Expert: David A. NewMyer - 4/5/2003

Question
Hello
I would just like to ask:
1) Where I could study commercial piloting in south africa?
2) How many years would I have to study commercial piloting?
3) How much does the average commercial pilot receive as a income(monthly)?
4) What is the employment rate of the piloting industry in south africa and around the world?
5)How are the hours for commercial pilots like? (i.e. what are the working hours)

If there is any inportant information which you could give me about this career that I haven't already asked for it would be greatfully received.

Thanks a million!
Vincent  

Answer
Hi, Vincent:

Thanks for your question....I will try to assist.

1.  Regarding your first question, I will have to look around a bit to see if there is anything out there that would provide information on flight training in Southern Africa.  I believe that a guide called "THE WORLD AVIATION DIRECTORY" will have that information but it is not handy at the moment.  I will send a second response with that information.  Regarding sources of flight training in the USA, you might want to check the following:

A.  University Aviation Association (contact at uaa@auburn.edu) has a listing of collegiate and university aviation programs for sale.

B.  There are several reputable, large flight training companies that can provide flight training with residency costs included:

Comair/Delta Air Lines Academy:  www.comairacademy.com

Flight Safety Academy:  www.flightsafetyacademy.com

Gulfstream Academy:  www.gulfstreamacademy.com

Pan Am International Flight Academy: www.panamacademy.com


2.  Depending on how focused you are on obtaining a commercial certificate, it should take anywhere from six months (more or less full time, depending on the weather) up to about two years (part time, as it is here at my university with students also taking other subjects as part of an overall "Aviation Flight" curriculum).  Normally, you would obtain a "Private Pilot Certificate" first, which takes anywhere from 40 to 65 flight hours....then an instrument rating at 125 to 150 hours of flying and then a commercial certificate, which, at a minimum, is 250 hours of flying.  Also, there are "ground schools" and systems and weather classes to take....

3.  A commerical pilot certificate can allow you to fly in a number of different aviation job locations....corporate and business aviation, regional airlines, cargo airlines, and major or national passenger airlines, to name a few.  The salaries can range widely...beginning flight jobs may include flight instruction jobs, pipeline inspection jobs, non-scheduled "charter" flying (cargo and/or passengers), and other jobs related to flying small aircraft to build your experience.  The next step is normally into corporate or business aviation flying or the regional airlines....and then on to the largest corporate flight departments or the major/national airlines.  Salaries at the entry level can be as low as $10 US per hour ranging up to US $30,000 a year.  Regional airlines pay anywhere from $20,000 US to $100,000 US per year, with the latter salary for a Captain flying a regional jet (or RJ) for ten years.  Major airlines and the largest corporate/business flight departments will pay upwards of US $200,000 a year, a few more than that.

4.  I am not sure what you mean by "employment rate" but, I do not have employment figures for South Africa.....SAA or South African Airways would be a top end employer down in your country.  I do not know how many pilots that they employ, but, it is several hundred I am sure.  World wide, I have little data for you either.  I know that, in the USA, we have over 600,000 registered pilots and, of those, about 125,000 flew for the regional, national, major and air cargo airlines prior to the 9-11 attacks.  That number has dropped down to around 100,000 but is expected to go back up starting in 2005....

5.  The working hours of a major, national or air cargo airline pilot are usually the subject of a union contract.....normally the flying averages about 70 to 80 hours a month with 12 to 17 days of work a month, sometimes more or less.  There is a regulatory maximum work month of 100 hours a month at the larger airlines....  All this depends on seniority, the type of airline, the type of equipment, and the type of routes.  If part of a union, the schedule and work situation is all handled by a bidding process based on senority....the more senior you are, the better the schedule you will get.  At the flight instruction companies, charter companies and most smaller regional airlines and corporate flight departments, you are not subject to a union contract and the hours vary widely.

I hope that this answer is of assistance.  Best wishes to you.

Sincerely,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu