on their European program. They are a European based company who paid decent wages with benefits to their CFI''s. The company's ethos was not to screw their CFI's. An attitude which was reflected in the quality of the instruction given to the students.
Just turned 21, headed to ATP at the end of this month with credit Private. Wish I had started as early as you did, mad respect. Thanks for the great video! Excited for the journey.
You liking ATP so far?
Whew, so many acronyms. I just came here to see what it would cost to hire a full time, exclusive pilot and what they would expect. i.e. I would want availability to be almost constant and good to go at anytime (other than vacation times etc) ,perdiem when out, aircraft to buy that they can fly etc. Would I have to have 2 pilots? Or 1 for a smaller like cessna 310. up to a Citation M2? NON-International mostly, Possibly onnce a year overseas. Could they be 1099 or corporate employee? What benefits would they want? Based on the numbers you mentioned I would definitely want them to work for me exclusively with 24/7 on call. Ultimately I would love to find one that's both a pilot and certified VIP protection. So I wouldn't need so many bodies.
I see a lot of young folks here commenting. For you youngies. Understand that this guy is super lucky. This guy hit the lottery. No joke! Understand that his path is not normal but extremely lucky. Please don't think this happens to everyone. The standard is that you do not fly an airplane like that until your 40ish or even 50ish years old. Some people may never ever fly a G650 or Global because they never got that type rating offered to them for free. Again, I see to many yuenglings commenting that don't get it. If your looking for money. The airlines will be the best option on AVERAGE! If your looking to live the dream then corporate is the way, but put money second. This review is not the norm. You probably have a 1 to 2 percent chance of this happening to you.
Truer words have never been spoken. Lottery ticket for this kid. I know countless people who have spent years at regionals only to just get on at a major at 45 yrs old. Timing means everything. Also know some that caught the wave and are flying FedEex international at 35 yrs old. Your mileage may vary. Stay safe out there
He is NOT lucky... he's BLESSED!!!! HE says it himself.😑
@@michellestone7011 yes and people who hit the lotto are blessed too
@@kronosblade3002 everyone has a fate and destiny. I started my career in 4th grade. I may be lucky/ blessed but I worked my tush of many young yrs and still.
This is pretty spot on. It's about timing. At 23, most pilots are CFI's making about $10/hour on average. Also you can reasonably expect to be at a major before 40. The pilot shortage has accelerated this a little. One of my flight instructors started at a regional in 2016, and in 2021, is now a Jetblue FO. He's in his very early 30's.
Great insight. Looking forward to completing my training in an accelerated academy soon. Probably moving to Vegas to network into a right seat after completion. See ya in the air soon🦾
as a student currently that is still looking for a direction this was a fantastic video really pulls the curtains back and shows off the info with some well placed wisdom
helped me alot
Can you do a video on the lifestyle differences between commercial, corporate, charter, etc? Like what does their weekly, monthly, and yearly work routines look like for the salaries they make?
At 18 years corporate flying and 21 years airline, I can say there are two completely different worlds. As corporate, you will be tied to the landing gear of your aircraft. As airline pilot, you will just fly with no baby-sitting airplanes with seniority job security.
Yes 2 different worlds but airline world is pretty much everywhere the same while corporate world offers an almost endless difference of experiences and lifestyles. Unfortunately what's common within both worlds now is job insecurity.
Meh. It's kinda accurate. But I have a feeling you don't know know what an airline job is like. For one, you get amazing medical benefits, 16% 401k match (like 16% even if you don't add a dime of your earnings 😳). Then there's profit sharing bonuses, not to mention flying anywhere worldwide for free. Yes free. Or riding other airlines for the price of tax only. If you like to travel, that's pretty awesome. The best part is, there's unions that take care of you. So you never have to worry about your job going away (or working half the year). Granted, we aren't usually chillin' in,,,,, wherever that was you were at. Now,,, we usually have about 15 days off/month. So 3-4 days per week. I'm never gone from my family more than a few days. Guessing you don't have a family yet. But when you do,,, being gone a lot won't be cool. Now,,,, some airlines are also paying up to $100,000 cash signing bonus. Think about that. 100k cash just to walk in the door. Of course the job itself is different. At the airlines we don't have a few fancy people on board. We have hundreds of lives we're responsible for. Kinda different. A private jet goes down,,, meh. An airliner goes down,,,, people's families were on board - it makes the news. Seniority? Yeah,, it does matter. That's more of a problem with young people like yourself though. No one is willing to put in their time. Instant gratification is the new game. It may take some time to gain seniority,,, but then it means more. Anything quickly gained can be quickly taken. Seniority cannot. I think it's apples to oranges. Really two totally different jobs. Unless you've been at the airlines, I don't think you should make comparisons. Just talk about what you know. Personally,,, I'm jealous. I would have loved to fly some cool stuff like the Gulfstream, but I went from a Duchess straight in to a CL65. I'd say that I'll see ya around in my right seat,,, but I'll be at a major before you could get through training at a regional. Good luck with corporate man. Just don't glorify it. Unless you're at a Fortune 500 company,,,, airlines are the way to go. 😉 - Josh
Congrats on getting the G650 job at a young age. My experience was similar. I got a G-IV job with no jet time and being relatively young.
