THE SURVEY RESULTS BASE Salary ranges in overall industry
EXTRA PAY (overtime, bonus, incentives) earned above base pay in overall industry
INSIGHT: Anecdotally, although it appears that overall gross pay has been rising for helicopter pilots, for a majority of them pay is not growing due to a significant rise in base salary, but rather due to working more hours in the form of overtime.
Key Drivers Gross Salary ranges in overall industry
In early 2020 (pre-pandemic) we saw an upward shift in median salaries for certain groups of helicopter pilots. This was the result of the continuation of a tightening labor market during 2019. Competition for supply came from both the military, which was letting fewer pilots out, as well as the airlines successfully attracting experienced helicopter pilots from civil and military ranks.
INSIGHT: In 2021, the largest percentage of pilots in the industry grossed between $80,000 to $130,000 per year.
INSIGHT: Median gross salaries have risen in the industry. The median gross salary for all pilots responding to the survey was $100,000 per year, which represents a $25,000 increase since 2014.
Differences Between Base and Gross Pay
It’s clear that overall gross and base pay have increased over the years for helicopter pilots. However, when you strip away the overtime and incentives, the base pay numbers are quite a bit lower across the industry. This is especially true in the sector of helicopter air ambulance (HAA), where four-pilot bases may be short-staffed and pilots regularly work overtime shifts. For example, specifically in HAA, 49% of the pilots earned an extra $9k to $20K in overtime and incentives, and another 28% earned more than $20K!
However, by mid-2020 as COVID-19 swept the globe, the pendulum swung in the opposite direction faster than we had ever experienced in our industry’s history. With global travel bans, the airlines began furloughing pilots, at which point former helicopter pilots came back to the industry they had fled just a short time ago. In a matter of just a few months, the pilot supply-demand status went from a critical shortage to a near-equilibrium for most helicopter operators.
As fast as the pendulum swung in one direction, it has clearly swung again the opposite way as travel restrictions were lifted and global travel ramped back up. The airlines have brought back the furloughed pilots and are on the hunt again. They have been successfully poaching helicopter pilots from our industry with the lure of more money.
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Mar/Apr 2022
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