Skydive Kaui Needs Pilot

[navigator72]

I maxed out at $8.00 per load plus beer. Not too bad if it's busy. 10-12 loads per day is a good day.

 

[Steve]

I maxed out at $8.00 per load plus beer. Not too bad if it's busy. 10-12 loads per day is a good day.

Thats the reason I didnt do it for long. The place I was at was pretty shady and after an argument with the owner about flying beyond the 100hr inspection I found a pretty good CFI gig. All depends on what your goals are. If you have the CFI you'll probibly get the hours faster that way, even if it is a 152. The regionals don't really care if its in a 182/206 or 152 and at least you'll get some crosscountry and night time. If you stick it out you may get into a turbine which is usually around 1000TT. These days the regionals will look at you and even Mesa will pay you about the same a DZ will in a Caravan or otter.

 

[urflyingme?!]

Dammit! Sounds like I'm getting hosed. I need to renegotiate because a full load for me is 23. Anyone have the number for Jackie Chiles? "It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous."

Did I tell you to put the tiger balm on the burn?!

 

[Say Again Over]

And you can pack rigs for some BONUS money, hehe.

 

[Hold West]

Their website says something like a 30 minute ride to altitude. That gives me the impression they are using a piston Cessna.

Cessna 182

 

[scubabri]

DId you guys buy that 182 from the Perris drop zone?


sb

 

[Skyranger777]

I sure don't do the job for the money, I do it for the time. No rush needed on the way down. My boss wants us coming down at 1000fpm and 150-55 on the airspeed in a 1950's straight tailed 182. I must say though that the planes I fly for skydiving are some of the best maintained planes in the buisness! But is helps that my boss is the owner, A&P, and IA

 

[Freight Dog]

You can't make money flying skydivers. You do it to build time and have fun doing it.

As for Kauai being the rainiest place in the world, Waialeale is it.
For those that have been to Hawaii, you know about mauka showers (mountain showers). Beaches are fairly dry, but it rains in the middle of the island in the mountains.

I assume this DZ is by the beach somewhere (first I heard of it - I know Skydive Hawaii is on the North Shore of Oahu). If so, and especially if it's on the leeward side, it'd be a great place to skydive.

 

[Ill Mitch]

You can't make money flying skydivers. You do it to build time and have fun doing it.

I worked on the weekends and usually ended up making about $600 over the two days. Mostly I did it because the Twotter is a fun airplane to fly, it is an easy job as long as you didn't listen to the less experienced jumpmasters on the jumprun, and extra greenbacks is always good!

When the stupid jumpmaster would yell "Five Left!!" I would just dip my wings a little with out changing my heading and on the ground they would go "dude, awesome run...you were right where I wanted you to go!".

I actually miss it. Except for the smell of 20+ jumpers filling up the cabin with some nasty oders.

 

[Ollie]

Is it possible to make a living in Hawaii only flying skydivers?! Sign me up then.

It is. There are 2 skydive operations on Oahu. One flies a Caravan and the other flies a King Air. Collateral duties for the Caravan operator include flying a C-206 about every other week for a load or two and flying a Pitts S2B for aerobatic rides. I have heard that the King Air operator is looking for another pilot, so it might be worthwhile to give 'em a call Their website is http://www.pacific-skydiving.com/.

 

[kevdog]

Interesting. How about getting down. Any techniques? I like doing the ol emergency decent every now and then. Full flaps, pitching for the top of the white arc in a 45 degree bank. I think I can decend about 2000 fpm in a 172 that way.

The trick is to start cooling the engine down 2 mins before cut and drop, you usually only get a 100 or 200 fpm with the reduction, so you have to plan it a little so you get to your drop around the time you get to altitude. After drop, you should go 90 for a min than 120 for another min, and then you are good to go without shock cooling those front 2 heads. steep turns help you get down faster.

I flew a super nice 182 for a little that had speed brakes. You could keep the power in and still get down super fast. I felt like I was in a 007 plane.

check out www.diverdriver.com for more info.

 

[skipro101]

My first diverdriver job was flying a C206 at 30 dollars per tach our.

There are decent jobs out there.

 

[Steve]

My first diverdriver job was flying a C206 at 30 dollars per tach our.

There are decent jobs out there.

Mind sharing what part of the country that was in? How many hours did you have at that point?

 

[Immelman]

side note: calling Kaua`i "kaui" is like calling Texas "teas"

...damn haoles...

 

[KnowledgeSeeker]

You should be able to survive on the pay at skydive kaua'i if you are already adjusted to college style living ("the ramen diet").

I believe the pay is per day and not per load but i will double check that. The real question is if you can get used to the island lifestyle on Kaua'i (not for everyone).

I can't belive they have a photo of skydive hawaii's old king air. I am now convinced that airliners.net has a photo of every aircraft in the world.

 

[mcjohn]

I believe the pay is per day and not per load but i will double check that. The real question is if you can get used to the island lifestyle on Kaua'i (not for everyone).

Do tell! What's this "lifestyle" you mention?

 

[FL420]

Interesting. How about getting down. Any techniques? I like doing the ol emergency decent every now and then. Full flaps, pitching for the top of the white arc in a 45 degree bank. I think I can decend about 2000 fpm in a 172 that way.

My dad always used to tell me stories of the old days(30's & 40's) when pilots would sometimes fly cross-country VFR on top and look for a hole near the destination. If it was tight and they could see the ground through it they would spin the aircraft down through the hole. This would avoid thermal shocking the cylinders as the airspeed stayed quite low while the rate-of-descent was high.

I don't suppose you could do this legally in a Normal category aircraft but you could in a Utility category aircraft. Probably in an Experimental category as well. Anyone do this that you know about?

 

[KnowledgeSeeker]

Do tell! What's this "lifestyle" you mention?

Not sure if that was sarcasm, but if it wasn't...
You basically have two things working against you coming out here. Being a skydive pilot for the first time (if it's your first) and living in the islands for the first time. In the three and half years i spent at a dropzone out here i can't count how many people i saw go from "this is the best job ever!" to 1-6months later bitchin' like there is no tommorow. You do have to put up with a lot as a skydive pilot and you are the only person to make sure things are done safely (where as the skydivers and owners do not get paid until the jump is made). For some that adds up to a lot of stress...while for others this is no big deal.

As for moving to hawaii... For me it was excactly what i was looking for (surfing, warm climate, etc.), but for many, when the initial honeymoon is gone, many find it very hard to be out here. You will be an outsider and a minority so if your fine with that and you like the outdoors then this place is what you think it is. Also some people, surprisingly, really freak out about living on a small island (which seems crazy to me, but whatever). So if that all seems just fine to you...go for it!

 

[KnowledgeSeeker]

Hold West...

how come skydive kaua'i calls center for "jumpers away" and not flight service like the rest of us did on oahu? Do they not have an RCO for flight service over there?

 

[mcjohn]

Thanks KnowledgeSeeker. Good stuff.