You’re correct about the airline pay structure. Years with the company equates to the compensation.
However, I have been flying for a Fortune 50 Company for the last 20 years and our salaries are based on years with the company. The longer you’ve been here, the more you make.
We top out in our salary range at year 20. I think you’ll find that most good corporate jobs compensate the same way.
When we interview to hire pilots, we are assuming that if you’re resume is good enough to get the interview, you’re qualified and are probably a good pilot. So, being a good pilot and doing a great job while important, doesn’t factor in to your compensation.
Another factor is we hire Captains.
We also have a self sign up policy for crewing trips. Basically I pick my schedule. We have some guys who work less than I do and some that may work more. It doesn’t effect compensation.
We are unique with the self sign up but for the guys I know at other good corporate jobs, their compensation is years of service based within the given salary range their company has in place.
As a 1099 (independent contractor) you're liable for paying self employment taxes. From practicality viewpoint, you're paying both the employee and employer employment taxes which come to 15.3% of AGI vs. 7.65%. And not getting any company health benefits means you're not getting the employer subsidy which is probably worth at least another $4-5k per year. At that income level you're not eligible for any ACA subsidies. Plus, there's no tax withholding so you have to come up with all the taxes you owe all at once when you file. Unless you know how to manage being self employed, it is NOT an advantage taxwise.
I have a friend who works union construction job, I am self employed construction. Based when I started we both made around 75k out of which he paid 20k in taxes with all the benefits he had and I only paid close to 7k. Plus all the benefits he has he never uses so that's lost money in my book. Everyone says that as an employee you don't pay as much but it's not true from my experience. At the same time if I wanted to start my day late or take a day off and then work hard to finish the job I still make the same money , where him if he doesn't clock in he's not making anything. So self employed I think its great.
@@thetruthyes My point wasn't self employment was bad per se. It just has to be managed. Incorporating with a Sub S is good start.
But there's something definitely off on your figures. The self employment taxes alone on $75k of Schedule C income is around $11,500. And that's before figuring income taxes.
@@johnm.3279 Yeah, this guy is full of hot air. He probably paid $7k at tax time, not counting quarterly estimated payments that he sent in. Yes, as a contractor you can deduct expenses to offset SOME income taxes, but self-employment you can't offset.
@@thetruthyes And being self-employed you don't have to worry about getting the jab to keep your job. I love being an independent contractor!
Im 18, just started college. I already work on cars and get paid to do so, I race and get paid to do so and paid to win, and I have a pretty big following and quite a bit of connections in the automotive scene. My real passion is aeronautics and my plan is to go to the navy after college to become a pilot. I am already saving all of the money I have made now, I plan to live far below my means while in the navy and save money while also getting my wings. Then I plan to fly privately after the navy and start an airline or private jet service with the money I have saved. I also plan to open a shop for big power cars as well. You have been a huge inspiration to me and I plan to be as far ahead of my peers as humanly possible.
One piece of advice regarding your future plans in aviation, DON'T let anyone change your mind, keep focused on what's ahead, don't get discouraged as sometimes things don't go exactly right. KEEP Focused on that goal and you will succeed ! One day you will look back and say, wow that was a lot of work but it will all be worth the final outcome.
Fly Navy!
Son do you know how to make a million dollars running your own air charter company? You start out with a billion!
Dude, youre a badass, You certainly know your shit and give us the information that really matters. Thank u!
