Pilots that surf

[qwerty]

All I want to do is surf and fly to pay the bills when I'm not surfing. Is that to much to ask?
Any guys out there that have had flying jobs that afforded this lifestyle?
My career progress is slow because all of my choices have to do with the beach in mind.

 

[Guam360]

sure it is possible, it was better when I lived in Guam and flew to Bali every other month.
But now that I am in the mainland, Florida when it is worth it and soon Long Island, NY.
I jumpseat back to Hawaii when I have 9 or 10 days off in a row. I have family and friends in Hawaii, so costs are low, but you can get into a room three or four blocks from Waikiki Beach for around $45 with an airline ID.
Then there is always CR if you can Non-Rev or JS.

 

[Freight Dog]

Qwerty,

You just described my lifestyle. I fly for Island Air, I live in Oahu, if I'm not flying, I'm out surfing. If the surf is bad, then I'm kayaking, if the weather is bad, I'm watching a movie, or playing the Playstation or computer. It just doesn't get any better.

If I'm on reserve, like right now, I'm fixing the dings. I've also done this before: I checked in at work to see the likelihood of being called in. If it's low or unlikely, I'm paddling out for a couple hours while my g/f is watching the phone sitting on the beach with a pre-arranged signal to tell me that I was called to wave me in.

Oh yeah, I also upgraded to DHC-8 captain in 1 year, and this is post-9/11.

This is the place to be, my friend.

P.S. If you want to surf Honolua Bay or thereabouts, you can throw your board in the cargo bay, and write a pass or jumpseat to Kapalua. There are some sweet spots from just down the road from the airport (walking distance) all the way up to Honolua Bay - which is a little too far to walk, but maybe 10 min max by car from Kapalua airport. You can take our first flight in there at 7am, surf all day, and take the last flight out at 5:20pm. How's that for spending a day off?

All I want to do is surf and fly to pay the bills when I'm not surfing. Is that to much to ask?
Any guys out there that have had flying jobs that afforded this lifestyle?
My career progress is slow because all of my choices have to do with the beach in mind.

 

[JetProp]

qwerty:
I surf in Florida, I've been a surfer for almost thirty years, and I used to shape boards for a living. You can surf regularly and be a professional pilot.

Granted, I don't have the opportunity to surf everyday like I did when I was 18, but I surf on my days off and have a blast.

You can live almost anywhere and commute or work for a company that has domiciles in coastal areas.

I'm 40 and have more fun surfing now than ever...

Good luck!!

 

[El Duderino]

If things go my way tommorrow morning, I'll be jumpseating home to Houston, and hightailin' it down to Boliver to surf Isodore's splendor, off Meacom's Peir. A front and a north wind will be cleaning it up and knockin' holes up in it. I'll be so deep up in there you might think it was rain. When Opal was were Isodore is now,we were surfing 10' clean tubes in the disgusting Golf de Mexico.

See y'all on the pond
duder

 

[350DRIVER]

OB & PB in SAN....

if the surf is bad the "sights" make up for it-

Rosarito Beach on the Baja is also nice- lotsa UCSD, SDSU, UCLA cuties that frequent the area not to mention the "love" in TJ- lol
Surfing is good and the night life is great..



C H E E R S

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[surfnole]

If all you want to do is surf and pay the bills, just about any job will do it. A job as a pilot offers the chance at a respectable income though, and possibly a fabulous income.

American Eagle has a hub in San Juan. I read that most of the guys hate it, but it would be a surfers dream. Great windsurfing too. I heard American will be selling the Caribbean operation though. I know one guy who is a baggage handler in San Juan. He also owns a surf shop. Whenever the surf gets huge, he hops over to Tortola for glassy uncrowded perfection. Besides watching the weather, he can tell if a swell is on the way by the number of surfboards he unloads. Apparently there are a group of surfers with enough money and time to hop a plane whenever and wherever a swell exists.

Hawaii would be tops, but the crowds are fierce there. That was my experience at least. Lots of good surfers too who can outpaddle you for many of the waves.

The best benefit of being a pilot though would be the free/cheap travel to just about anyplace that has surf. I found my calling too late.

 

[TwinTails]

Do whatever you'r little heart desires. I've been skateboarding, snowboarding and biking (bmx and downhill mt.) since I can remember and still do every day. I really want to move to the water and learn to surf but I havent had the chance.

The only thing that concerns me a little with my extra curricular habits is the injury factor. Flying is my main love and if I broke a wrist skating a pool some day I'd hate to explain that one to the boss.

 

[BigFlyr]

One of my "ex-bosses" started his 135 operation with an old AC500 (Aerocommander) with (illegal) surfboard racks behind the baggage compartment, running along inside that long tail-section.

He used to take surfers out to remote areas in the Bahamas and Puerto-Rico from south Florida, hang-out, surf and fly them back.

I'm not sure how much money he actually made from this but he's still in business with 3 402's running a more "legitimate" 135 operation. Must have been fun while it lasted!

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

I'm unemployed and in Hawaii. It's 0530 and I'm about to paddle out for dawn patrol. Having no job makes it easy to surf whenever you want. Hope to join Freight Dog here soon on one of those day-off jaunts to Honolua (maybe a round of golf at Kapalua to make the day interesting too). Now...about paying those bills.......

