Flying for rich / famous folks

[Toy Soldier]

Anyone here fly for rich or famous folks. I happen to fly for a rich one. My best bud flys for a couple of rich guys that he flies to their beach house weekly. We fly relief for each other as well.

I have to tell you though, after flying for an individual and having to be their "chaufer, bodyguard, designated driver, boat driver, beer fetcher", etc, I would probably think twice before doing another gig like this. My friend feels the same way about his job.

Any other experiences out there? Don't get me wrong - the job has been good to me. It's just that you have to put up with these folks' individual "quirks" when you are so close to them. Unlike some of the other part 91/135 gigs during which you pick up and drop off until next time.

 

[stlpilot]

I had the same gig for a while, but I told the guy before we started that I was the boss of the airplane and that I had no problem telling him that no one puts pressure on me to fly or make a decision I was not comfortable with. What made it a bit harder was that I was his flight instructor as well, so I had to make sure I kept a VERY professional appearance, not a prick or stiff just no relaxing when it comes to safety and good flying habbits. On a few occasions he tried to get me to do things that were slightly questionable, but I think most of all it just bothered me that I had to do other things rather then being just his instructor, and for some reason that just got to me a bit.

He would always probe me during ground lessons to try and find out if I would break my own minimums. He was also one of those guys who had 50 other pilots trying to tell him how he should operate his airplane and that their way was the very best, yet they had little, if any, formal training in the aircraft, so the next thing I knew he was picking up bad habits Id have to bring to his attention. Good guy and overall he was safe, but it’s like being a babysitter sometimes. I’m the pilot, not the flight attendant, dog and pony show coordinator, or partner for his personal business.

Best famous guy ever met was when I worked in and near Yellowstone National Park for a year and ran into Harrison Ford. I did not even know it was him at first and we just shot the bull for a couple minutes about flying. He is very nice, quite, and seemed glad to shoot the bull with any fellow pilot.