I am just getting to know a Lady that is a "Private Jet" Pilot. We have not talked about incomes, yet... but as our relationship gets stronger, this will certainly become 'relevant' ... So this is Great information for me to know a 'range' of where our combined income will fall... as well as something of an idea what her spending habits look like. Not that I would make such a decision based on incomes... but it IS a part of blending our futures together.
reminds me of civil air patrol we got to play with cessna 150s at a young age thx to maj frank & capt mary kunkowski at apollo 1 squadron
CPT Ryan, thought I might chime in and give you a little chuckle. When I was your present age I got my first professional ride as a FO!! IT WAS AN UPHILL CLIMB TO THE COCKPIT! You guessed it; the glorious DC-3. I was guaranteed 500 a month, but after relocating and reporting for work I was told that I would actually be starting it 280 a month until the probationary period was over. Keeping those 1790 synced was a monumental task. Yeah that was a long time ago. you would probably call that dinosaur stuff. Really happy for you and I pray that you only go up from here. Let me be honest with you about one thing; sure flying is demanding and you can really get overloaded sometimes, but every time I got paid I actually had the feeling I should be paying them because I love flying that much. I hope you love it as much as I do. Do you remember what Leonardo da Vinci's famous quote was? "For once man has tasted flight he shall walk forever with his eyes turned skyward, for there he has been, and there he longs to be"......... Cordially & Best Wishes, Chuck 🛫🛬📖🙏
Flying private jets isn’t for everyone. Especially if you come from airline experience. They’re two completely different worlds of flying. Private jet flying is definitely more relaxed than airline, I guess that’s why there’s so many old guys doing it. However the schedules can be pretty bad with 8 to 14 days on the road. Also I kind of missed seeing people when I flew a Gulfstream for a few years. It wasn’t very glamorous sneaking around FBOs compared to the event that is being inside an airline terminal. That’s just me though, some guys could care less about flying boxes or one guy across the world. Overall, the airlines offer more stability and better schedules, however day to day, flying private jets was better.
I agree. I think the allure to airlines is the stability it offers. I know guys who love flying for corporate but are worried of being kicked out of a job if they loose their medical whereas the airlines off more support and peace of mind. Not to mention if you have a family, you’re oftentimes home more often unless you fly cargo.
You might be a little low on the salary for the aircraft you fly, but the other big benefit is the networking you get. Right place at the right time.
Awesome video bro!! This is great information about the aviation industry 💯
Thank you!
I feel seniority in some fields is holding us back, not in al cases because experience comes trough time but it also takes away incentives for younger people
Naw man I've played BF4.. I know exactly what I'm doing
So …YOU think your the best pilot….and because YOU think that ……you should be senior and be paid more. Typical response from a self entitled arrogant 20 something
Sick man! Good on you. I’ve seen your videos over the last couple years. I started seeing them when I was instrument instrument pilot school 3-1/2 years ago. Since then, I’ve graduated college (141), flight instructed, obtained a E175 type with republic airways, escaped furlough by coming to the cargo side of things and now hold a 737-800 type rating and fly for southern air. Sounds like we both made some sick progress in a short amount of time. My first flight ever was 2/16/16.
Wow, you progressed fast
One of my friends is a co-captain on a G650 flying a corporate gig. He makes around $250k a year. I'm a bit surprised to hear a F/O salary on that jet is so low.
love how thankfull u are , always stay humble, good man
You are very driven and know your worth. Keep up the great work.
Experience. #1.......You've done well with your networking
I'm 26. This is motivation! I feel as though time is running out but I won't give up. I've been flying on and off for 10 years now but definitely getting my PPL next year! no more excuses and bad decisions.
How have you been flying without a PPL? Sports?
@@macuser1232 paying for discovery flights, going up with owners, going up with pilots who happened to have an empty right seat. Nothing consistent.
Lol at 26 you’d have 40 years nearly double your life to make just a career of it. Completely fine
You understand we can pickup open time at 1.5-2x our rate at the airlines and make more if you want. Guys in my class picked up and made 200k 2nd year at my major.
DM me plz on Instagram _ahmed_asa_
Corporate guys don’t understand how easy the airlines truly are. You can make a ton of money for little work.
Yeah that’s assuming you get to a major. If you get there, yeah absolutely there’s more money for less work, but things can happen and you end up stuck at a regional.
