Aircrewman Pay

What's a job in helicopters pay? Does it pay? Why do you get paid more than me?
zoomcage
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Aircrewman Pay

Postby zoomcage » Sun Apr 8 2012, 01:16

Hello All,
Seeking information on exactly what the industry standard is for crewie pay and conditions these days. Mainly after info from crewies who aren’t on an EBA. The likes of CHC seem to set the standard but I would be interested to find out if other organisations offer a similar pay deal.
Also interested to hear what other conditions may be on offer as a trade-off for pay.
Thanks.
LHSboy
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby LHSboy » Mon Apr 9 2012, 11:42

Zoomcage,
A good place to start is the Fair WorK Australia (FWA)website http://www.fwa.gov.au/.There's a fair bit of information on it re EBA's from different companies e.g CHC, Australian. Will give you an idea of what pay rates, conditions etc are out there in the industry. Cheers :D
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havick
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby havick » Mon Apr 9 2012, 12:12

I'm pretty sure zoomcage is all over the FWA website and respective EBA's. I think he is after more specific information for ACO's pay more generally (not necessarily covered by an EBA).
"You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel."
zoomcage
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby zoomcage » Tue Apr 10 2012, 02:22

Havick is correct, I am particularly after information on pay and conditions from crewies who aren't on an EBA. More so from aircrew who work in SAR and EMS.
Looking at the CHC agreement it appears that even relatively junior aircrew (EMS year 1 or 2) are on around 85K. Is that considered the industry standard?
Australian Helicopters seems about 15-20K less but their agreement expired last year.
Like to hear from other crewies.
Also, where is the recruitment coming from these days? Is the pay & conditions still enough to attract the military guys?
Thanks
LHSboy
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby LHSboy » Tue Apr 10 2012, 22:20

Zoomcage,
As in our previous EBA's, we have used CHC's payscales as a benchmark. With negs underway for our next one, we are again looking at their payscales but unfortunately they only go up to 9 years of service where they cap out. Their pilot's pay scales go up to 18 years, which is what my employer did with our last EBA. So we end up better off in the long run.

Hopefully , you might be able to get some info off one of the crewies who works for Toll Remote Logistics, previously Helicorp. Not sure what their full-time guys are on working in the Solomons and East Timor but would think they do alright. Most of their crew are ex mil. Not sure what deal they are on either i.e. EBA, contract. Their casual rates were very good when I did some work a couple of years ago.

What I was getting at with looking at other EBA's is you can compare with other organisations, pick out what looks good and implement them into your EBA, contract etc.

As with recruiting, CHC until recently were advertising for EOI for Aircrewman to put their names down for future jobs. Still being quite a small industry, I guess most recruits come from the military. A few have been picked up from doing the Careflight course and others come through the system from rescue crewman.

Good luck in getting the info you are after. :D
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby readydoors » Wed Apr 11 2012, 04:15

CHC payscales only go up to year 9 - but employees above year 9 get a payment for each year following their 9th - atleast thats my understanding.

Despite what people say, DO NOT spend your hard earned cash on a Careflight (or other) course. The major operators will not put you on as a ACM/ACO, RCM maybe as it shows youre keen.

Goodluck with it.
robaussie99
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby robaussie99 » Wed Apr 11 2012, 05:05

The Careflight course got me a job. Money well spent. Even if it did sting at the time.
readydoors
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby readydoors » Wed Apr 11 2012, 08:00

A 29.11 and a few hours in a Squirell or maybe 412 doesnt make you an Aircrewman. Nor does it mean you can slide into a EMS/SAR role. Controlling the winch is one thing, running a whole operation with mutiple crew is another.

But good on ya mate for getting a gig. All the best with it
setintheback
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby setintheback » Wed Apr 11 2012, 10:04

robaussie99 wrote:The Careflight course got me a job. Money well spent. Even if it did sting at the time.

What sort of job did you get mate. SAR / EMS. good to see that you got a job out of it, but I hope that operator has given you heaps more training otherwise they are just setting you up for failure down the track. As ready doors said its one thing to put a cable up and down but being an Aircrewman is a whole lot more. I also hope you didn't get a job with Carflight after doing their course as that is just feathering their own nest to suck in more trainees in order to suck more cash out of them.
All the best.
robaussie99
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby robaussie99 » Wed Apr 11 2012, 10:14

I'm in EMS. Not with Careflight. Getting plenty of ongoing training however I did have prior experience before completing the Careflight training too. I'd just come through the civvy side of the industry (overseas) where 29.11's didn't exist.
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby Feet Wet Fred » Wed Apr 11 2012, 11:14

Zoomcage,

I believe that the companies that have ACOs/Crewman actively look at recruiting ex-mil guys/girls as this certainly reduces the training liabilty for them (more cost effective in a commercial world).

Regarding Aust Heli, I have heard via the 'Jungle-Drums' that their EBA has stalled due to the fact that management has tabled an offer that will effectively put the aircrewman back about 4-6 years with the erosion or cancellation of some of their conditions, i.e. reduced Senior position allowances, touring crews to only be toured from a specific location/city, reducion/cancellation of the yearly pay increments. This will only serve to have propective crews (especially the ex-mil ones) seriously look at Aust Heli as not an option compared with CHC/Jayrow/Toll & even HeviLift in PNG.

I have heard from a very good source that the aircrewmen in the Solomon's (Toll Remote Logistics - Helicopters, aka Helicorp) are on about $90K plus skills allowance (NVD), DTA & super; be it an off-shore gig and all, but they are on individual contracts and not an EBA.

Personally, I think that the CHC EBA is a benchmark for the industry, especially when you are looking at the skill-set that an aircrewman is required to have in the SAR/EMS/Law Enforcement rotory-wing industry, and then you can also throw in NVD as well.

Best of luck Zoomcage - Safe flying :wink:
readydoors
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby readydoors » Wed Apr 11 2012, 12:39

Whered you get that info on AHPL Feet Wet?

Not sure how credible your source is
zoomcage
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby zoomcage » Wed Apr 11 2012, 23:07

Thank you for the info.
How do aircrewman who work for charities fit the mix, are they paid the market rate? I understand there is some kind of fringe benefit which bumps up their pay, is this correct? How is this paid to them?
Feet Wet Fred
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby Feet Wet Fred » Thu Apr 12 2012, 10:26

Hey Readydoors,

The industry is still very small and collegues talk about issues the may effect the 'Greater Good'. So yes I have been chatting to current AHPL guys who are in shock of the offer put on the table.

No names, no pack-drill & and yes I'm an ex-mil crewie if interested. :lol:
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LHS
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Re: Aircrewman Pay

Postby LHS » Thu Apr 12 2012, 12:05

Zoomcage,
re the charities, and I do stand to be corrected as it has been a few years since being there, one mob I worked for paid the same as QLD Rescue at that time and then another I worked for was a little below that, however with both, you had the option of 17% of your wage eligible for salary sacrifice. Which worked out well, got my rent and a chunk of the credit card paid each month before tax was taken out of wage.
Have also worked around as a casual crewie, mainly in NSW, $300 to $400 a day for an experienced winch operator and for overseas work $600/day is a good pay.
Cheers
LHS

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