Contract Pilot Daily Rates – 2002

 From an online survey conducted in April 2002, the following daily rates were derived for various aircraft.  All aircraft are not represented.  Only the aircraft that had responses to the survey have been included.  The rates are published in a “spread” to accommodate variables such as region of the USA or supply and demand for any particular aircraft.

Additionally, it should be noted that this survey and these daily contract rates are derived from self-employed, independent Contract Pilots who exclusively do contract work as their primary career choice.  These folks are not looking for a job.  These folks pay significant costs for their training on an annual basis.  These folks conduct and manage their IC Pilot work as a business.

These rates do not reflect anything connected with “moonlighters”, or unemployed persons conducting part time contract work.

Here are the average “spread” of contract pilot daily rates throughout the USA.

Gulfstream GII/III.......................$600 - $800

Gulfstream GIV.......................  $700 - $900

Gulfstream GV.......................  $1000 - $1500

Challenger 601.......................  $600 - $750

Challenger 604.......................  $700 - $800

Global Express....................... $1200 - $1500

Falcon 10.......................         $400 - $550

Falcon 50.......................         $600 - $700

Falcon 900/2000......................$700 - $800

Lear 20/30/55 series.................$400 - $550

Lear 45/60.......................        $500 - $750

Citation X (750)....................... $700 - $1000

Citation III-VI-VIII (650)...............$450 - $600

Citation 500/550/525/560...........$450 - $500

Astra Jet........................ .        $450 - $600

West Wind 1124.......................$350 - $450

Variables

The above daily rates have some variables that any prudent businessperson would apply.  The variables may included such considerations as:

  1. Some self employed IC Pilots will add an additional charge for international and oceanic operations.
  2. Long term contracts (such as 30 + days) often times will carry discounts from the normal daily rates.
  3. Occasionally an operator may pay all or part of the training costs for a Contract Pilot and the daily rates would be negotiated on a lesser basis.  Caution should be used in this area due to the fact that this arrangement most definitely places the pilot and operator in an “employee” and “employer” relationship in the eyes of the IRS.

I would like to thank all the respondents to this informal survey.  The results should be a great help to both the pilots doing contract work and for the operators to have current, general figures for those times when IC Pilots are required to help.

I would also like to add that this survey is quite informal and is not meant to be an exact scientific study.  My friend at www.Bizjetpilot.com posts on an annual basis a much more factual survey conducted over a larger audience.  However, his figures are somewhat lower due to the many part time contract pilots who fly for next to nothing, and his “averages” are brought down.