Dream Job?

[aa73]

How did you know?!

I'm curious now. How many others of us are there here? Who else on this board just knew right from the begining and never had a doubt? Who else knew even in elementary school that the dewey decimal 629.13 will take them to the glorious airplane books in the library? Who else daydreamed about every last detail of their first solo when they were eleven, five years before they actually did? Who rode their bicycle to the airport every chance they got? Who else filled out the reader service card of every aviation magazine they got their hands on, so they were constantly awash in some brochure? Who else read Jonathon Livingston Seagull in sixth grade, quickly followed by Gift of Wings, Biplane and Stranger to the Ground?

LJ,

I am one of those. Been having a blast and I look forward to keeping on having a blast for a long time. I love what I do despite being constantly surrounded by bitter pilots/FAs/employees.

P.S. I am at the very bottom of the AA list, commuting to a NY crash pad on reserve from DFW on the junior aircraft. I never even bid for schedules cause it doesn't make a difference. I am looking at a 7 year upgrade at the VERY LEAST.

And I'm STILL havin' a blast! Flying for AA is still a dream job to me. Sadly, I'm one of the few.

 

[satpak77]

LJ,

I am one of those. Been having a blast and I look forward to keeping on having a blast for a long time. I love what I do despite being constantly surrounded by bitter pilots/FAs/employees.

P.S. I am at the very bottom of the AA list, commuting to a NY crash pad on reserve from DFW on the junior aircraft. I never even bid for schedules cause it doesn't make a difference. I am looking at a 7 year upgrade at the VERY LEAST.

And I'm STILL havin' a blast! Flying for AA is still a dream job to me. Sadly, I'm one of the few.

you single or married? family?

just curious if that is impacting your "dream job" opinion at all

 

[LJDRVR]

you single or married? family?

just curious if that is impacting your "dream job" opinion at all

I'm married with two kids. Love em' to death, but I bid upgrade all three bases from day one. And I'll drag my carcass up to Newark this spring to sit in the left seat again. It's not a chose one over the other thing. I love my family waay more than aviation, but flying airplanes is what I do, and it always has been.

aa73, I knew Avbug and I wern't the only ones. 7 years is better than I'd have thought. Sounds like you're having a blast. (I always wanted to fly the Mad Dog...but then again, I've always wanted to fly them all.)

 

[Onlyflyfreight]

I’m doing it right now, I think!

Love the LR35! Love flying at night! Boxes are so much more agreeable than passengers!

But the persuit of more $$$ and the childhood dream of flying a BIG airplane is going to eventually win……….. if I only can get UPS or FedEx to hire me

 

[LAFrequentflyer]

night freight in piston twins working/living in east coast. nothing too ambitious - i'll be retired military when i do this and the wife makes good money...

-LA

 

[TransMach]

Dream Job ...

Avbug, we've disagreed a time or two ... but here we're one. LJDRVR, you to. I've got my dream job and it is all about the flying.

Yes, it's on-demand charter ... it couldn't be better. I fly all over the world with a group of great guys 'n gals in our crews. While KTEB/PHOG are normal haunts, they are about the only places we frequent. That makes for a lot of adventure going different and new places. It's a BIG world. I'm sure it will keep me busy for an entire career.

On-demand charter allows you to meet and interact with some of the most amazing folks. Let me tell ya, if you knew who all has stood in my cockpit shared some coffee and the best office view available ... you'ed be floored.

On-demand charter also provides a level of security and stability that a 91 gig doesn't. In many 91 gigs, it only takes one guy/gal to decide they are done with this airplane stuff and that's the end of the road for your job. In a good on-demand business clients come and go but there's still the core customers and still steady work.

No, it's not a B747-400, but I don't have to put up with all the management vs. union BS that goes along with a B747-400. The GIV/GV are fine, fast, capable airplanes and they'll take you anywhere you want to go.

No, I'm not making $350K a year (UAL's high for 1000 hours credit/year in the B747-400) but I'm well into six figures and it's enough.

But the defining moment, the time you know you've got your dream job is when the phone rings and your first thought is "I hope it's work and I get to go...."

The phone just rang, it was my wife calling to see if I liked the coffee she made for me as she left for work (Starbucks) and while I'd love to go to work today, that phone call is equally wonderful, maybe more ... there's nothing more important than love and family.

It's a gifted life to love your trade craft, enjoy your job and have a loving and supportative family.

Friends are great to ... the leaves on the tree of life!

TransMach

 

[rubicon789]

night freight in piston twins working/living in east coast. nothing too ambitious - i'll be retired military when i do this and the wife makes good money...

-LA

Yea but it's probably the most fun flying job you'll ever have.

 

[LAFrequentflyer]

I hope so..I've done all the 'real' work I can imagine...I'd like to spend my retirement doing something thats less work and more adventure / fun...

-LA

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

Anything military jet ferry pilot. For example, take an F-18 from Nas Oceana to NAS North Island for depot level maintenance. Two test flights and return to Virginia. Six or so round trips a month. Supplement with flying an occasional aircraft to Davis Monthan for storage or an aircraft to Tyndall AFB that has been converted to a drone.

Of course no such position exists and it certainly would not be available to someone without a military background, but since we are dreaming. I would do it for free, but $200K a year would be nice.

 

[bobs98tlr]

The military gig would be good....but for the "job" of flying...id go with

UPS
757/767- MD-11
DFW
$300k
Going anywhere i can as long as im there for 2 days at a time and come home..(2 days at a time so i can spend time were im at to have some fun).

Im also that Aviation dorky kid...all i ever wanted to do was fly...i would love to live in a fly-in-community airport and just sit outside in the grass next to my plane or in the hanger for a few hours with some other pilots, chat for awhile then go flying.

Id be happy doing just about anything as long as im flying, treated well, paid enough to have a good qol and ill be happy.

 

[aa73]

you single or married? family?

just curious if that is impacting your "dream job" opinion at all

yup, married with kids. Impacting my opinion, hardly. I make do with the cards I'm dealt, and it's not all that bad. Having an understanding wife helps a ton.

 

[Lead Sled]

Anything that includes the words "load and return."

How about "Go load these bags then return when you're done?"

I may have a part-time job for you.

'Sled

 

[avbug]

Can I pour thick red ketchupy goo out of those bags on burning things?

There's nothing better than the smell of smoke in the cockpit.

 

[Lostdog65]

There's nothing better than the smell of smoke in the cockpit.

That's the sweet smell of overtime! That and a hot chick are the only two things I know that make smokejumpers excited!

Fly safe...

Eric

 

[avbug]

Excited smokejumpers make me nervous.

Summer must be just around the corner.

 

[Lostdog65]

Especially when they all run to the left side of the airplane to see the jumpspot. Nothing like a lateral shift to make you appreciate the Sherpa's handling characteristics!

Eric

 

[landlover]

twin otter on floats. day trips only. 6 days a week. tropical location to tropical location. longest leg 2 hours. ill take payment in fish and rum.

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

Hey Landlover,

I saw just that job in this month's AOPA magazine. They said they are looking for people and the pay is not too bad.

 

[Lostdog65]

Seaborne Airlines...check em out Landlover...

Eric

 

[landlover]

Seaborne Airlines...check em out Landlover...

Eric

thanks Lostdog65 and Lear wanna be
The resume is in the mail. No fax No email. Old school, just the way I like it. No need to be in such a rush.