 

[flexlrpilot357]

Stop it! You guys are killing me! I'm landlocked, and I'd probably have to chisel the cobwebs off of my boards!

 

[CARVEMASTER]

Good post!
With some creative thinking, I've been able to follow a career path in aviation that supports my surfing, windsurfing, and snowboarding needs. As an Army rotorhead, my first tour was Germany. Lots of autobahn roadtrips to the Alps. (Thule car racks WILL hold at 120mph). Next tour was Hawaii. Surfed all the time.

Returned to CA and worked as a flight instructor and snowboard instructor. Double whammy, some hair loss.

Back in Hawaii flying 737s. The surfboard gets worked occasionally, but I windsurf every chance I get. There's a place I sail just off the approach end of the airport. The key is to sail towards the impact zone when a 747 spools up. You hang on for dear life and go screaming down the line.

Only one problem with surfing and flying. Always seems the best days are when your looking down at perfection, it's the last day of the swell, and you work till after dark.

Priority #1 is your career, the rest will follow.

 

[list2002]

Freight Dog... Hush hush with the Hawaii lifestyle. I'm building hours in Florida and can't wait to get back home. Call me greedy but, to any of you out there... Hawaii is horrible, it's all crowded and super expensive to live, there are hardly ANY waves, and the weather sucks.

 

[HAL]

Nice try list2002

A lot of my friends fly interisland so they can surf. You get to fly a new 717, fly six to eight legs a day in about 8 hours (5am to noon-1pm, or noon to 7pm-8pm depending on your schedule), and surf the rest of the time. No, we don't get the pay of the majors, but we're doing OK, don't have anyone on furlough, and if you don't want to surf every day, you can fly the 767 on two or three day trips and be back in Hawaii for a few days off in the water. Just another day in paradise.

HAL

 

[Freight Dog]

The key is to sail towards the impact zone when a 747 spools up. You hang on for dear life and go screaming down the line.

Does anybody see what I see here? CARVEMASTER and 747's..

Reminds me of the movie Pushing Tin when Billy Bob Thornton "cleanses himself of his sins" with 747 wake turbulence, except our boy CARVEMASTER does it in the water instead of concrete.

Boy, you have a long way to go till you are fully exonerated there CARVEBOY

 

[s.o.sJTB]

We've got alot of people sitting reserve and not being called at my company, i've been skateing more this summer than I have all year! This winter looks promising too for being able to go snowboarding while sitting reserve. As someone else already mentioned, a hurt wrist or a folded ankle wouldnt be that fun to explain to the chief!

Maybe ill go down south this winter and learn to surf.....

 

[qwerty]

Hey 350Driver do you fly out of San Diego county somewhere?

What happens when you get hurt off the job when you work for an airline? I race dirt bikes and skateboard so I always have something broke or near broke.

 

[surfnole]

Why not just say you fell off a ladder painting your house?

 

[El Duderino]

hey,
down here in Boliver, not as clean as I wish it were, but what are you gonna do. Any of you guys out in Hawaii know of a guy that flys for Hawaiian Airlines named Duff, may be retired by now. If so would you please PM me a way of getting in touch with him. He inspired me to become a pilot one night at the Little Nell. Mucho gracias.

duder

RIP Donny

 

[justApilot]

Just got back from a weekend at Trestles...4-5 feet and firing!

 

[TurboS7]

I live in Florida and my daughters are starting to get into surfingThat means that ol' pop going to have to get into it too. I have great abbs but they are covered up with a little flab, can i still surff??????????They say no way. I have had a couple of layovers at Waikiki beach, looks like a great place to learn to surf. Keep up the good life guys enjoyit.

 

[Guam360]

TurboS7,

go for it, my best friend in Indian Harbour Beach, Fl has a couple gromms for kids and he will be surfing with them soon.

Waikiki, is a great place to learn and to just surf, great local crowd and good waves in the summer.

live the dream brother.

Anyone live on and surf Long Island, NY?

 

[jenga]

Turbo,

Hell yeah. You should definitely start. I've been surfing for 20 years, yet due to a lifestyle change, (flying career) Ive been landlocked for the past 3, and have packed on the flab (over my great abs) . Hopefully my Poi belly and I will be living in Hawaii very soon as I am in a pool, anxiously awaiting a class at one of the regionals over there.

I think it'd be alot of fun to go surfing as a family.(Its fun enough when you're all by yourself). Stick with it. It takes alot of time and dedication, but the rewards are incredible. Ive never surfed Waikiki, but from what I've seen, it looks great for learning. Warm, clean, clear water, mushy waves with enough push, looks ideal. No wetsuit. Ahhh.....

Secretly learn to surf on your layovers in Waikiki, then when you return to FL, tell your daughters that you finally want to learn to surf with them, and blow 'em away when they see that you are a "1st time" natural.

 

[350DRIVER]

qwerty-
I seriously wish I was SAN based- I am not with the airlines, just a bum flying 135.

I do frequent SAN quite often and enjoy it to the utmost..

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