What was your first Professional Aviator position?

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

I’m interested to hear what your first position as a professional aviator was, excluding working as a CFI. So if your first job was (like me) working as a CFI then what was next? Regional airline, part 91 or 135 (if so describe)? Also what educational background did you have, and times?
Fly safe,

TA

 

[English]

My first "professional" flying job, after being a CFI, was flying as a first officer for American Eagle. I had 1100 TT and 200 multi the day I applied. I interviewed three weeks later and was in class a month later. I had a bachelors degree.

 

[jaybird]

BS at ERAU

CFI at ERAU - 350tt

135 at AirNet - 900tt

121 at Chautauqua - 2000tt

 

[Hoghunter]

BS UVSC

So far just CFI.

 

[LearLove]

Nov 1997, 360tt, flying right seat on part 135 dept. of def. charters in a navajo. BSME 1997

 

[CSY Mon]

CFI in Manchester, KY, 1979.
Para pilot in Europe, 1980.
CFI FL, 1981.

First 135 was Alaska, 135, Cessna 207. also 1981.
Had no college at the time...

Total of 19 flying jobs now....Resume looks like a disaster.
Been turned down 'cause I did not show any "stability".
SWA among others.

Too many jobs ain't good except if ya apply to the FAA for an inspectors job, they like "variety"...Or so I was told.

 

[avbug]

Scrubbing grease from the belly of airplanes when I was fifteen years old.

A right fine position. Quite literally, from the ground, up.

 

[350DRIVER]

A professional pain the @ss for many while flying part 135 as a first officer then as a captain. Instructed as well on the side but never really did get my money's worth out of those tickets.

3 5 0

 

[scubabri]

Jump Pilot, Bahamas 510tt
CFI 800tt

 

[flx757]

After CFI, it was the right seat of a Metro for Rio Airways, based in TXK back in 1981.

 

[aewanabe]

Educashun?? Huh?? 72 credit-hours at Riddle/Daytona, no degree yet. (No mo bling left). Finished ratings after PPL via ATP's Career Pilot Program, four years after leaving Riddle. Drained savings/took loan to do it.

Jobs:

1202TT/ 140ME: 135 freight dog (Ram Air, after 16 months of full-time CFI). Loved it. Probably the most fun I've had flying, but not really a great long-term QOL. I'd still be there if I needed to be.

2000/550: Hired at Chautauqua (almost exactly 8 months later).

Ram Air job happened with luck, persistence and right place/right time. (I instructed 30 miles down the road so I drove over and started pestering them about 30 hours before I hit 135 mins, and the CP remembered my name when someone dropped out of a class 2 weeks later.) CHQ interview directly as a result of networking/walk-in from a former Ramex guy. Trying to decide how to finish the degree. Good luck.

 

[AA717driver]

Before the ink was dry on my Comm. license, I flew a local news anchor from IND to SDF in a A36 to cover the Presidential debate between Reagan and Mondale.

Made $150.00 for that one and I copied the check when it came! Livin' large!TC

 

[DC-3TP]

1st Flight profession

Back in 1984 when I got my commercial pilot certificate, I became the lead jump pilot in Eagleville, TN in a mighty C-180. Actually I was the only pilot who would consistently fly that airplane.

 

[FlyChicaga]

August 2002: CFI at 141 school. 300 TTL.
May 2003: FO at 121 carrier. 370 TTL.

Now looking for a part-time gig flying jumpers for some extra $$, time, and fun! on the side of the 121 flying.

 

[starvingcfi]

CFI @ 310 TT

135 @ 1165 TT with 28.8 multi

half a degree? something like that. drank a lot in school

 

[Oakum_Boy]

Uhh, how does the airline look upon extra commercial flying? I'd be more careful with posting that info.....

 

[mar]

CFI-AIM w/BS and ~400 hours TT.

 

[Vladimir Lenin]

CFI @ 290

 

[Dash8]

'94 grad with bs in airsci and 250/50

'96 one ME student at 265/65 hrs

'97 275/75 hrs @ part91 aerial mapping/surveying company(occasional corp right seat for local company)

'01 1460/315 hrs @ airways whollyboned, stuck there ever since

 

[avoidingmyboss]

135 VFR only @ 900hrs 210
135 30hrs twin time in a 402
Dash8 FO at 2500 and 500

Left the whoollyboned 3years ago and been happier ever since.
B.S degree non-aviation

 

[pilotyip]

Flying Patrols 1968

Flying patrols off the coast of Viet Nam in a
P-3, I had 350 hours total time, my Patrol Plane Commander was 25 years old, he did not have a college degree, got hired by Delta, retired as a Delta Airlines Captain.

 

[mar]

Not just a job; That was an adventure

Holy cats. How old were you? Twenty? Twenty-two?

Did you have any idea what you had gotten yourself into?

Of course when you're 20 you still think you're immortal. I'd be curious to hear the story about when you first realized your own mortality.

Fly safe man.

 

[photopilot]

6-2001: Pt 91 Aerial Mapping 250 tt
I got lucky and found a job in upstate New York mapping right out of school. The owner was the best man I have ever known. He treated me right and paid me well. 9/11 put a hurt on us and we seemed to struggle from then on, but he never stopped giving me raises. I left there making as much as some regional captains. It is the job I will always look back on fondly, as I have never had a boss I respected as much.

4-2004: Pt 135 freight. 1900 tt

 

[Pilot124]

FlyChicaga

How did you get an FO job at 370 hours?

 

[FlyChicaga]

95% luck, 5% internship. No I didn't PFT.