I fly virtual fly a few hours a week. I was wondering what a work week of a commercial pilot looks like? How many hours do you fly on an avarage day? Where do you fly to? Do you fly more than 1 flight a day? How many hours do you spend on preparing for a flight, etc. What are the differences for international and domestic pilots?

 

Since there are a lot of people with real life experience I thought this is the place to ask. Can anyone tell?

Believe it depends a lot on where you work.

 

Got two cousins flying airliners, the one at Ryanair who flies a lot each week, and the other cousin which flies the 777 at Emirates, but he doesn't fly that much.

 

So as said I believe it depends a lot on which airline and type you're on. :)

This if I had to guess, isn't the right place for this question.

I fly for a US regional. The typical schedule varies a lot. Right now I'm on reserve, but fairliy close to the top of the list, so I spend most of my days at home, and only fly once or twice a week if a nice trip pops up. Compare that to my friend who has a line that requires him to fly 4-5 legs each day.

 

http://jetcareers.com/a-day-in-the-life.html

 

Have a look at that site to see how it is for different people. Even so, these schedules will vary.

 

Paul

This if I had to guess, isn't the right place for this question.

 

Yeah, I had my doubts if I should ask yhis on a forum for cup cake recepies or an aviation forum :Hypnotized:

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I fly for a US regional. The typical schedule varies a lot. Right now I'm on reserve, but fairliy close to the top of the list, so I spend most of my days at home, and only fly once or twice a week if a nice trip pops up. Compare that to my friend who has a line that requires him to fly 4-5 legs each day.

 

http://jetcareers.co...n-the-life.html

 

Have a look at that site to see how it is for different people. Even so, these schedules will vary.

 

Paul

 

Thank you Paul. That was a interesting read!

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This if I had to guess, isn't the right place for this question.

Why for crying out loud not?!!

 

This if I had to guess, isn't the right place for this question.

Why for crying out loud not?!!

Typically the week varies. All flights are " bid" on, so you usually know your schedule for at least the next month. You dont always get the routes you bid on. it all goes by the senority and your at the mercy of the crew schedulers

 

If you are a line pilot you will typically fly less than the FAA maximum of 1000 hrs per year. Average that to about 75- 85 hours a month. Hours and pay are given on block time. Basically your time doesnt stat until the parking brakes are released and stops when you set them at the arrival point. Pilots are hourly, not salaried. However, pilots are guaranteed hours so in the RARE occasion they dont meet that, you get payed anyway.

 

When you are away from your base, you also get payed a per diem, by the hour.. This is payed to you in cash or travelers check when you check-in at the hotel. Its a token amount, but its purpose is only to cover your food and stuff like that.

Typically the week varies. All flights are " bid" on, so you usually know your schedule for at least the next month. You dont always get the routes you bid on. it all goes by the senority and your at the mercy of the crew schedulers

 

If you are a line pilot you will typically fly less than the FAA maximum of 1000 hrs per year. Average that to about 75- 85 hours a month.

 

Bloomin part timers...

Some airlines, such as Delta, start your pay when the rotating beacon is turned on; you get paid the same for taxxing and holding short as you do for flying ;)

We have a roster bidding system too, let's take a look, tomorrow LHR-GVA-LHR, Sunday LHR-GLA-LHR, Monday LHR-NCE-LHR then off for 3 days :P

Some airlines, such as Delta, start your pay when the rotating beacon is turned on; you get paid the same for taxxing and holding short as you do for flying ;)

 

Something tells me the the beacon alone won't start the clock. More likely beacon + doors closed or beacon + parking brake.

 

As to getting paid to hold short, that's the least of it. As pilots, we do a LOT of uncompensated preflight and postflight work. Some of preflight decisions that we don't get paid to make can be the part of the job requiring the most skill.

 

Paul.

There are a lot of youtube-videos showing the day of a pilot. There was one about an airberlin pilot performing some flights, mostly to Mallorca. I can't find it anymore, but it was quite interesting. I think they flew an A330 from Dusseldorf to Mallorca and back, and they were finished at about 4pm. They had to go to bed in a hotel immediatly before doing a flight at 1am next day from Cologne/Bonn.

You also learn a lot by just listening to the pilots. I mean the way they talk and what they talk about.

 

Anyway, just search on youtube and you will find some.