@@Murdock987 you must be one of those “I can’t afford the pay cut” kinda guys. Spirit/Frontier/allegiant were swallowing up any regional/corporate guy up.
@@jonc5508 That was a bit of a personal assumption don’t you think? No I’m not one of those guys, but I don’t hate on lifers either. They had family circumstances they had to take care of and couldn’t afford a cut, i would never fault a man for making a family choice. Nowadays the first year major pay is good enough there’s no excuse to not make the jump. My only point was it’s not guaranteed and some people make it sound that way.
Very impressive! Thanks for sharing...it was very informative and I appreciate the candor about your own experience.
Man I've been trying to get my PPL since 2018. I work for an airline as a flight attendant and taking time off is kinda difficult. I went back to school this summer and it didn't end well so now I'm in debt and trying to pay that off before I go back and kinda losing hope.
I may be a little older to you, but I really look up to you. I am 1000% trying to follow in your footsteps. Let’s speak it into existence!
It’s alllll about networking to get these jobs. He was right about the fact that your “personality” factors in. It’s not strictly a meritocracy. They have to like you and you need to “fit” a certain type of profile too.
Keep that job! I am a Learjet 35 PIC in Germany and I make, with all benefits, 90000 USD at the age of 31. And I guess you didn’t have to pay for the type rating. In Germany you usually have to pay the rating. Really awesome at your young age to have and grasp that opportunity.
I’m not sure because I’m not a pilot but in the US after high school you have to pay for everything unless you get into a great company that will pay for you to get your certifications but if you need the certification before even working there’s even fewer companies that would pay for that
@@robertct06 Same here in Germany. I pay 500€ a month to the bank to pay off my loan. For the last 10 years. Aviation actually sucks;)
My first flying gig in the private jet scene I was flying either the citation 550 captain that was paying 400 per day and later down the like I flew as FO on a falcon 50 and that brought me 550 a day. Both with the same company under part 91.
This is something that is rarely if not ever talked about the rich. People think that rich people hoard all their money but they hired thousands to keep their private pilots paid, staff, mechanic, etc....
The difference is airline pilots are all held to the same standard and we all know our shit. Compared to private jet pilots as you mentioned where the number of pilots who “know their shit” isn’t 100%. The business jet accident rate vs the airline’s bears all the evidence you need.
Pretty sure 100% airline pilots don't know there shit either! Come on man
@@vikings844 Let’s compare accident statistics and see what the numbers say.
@@vikings844 The point being this guy thinks he should be paid more than others because he’s “better” and “works harder” than other corporate pilots. That’s not a thing at the airlines. We are held to the same standard. Some guys certainly work harder to have a greater knowledge base than the baseline standard, but the standard is high and it’s got a proven track record for keeping passengers and crew safe. The same can’t be said for corporate aviation.
Great video brother!! Been thinking about getting into the pilot industry!
Good stuff man. Keep it up, remember watching you when I began my career, time flies.
what do you do now?
Love the video man, feel like I’ve been shooting out apps everywhere lately. I would kill for an FO position on a Citation or similar. Looking for anything I can get to get a start in the corporate world.
You made your own opportunities... that s for giving me hope for our youth...
Extremely refreshing to hear this from a junior flight attendant, keep up the great work and one day you might be in my jumpseat.🇺🇸
Being in your jumpseat is probably not on his bucket list🤣🤣🤣🤣
My uncle was a pilot for American airlines for 7 years he made 200k start and at end was at 350k now the last 12 years he's flew a private jet for a couple billionaires and makes 1mill a year
Great info in the video for up and coming pilots and those thinking about a career in aviation. You are a good example of drive and motivation= results. But one thing that I noticed was about the 1099 vs w-2:
Did you say that being on a 1099 is better than a W-2? NEGATIVE. At the end of the year, you have to pay income tax on the 108k, plus another 15.3% soc/medicare taxes. On a w-2, you still would pay income taxes, but only half (7.65%) of the employee taxes, your employer is supposed to pay the other half.
A 1099 is an illegal way for many companies to get out of paying the 7.65% and also providing benefits (health insurance, paid vacation). If you work on a schedule and have no choice in taking trips, then you are an employee not a contractor. But if you are cool with the setup, no worries. Just don't forget to send in your quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS. As I'm sure you know, besides doing the income tax return each year, as a contractor you are required to calculate/estimate your taxes and send in 1/4 of the amount quarterly.
