Airplane Washes

[Joshrk22]

Anybody do this or used to do this? I recently quit my job from Krogers because I was losing $500 a year in union dues and I only made around $1,000 total there, so I said forget it.

I'm 17 years old working on my PPL so obviously I need a job. I'm at about 20 hours right now and I have about 10-15 hours saved, but I need a job to finish the last few. So I figured I'd do airplane washes at the local airport.

Can anybody give me any insight on this? How much should I charge? What should I use to clean?

I figured I could make some money and be around something that I love at the same time. It'd be great for getting contacts for the future, also.

Thanks

 

[Hawker800]

Get with those who have done this. One has to be careful not to use the wrong cleaners and stuff. Windshields especially. Charge according to the size of the aircraft. One midsize jet can take up most of the day. At 17 yrs old you may have trouble getting work. I say this because of liability reasons. If you damage one of these things it can get mighty expensive very fast.
Anyway I wish you all the best.

 

[Pattern-Master]

Once you are 18 go and get a job at your local FBO as a lineman. You will meet a lot of people and you can start networking around to wash local based airplanes on the side. I went this same route 12 years ago and was making more money then I am now as a regional FO. You will also gain excellent experience working around the airport more than you will learn in college!

 

[Magic1872]

but don't skip out on the college part!!

 

[BGSM]

another idea

check with the FBO your flying with , they may trade out for washing the planes cleaning up etc. Also stick with the smaller planes singles and light twins starting out. if the FBO thing is not an option

 

[Joshrk22]

Well right now I'm flying with an instructor in the CAP so I can't really do that. I did email the manager at the local FBO and he said I have to be 18. I'm going to call the local flight school and see what they have to say. Anybody know the manager at AvFlight Flint or American Wings Academy?

 

[Photoflight]

I looked into it a while back and the insurance was the killer so i decided against it.

Of course it may not be a big deal if its a small airport and your washing grandpa joe's 172 instead of some places g5.

Not sure where you live but starbucks payed for a decent chunk of my flight training, even got insurance and they started doing tuition assistance.

 

[ackattacker]

It's important to have the appropriate cleaners. For most of the plane you can use regular auto soap but for the propellers you need some good heavy duty prop wash. You might want to ask around at the FBO to see if they have any real good prop wash you can use.

 

[Joshrk22]

Not sure if there are any starbucks around here or not. I was working at Krogers but then I found out they didn't take out enough in taxes so I had to pay a pretty big lump sum ($150 I owed), and then I got sick of the union dues.... They were taking out $500 dollars a year, downright rediculous for a high school student that only made $1,300 a year max. The pay sucked $5.91 with no raises; I figured it out, after everything was taken out, I made $3.90 an hour. My brother's first day at A&W, he was making $7+.

 

[j41driver]

You might want to ask around at the FBO to see if they have any real good prop wash you can use.

:beer: