Hello Captains — welcome back!
It’s been a busy few months since I last shared my Tips for Thriving in A Pilot’s Life Career Mode. I’ve been climbing the ranks from Senior First Officer to Captain, applying the very strategies I recommended in that post. My approach has been simple: stick with 5-star airlines and accept contracts with increasing pay. That journey’s taken me across Europe and the Middle East with carriers like Iberia, Etihad, Austrian, and most recently, a return to the U.S. with Delta.
The Road to Captain
The jump from Sr. First Officer to Captain requires 5,000 XP — and hitting 10,000 XP finally unlocked the coveted Captain rank. British Airways extended an offer right at that milestone, and I’ve been flying their A320 fleet throughout the UK and Europe ever since.
While I enjoy the BA routes, flying exclusively the A320 family does feel limiting. I’m missing my PMDG 737 and itching to spend more time with the iFly 737 MAX. I’ll be keeping a sharp eye on the job market — ready to pivot when the right salary and aircraft combo presents itself.
The Salary Shuffle
One of my biggest gripes with APL is how wildly salaries can fluctuate — even among top-tier airlines. Here’s a snapshot of my journey:
| Airline | Role | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Iberia | Sr. First Officer | $60.87 |
| Etihad | Sr. First Officer | $70.17 |
| Austrian | Sr. First Officer | $63.40 |
| Delta | Sr. First Officer | $69.22 |
| British Airways | Captain | $68.46 |
| Turkish Airlines | Captain | $80.67 |
Despite consistently maintaining a 99+% pilot rating, pay cuts were frequent — especially when switching airlines for more interesting routes. While I get that pay scales vary, APL seems to exaggerate the differences more than real-world logic might suggest.
Looking Ahead
Right now, I’m saving up to purchase XP-enhancing items in the shop. At the end of the day, salary variations aside, the true joy of A Pilot’s Life is experiencing the diverse destinations each airline offers.
I’ll check back in a few months as I work my way toward Sr. Captain L1 and continue exploring this beautifully rendered virtual world in MSFS.
Until next time —
Happy Flying!
~ Jerry