I love this video. Very informative!
Congratulations on the G650 opportunity I’m in the cooperate industry as well love it
Corporate flying has kind is intreuiging! Maybe when I'm a bit old but for now I'll stick to Crop Spraying :) Great pay for a short season, and usually pretty exciting thanks for sharing your journey!
Except for that toxic shit your breathing! Hard pass on that shit!
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!
Great video I think a lot of people would benefit form all the information you provided!
Nice video and definitely educational for someone starting out in the industry and interested in Charters, unfortunately, the article he’s referencing doesn’t talk about the Majors or Cargo…. To give you an idea of the dark side of things, as a Cargo Captain, if you get on with a good company, you’ll fly nice aircraft, at my airline, we’re lucky enough to get to fly brand new 747-8 AC, we don’t have to put up with the issues relating to people or passengers (HELL YEAH!!!) and routinely have a guarantee (for a maxed out International Captain) of around $450,000.00 but more realistically, will bring in between $500,00.00 to $650/700,000.00 depending on how hard you wanna work. Yeah, to make the crazy money, you’ll have to take an few extra flight here and there, but the money is there if you want to make it. Younger pilots at my airline are upgrading to Captain, I think around 7-8 years which is nothing…. Cargo is not the most glamorous compared to the double breasted guys/gals, but for most of us night crawlers, (International flights are mostly flown in the day time hours btw) we consider freight the way to go, less air-traffic, quiet radios, less bad weather and more directs. Not to mention the biggest value to our jobs, A-Plan or PENSION…. discounted stock purchase and a matching B-Fund from our salary up to the Govt limit (our airline is at 12% or approx $34,600 annually, others cargos guys are at 9%, others don’t have a B-Fund) plus up to 5 weeks of annual vacation…. Airline pilot central.com list all the airlines, there numbers are a little off, but close enough to get an idea…. Again, the article this guy is talking about only mentions Charter, which is fine, but imo the pay is commensurate to the work. The biggest thing to take away in today’s environment is that everybody is hiring, there is a huge pilot shortage currently and forecast for the next 10 years, any place that has major attached to it whether it be a cargo company or a passenger carrier, he’s going to provide you with a really nice career. You just have to find what fits the best for you and your family. Good luck to everyone.
Thanks for the info. Im 44 and unfortunately just realized I want to do this. Realistically, do you think its too late for me?
@@firelily77 No, I don’t think so, depending on where you’re at in the process of becoming a pilot, you may be limited bc our mandatory retirement age for part 121/117 pilots is currently age 65. Many think that number may go up to help out with the pilot shortage but for now it’s age 65. Besides all that, women are sought after employees in this male dominated industry, so doors will open for you that may not for others, plus, and more importantly, you have to follow your dreams where ever they may take you, no sense in having regret when it’s got too late to do anything about, now is the time... Feel free to PM me or reply here and I’ll send you my contact info, if you need more advice…. Jeff
@@firelily77 it’s never too late to follow your dreams….
I’m in flight school now. 30 y/o. Do cargo companies prefer the regional route or someone who flew cargo from early on?
As an airline pilot unfortunately I have to agree. I was a captain making good money but then downgraded due to Covid and now paid close to half as much. The seniority system works if you manage to be there a while. But the system does encourage you to do the bare minimum. If you have a 75 hour line (most post Covid lines only pay this) then you essentially leave your home for upwards of 21 days per month. And if you bid reserve and live in base you might fly only a few days yet you get 75 hours either way.
Isn’t that kind of the point of being an airline pilot though. As we get older our seniority gets better and eventually the goal is to do the least amount of work for the most amount of money?
Congratulations, thanks for all the good information. All the best 🤙🏻
Great point Ryan about airline seniorty rules I agree.
Did you go to college or you went directly to a flight school after high school to start you journey?
