What did you do part time while you CFI?

[snoopy]

This isn't a job -- but I'm getting my
A&P. Found out the georgia's hope grant
will pay for tuition. Can't turn down
free education!

--- Snoopy

 

[Frac Daddy]

Line technician at KSJC.

 

[hotwing]

I was a paramedic and a firefighter

 

[Dan CFI/CFII]

A&P while CFI is a great gig. Seriously, all that waiting for students turned out a lot of 100 Hours. And if someone cancels, no big deal--you still can pay your bills!

Oh yeah, many more people with cool airplanes are willing to let you fly them, or instruct them in them if you have an A&P.

Of course, you've got to have an A&P for this to work out best, but just working in the shop will accomplish much of the same stuff.

Dan

 

[avbug]

When I was instructing full time, I worked as a gaurd at night. I turned wrenches between students, worked books for the company, and did advertising. I started an aerial advertising operation on the side and flew it, and sold the banner sales. On weekends I packed parachutes and flew jumpers, as well as taking students. When I had a break, I did ground schools, and also pursued activities that would bring in more students. I towed an airplane through a parade. I took an airploane apart, and put it together in a mall as part of an effort to draw business. Anything to fly and get more flying (and eat).

Things I didn't do included having any social life, partying, or anything else that might remotely detract from flying. I drove an old VW bus to make do, slept in the bus or at the hangar a lot (usually crashed there in the morning after a night playing rent-a-cop). During part of that period, I also worked as a telemarketer, but couldn't keep up the schedule and dropped it. I tried going to school in there, but couldn't hack that with the schedule, and dropped that, too.

At one point I even tried to have a social life, got engaged...but couldn't do it and keep up with the flying activities, and let that go, too. (That's a whole other story...ironically I proposed by flying a "will you marry me" banner over her house, and her faily came out and lay on the lawn to spell "yes").

I guess it's all a matter of what you want most.

 

[Flying Illini]

I may be able to beat all of you with your part-time jobs...
Don't laugh...too hard!

1) On call Parking Booth Attendant
2) School crossing guard

Oh yeah, and I make more doing either one of those jobs than I make per hour flight instructing.
I'm would love to get a job driving a Zambone...anyone have any connections in that industry?!
My parents are so proud of the jobs I hold with a college degree...I told them I was going to RoadMaster's Driving School to be a trucker. Hey, it's still in the transportation industry!

 

[Ponypilot]

Riding Horses

Well I don't have my CFI yet....but my plan is to gallop race horses in the mornings and hopefully instruct in the afternoons.

Working with the horses I'm done at noon and can make more than a first year FO and still get benefits as well as a 401K.

Hey somebody has to do it.

 

[NEDude]

I worked line service part-time. Really I spent most of my time washing a fleet of PC-12s that were based at the FBO. Turned out to be a great deal because the PC-12 operator ended up offering me a full-time job flying them.

 

[ACWild]

I got a job as a temp. and got sent all over the place with a few of the other CFIs. It was alot of fun and I had my first taste of union vs. cheap labor. Temping was just a source of extra income with flexible hours to me, so I never thought about how it affected others. One day, I walked into the middle of a union meeting with alot of angry employees who were basically hungry for temps blood. Since then, I've become accutely aware of my potential employers work environments.
There are alot of good temp jobs that don't put people in those situations.

 

[bozz66]

I play guitar in a rock band. We mainly play local shows but sometimes hit some other towns. It's a couple of extra hundred bucks a month and a lot of fun too. Most of the time we get free adult beverages - can't beat that!