The Pilot Billing by the Day: A Gulfstream Flier on What the Temporary Seat Earns

The fourth episode of Flying's "Aviation Start" series looks at pilots who are paid by the day instead of being kept on a payroll. Jay Kadir, who flies Gulfstreams, explains how that work is priced and how a month of it can reach $50,000. Owners usually see that number as an invoice for filling a seat. Kadir explains it from the cockpit side. He also covers how much of the work comes from relationships and referrals rather than applications. His main message is for pilots rather than principals: a flying career does not have to run through an airline. Owners who run their own flight departments, whether they are based in Palm Beach or Aspen, will know the arrangement he describes, because they are the ones signing for it.

With reporting from Flying.