If you want to be a commercial pilot in major airline you need a bachelor Didi if you want to be a regional airline pilot you have to ask ATP school or any school that what they need and if you want to be just a private pilot you can just go from high school to any school and yeah you can get your private party trading but you have to have first class second class third class certificate medical certificate
You don’t need college degree to become commercial pilot in India. I am doing it now so I know
Delta just dropped that requirement
*I'd love to fly corporate one day, so I love following your journey because you also taught, and are into real estate - all my interests' as well. Keep up the great videos!*
I would also love to fly corporate! It always has been my dream job
It’s always been my dream to become a pilot. I remember being 10 years old waking up early morning just to play flight simulator x. Lol I was using nothing but mouth and key board lol but those days really instilled my love for flying and aeronautics. One day I will become a pilot 👏🤝✈️💗🥲
Great info, keep up the good work
I completely understand desiring a merit based system for pay and believe that's likely the best approach in a wide variety of industries. However, I think it's generally a bad fit for transportation, or really, any industry where safety, not productivity, has to be priority number one. That kind of culture at the airlines would ultimately cause the focus on safety to be pushed aside in favor of individuals looking for every opportunity to impress their employer and get ahead. Basically, trading in safety for profit. The risks are just too high to move to a non-union, merit based system.
I'd also argue that the airlines do care how good you are and how hard you work. That's why there are certain requirements for being considered for the job, an interview process, check rides, training, etc. People who are not motivated, careless, and have a bad attitude are not likely to get to the point where they're being hired as pilots for an airline.
Enjoyed the video!!
Haven't got through the full video yet but how many hours did you have when you started at each new job?
I suggest you check out airlinepilotcentral.com
Love this guy! What a role model! Salute!
You should stay a “private jet” pilot... good luck
Nice video. This was helpful for me, thanks.
Shit is so different now. I instructed for ATP after going thru their program back in 2006 and I think the pay was $800 a month with a rent free apartment. Sounded great then especially since I was in Long Beach, CA and rent was expensive. I only made $19/hr at the regionals first year too but have been at Fedex for 5 years now so I guess it all paid off. Could never do the corporate schedule or that type of flying for people. The planes and destinations are nice I'm sure but it's not for me. I'll take his airline job with good seniority no matter how dumb he thinks that way of living is.
Especially with all the movement right now
great video but when you are recording, please look into the lens. it gives me the chills when you look at yourself instead of the lens...
Thank you for the information.
My buddies friend is a private jet flyer. His boss bought him a Brand New Chevy 4×4 truck for Christmas. Must be nice!!
There are many things that come into play. I was held in Houston because an agency did not supply crew for my RPN-10 Falcon 8X to traverse GOMEX between Houston and Miami.
One day this guy will have HIS OWN JET!!! KEEP WATCHING.
don't hold your breath.
Good Video- glad to see you do one back towards aviation instead wholesale real-estate.
Thank you
Wow I really love flying period. It's really going to be hard for me to decide what to specialize in.
Another great informative video for aspiring pilots like yourself. Would you be able to do a video about people wanting to spend serious dollars on a Gulfstream type ratings training like the pros and cons? Thank you.
Hmmm. I spent 8 years corporate, 22 years airline, I certainly would not agree with your airline pay statements. "It's based on experience, it's based on character....." (your words on corporate pay). You'll learn rapidly about "brown-nosing", "butt-kissing" and other factors that can cause you to easily get passed over for the left seat in a non-seniority corporate system. "As apposed to the airlines where it's a big ..... company where you are just a number in a system...... where you get paid accordingly by how long you've been at the company", while that statement is true based on the "hourly pay", you make it sound like a pilot who has been there 10 years makes more than a pilot who has been there 5 years. The 10 year pilot makes more "per flight hour". But if 'said' pilot hardly ever flies, then that is completely untrue. Not to mention "extra-fly", "open-time", etc available to pilots who want to pick up to make extra money. Additionally, the pilot who has been there 10 years will be more experienced in that company's operations, and more often than that not, have far more flight experience. The truth is, how many major airline pilots leave the airlines to go fly corporate? In my 35 years of commercial flying I've never met one that did so before retirement age. How many corporate guys go to the airlines? Too many to count. Why? Vacation, schedules, quality of life, retirement benefits, and most definitely PAY. And you don't have to brown nose to advance. You DO however have to earn it. Through checkrides and training evaluations, chief pilot reviews, etc. Yes, a seniority system has flaws, but after living through both systems for over 20,000+ flight hours in jets, I know which is better.
Super good video! What school would you recomend for someone exiting the military?
Nice watch! I can't quite tell wat it is. Would it be an Omega?
You know your looking off the camera right? Practice not watching the monitor. It looks bad when you don't.
