Third most dangerous job in America: Pilot

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Challenged

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"Risk factors: Though pilots are often financially compensated for the inherent dangers and responsibilities of their jobs, no amount of money can change the fact that it's a long way down. It's no surprise transportation accidents, including crashes, were a leading factor in the rate.

Fatality rate: 70.6 per 100,000 workers; 78 total

Average annual salary: $118,070 for airline pilots and $76,050 for commercial pilots"

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-10-most-dangerous-jobs.html

PDF from the Bureau of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cfoi.pdf
 
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Passengers also go a long way down, stopping only fractions of an inch from the length of fall by the pilot ---- and the pax don't get compensated for the same danger nor for pilots portrayed by Denzel Washington
 
Flying: About twice the risk for a whole lot more fun in your "transportation".
 
Seems to me that astronaut tops all those.

There have been around two dozen fatalities in the line of duty for a few 1000 people.
 
I have a feeling their statistics are skewed. I bet they include all commercial pilots, even the ones who weren't flying for hire at the time of the accident......
 
Could also be including the unfortunately high number of helicopter fatalities lately...
 
DavidWhite said:
Where can I go as a commercial pilot to make 76,000 a year?
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I think they are considering "commercial pilots" anyone who works as a pilot but is not an airline pilot. They are also not talking about entry level jobs for either commercial pilots or airline pilots, just an average. I couldn't tell you if I think that is the true average or not, but I don't think either figure is way out of line.
 
Everskyward said:
I think they are considering "commercial pilots" anyone who works as a pilot but is not an airline pilot. They are also not talking about entry level jobs for either commercial pilots or airline pilots, just an average. I couldn't tell you if I think that is the true average or not, but I don't think either figure is way out of line.
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I figured the distinction they were making was between Commercial and ATP certificates. You could be flying right seat with just a Commercial certificate making that much...I think? Maybe? Not sure.
 
jpower said:
I figured the distinction they were making was between Commercial and ATP certificates. You could be flying right seat with just a Commercial certificate making that much...I think? Maybe? Not sure.
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Personally, I don't think the survey has anything to do with an ATP certificate.
 
The division in 'Airline Pilots' and 'Commercial Pilots' follows a template that the buerau of labor statistics uses, they have separate NOC codes for statistical purposes.

I suspect that if you remove Alaska and Ag flying from the statistics, the job related risks of aviation drop considerably.
 
DavidWhite said:
Where can I go as a commercial pilot to make 76,000 a year?
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Steady pipeline work, also photo work, combined you can make over that easily, especially if you bid a couple pipeline contracts for yourself and fly a 177RG. You live in the middle of pipeline territory. There's some guys doing it in Mooneys, though if I was you I would have got the Cardinal RG for the added utility it has.
 
I'm skeptical that such numbers are available, especially when actual own/op costs are deducted from billing.

Henning said:
Steady pipeline work, also photo work, combined you can make over that easily, especially if you bid a couple pipeline contracts for yourself and fly a 177RG. You live in the middle of pipeline territory. There's some guys doing it in Mooneys, though if I was you I would have got the Cardinal RG for the added utility it has.
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wabower said:
I'm skeptical that such numbers are available, especially when actual own/op costs are deducted from billing.
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No worries, I used to do $50k part time on photo contracts. 20-25 hrs a week of pipeline will clear $25-$50+k depending on Maint program, operator skill and luck. BTW, you only insure liability. I would only accept mainline routes
 
Not buying it, but knock yourself out.

Henning said:
No worries, I used to do $50k part time on photo contracts. 20-25 hrs a week of pipeline will clear $25-$50+k depending on Maint program, operator skill and luck. BTW, you only insure liability. I would only accept mainline routes
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MAKG1 said:
Seems to me that astronaut tops all those.

There have been around two dozen fatalities in the line of duty for a few 1000 people.
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The astronaut /cosmonaut risk is huge- a cast of thousands? That pool needs to be limited to those actually placed on a rocket and shot into space - if that is 500 people I'd be surprised. . .
 
Henning said:
Steady pipeline work, also photo work, combined you can make over that easily, especially if you bid a couple pipeline contracts for yourself and fly a 177RG. You live in the middle of pipeline territory. There's some guys doing it in Mooneys, though if I was you I would have got the Cardinal RG for the added utility it has.
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What is pipeline work? Fly over pipelines to check they are not leaking? what?
 
bluee said:
What is pipeline work? Fly over pipelines to check they are not leaking? what?
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Pretty much, yes. But they also check for other things like unauthorized digging, trespassing, so forth and so on.
 
I have volunteered to be a spectator for such work on numerous occasions, so far with no takers.

comanchepilot said:
The astronaut /cosmonaut risk is huge- a cast of thousands? That pool needs to be limited to those actually placed on a rocket and shot into space - if that is 500 people I'd be surprised. . .
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bluee said:
What is pipeline work? Fly over pipelines to check they are not leaking? what?
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Exactly, thing is they are buried and not always easy to follow, especially across long stretches of planted fields where the only indication of the route are the fence line stake you gat every now and then. You fly everything maximum 200', many times in collection fields you'll be doing aggressive maneuvering dropping down to 50 or 20' on a strong double back, lot's of 3 g pulls backed why fractional g pushes, very wearing on the body; I would not chose to do collection fields again mainline however no sweat, it's actually fun flying, although running some of the winter fronts can be scary.
 
timfountain said:
Pretty close - 528 according to Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_space_travelers_by_name

And 18 fatalities - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spaceflight-related_accidents_and_incidents

3.4%, it's high but not terrible.

- Tim
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I had a long pipeline day ahead the morning Columbia came in and I told my 9yo nephew he could come along. So I went and woke him a little early so we could watch Columbia come over N. Central TX, easy to spot as it's glowing as it passes. We spot it and watch it pass; just after it got by and was receding it came apart in an amazing display of rapid deceleration.:( After a couple movements deliberation Gray looks over at me and asks, "How will they get more people to go up after this?" "I would go tomorrow given the opportunity, so would your grandpa and a lot of other people. We understand the risks." He just looked back u to where the last of the sparkles went out and nodded.
 
Henning said:
Exactly, thing is they are buried and not always easy to follow, especially across long stretches of planted fields where the only indication of the route are the fence line stake you gat every now and then. You fly everything maximum 200', many times in collection fields you'll be doing aggressive maneuvering dropping down to 50 or 20' on a strong double back, lot's of 3 g pulls backed why fractional g pushes, very wearing on the body; I would not chose to do collection fields again mainline however no sweat, it's actually fun flying, although running some of the winter fronts can be scary.
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Hennings,can you expand on this.....

Around here the pipelines are marked with triangle shaped signs with number /letters on them, spaced maybe 1/4mile apart.. Do you have to log them while passing over each of them ?

I assume the "collection" lines are the spyder looking ones that go from well head to the processing / manifold thingie? .

Looking for unauthorized digging makes sense, can you spot a leak ? Ever uncovered a illegal tap in ?
 
N801BH said:
Hennings,can you expand on this.....

Around here the pipelines are marked with triangle shaped signs with number /letters on them, spaced maybe 1/4mile apart.. Do you have to log them while passing over each of them ?

I assume the "collection" lines are the spyder looking ones that go from well head to the processing / manifold thingie? .

Looking for unauthorized digging makes sense, can you spot a leak ? Ever uncovered a illegal tap in ?
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The shape and color banding of each pipeline marker is unique, you don't log them, just make sure you don't get on the wrong one. As for the collection fields, affirmative, the spaghetti of crap spread all over Hell's creation bring the the oil from the wellhead to the transfer tank to the mainline.
 
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