I’m a little outdated, having come off a partially paid ExTO during the pandemic, and going right in to an unpaid LOA. However, the money and the jobs are out there, but it’s not easy. In my day, one went to whoever would take them. I happened to get lucky, and found a career culture that fit me like a glove.
My input would be to have something else going on that is completely non aviation related. If you can find a spouse who works with you as a team on the side gig, even better. Flying reserves or guard is good as well, you can get orders to active duty if we go through a lost decade again. I know a couple that own an insurance agency, another in financial advising, a real estate team. As crazy as it sounds, my wife and I farm. I always did the office work part of farming from hotel rooms when on a trip. Their wasn’t a ton of time to do it, but it was enough.
Get an early start, make sacrifices that are an investment, then you hit 52 like me and working for others is 100% optional. The one thing my wife and I did do that a lot of people would struggle with, is we lived on the wages of a baggage handler, and invested the rest in land. I have a few mil in my B fund last time I checked, I’ll have a great military pension and benefits when I turn 60. But I sank my wages in to something I could touch with my own hands that produces valuable products. Money is a unit of measurement that represents the value of your work, that can be exchanged with others. But the number itself doesn’t matter in my case. I will always be able to exchange what I produce for what I can’t produce for myself. That’s the safest thing in the world for us, and you can develop your own plan based on what works for you. Then again, as Eisenhower said, “plans are worthless, but planning is essential.”
I’m so glad I read this, thank you for the motivation and thanks 4 ur service!
Considering the amount you fly ...on/off, that is one amazing pay. Time is the most valuable asset. The more amount of affordable free time you have is AMAZING.
Hourly worth is the number one thing to calculate. I'd rather get payed $60/hr for less time spent working than $20/hr full time.
Who paid for your initial G650 training? Did you get an SIC type or a PIC type? Who pays for your recurrent every year?
Exactly
Another great video!!! So proud of you. ❤️
You are very beautiful 👌
I'm 44 years old and have recently decided this is what I want to pursue for a career. But as I'm researching I'm seeing there's so many things going against me, mainly my age and the astronomical cost of it all. Is it too late for me now or should I get the loans and take the leap?
Go for it baby. One day you will look back with a big smile on your face.
How crazy the algorithm. I saw your face and was like bruhhh! That's Ryan!
I walked away making about 114k Citation XLS. Living in hotels 16 days a month was no longer appealing
36 and feel like my job is at a standstill... considering getting my pilots license and going commercial. Just hesitant about leaving this union job. Need to see if I'd pass the medical first due to an old back injury.
I’ve been GIV Chief Pilot , 747-400 contract captain for Singapore - I got my training as a Marine C-130Pilot - I spent 20 years with AA - 2000-2008 flying LAX Captain 767 just to Kona Maui and Kauai - dude - don’t throw shade on airlines - check out RUclipsr fly with garret - he’s you’re age right seat AA 737 - best gig EVER
Out of curiosity what flight school did you go to that had a connection with the charter part of flying?
You said you don’t have the “same tax burden as a W2 employee” that’s not true, it’s actually the opposite. Income tax is owed based on income, not whether you’re W2 or 1099, but when you’re a 1099 you owe both the employee and employer share of FICA, so the tax burden is bigger as a 1099 than a W2.
What's the maximum a private jet pilot can get per year
Hi. Airline guy here. There is a massive difference in the 91/135 world. You have to find the right ones. My uncle flies for a part 91 outfit in chicago for an extraordinarily wealthy family. His salary is 225k a year plus benefits. Falcon 7X CA
Great video, Ryan. Get to the airlines ASAP. Much better quality of life and significantly higher salary.
Get an airline job and your first year you will make the same money. In 10 years you will be closer to 300k. Best thing is you are a number, you di your job and go home. You also enjoy 15-20 days off a month and you aren't strapped to the phone. If you want to work hard 500k is not out of the question.
What school did you go to? I just came across your videos after deciding to get my license and change careers.
Hey Ryan.
Love your content, keep up the great work!
I have a few questions.
I understand that it is possible to rent a jet and to hire a pilot for an chartered flight.
Am I correct in this understanding?
And if so, where would someone start to look if they where looking for a pilot for hire and a plane for rent?
350k for aviation manager/chief pilot/director of maintenance for a Falcon2000 (small corporation owned)
I’m a 30 year 747 pilot, work at FSI LGB a few days a month (650). Maybe see you in recurrent sometime.