Drop Everything and Be a Professional Pilot

Would you change your career track and become a pro pilot?

  • I would do it mostly to become an instructor, because I love teaching

    Votes: 9 13.8%

  • I would do it, if it made as much or more money than I make now

    Votes: 28 43.1%

  • I want to do it for charity, but not professionally

    Votes: 6 9.2%

  • I've always wanted to be a professional pilot--everything else is secondary

    Votes: 13 20.0%

  • I want to be or have been a military pilot, but after separating, that's it

    Votes: 2 3.1%

  • I just like being a passenger with my spouse/friend/partner

    Votes: 1 1.5%

  • No

    Votes: 17 26.2%
  • Total voters
    65
I'm 65 and retired. I fly for fun (and not enough, but that's another story). I'd need to get a Commercial ticket and a 2nd class medical to make any money flying. I'll stick with the PP-ASEL IA.
 
mtuomi said:
Thanks! Wife and home still in Atlanta, I'm in Page, AZ until mid-November, flying a Cessna 207. Hoping to find something closer to home after the season ends here!
Click to expand...
Left turn to the dam then hang another left at the horseshoe then go up the lake. I used to turn right at the shoe then head to Wahweap before heading up the lake to the bridge in the 208.
 
I'm 30 hours into my PPL and plan to continue after with my instrument rating, commercial, then CFI. I currently teach middle school history. When I finish my commercial if I could find a full time gig you would see me switch careers in a heartbeat. Would probably go the CFI route as I think I have the whole teaching methods thing down at this point and really seems the only sure fire way to find a 250 hr job. If I continue working in a middle school I'll probably have a heart attack from stress or end up in jail before I'm 40. 26 now and I realistically see myself finishing my ratings in two years.
 
None of the choices really fit my situation.
Military pilot: done that
Air show pilot: done that
Charter and ferry pilot: done that
I've done a little instruction, but not really to make money so I let things lapse, decades ago.
Oddly, just last week, I got an offer to be a light sport and tail wheel instructor.
I didn't instantly tell him to screw off, so something is going on way back in my head that I need to sort out.
I'm probably too old to recoup the cost of getting everything current again, so it should be an easy decision.
But it's not.
 
Shepherd said:
None of the choices really fit my situation.
Military pilot: done that
Air show pilot: done that
Charter and ferry pilot: done that
I've done a little instruction, but not really to make money so I let things lapse, decades ago.
Oddly, just last week, I got an offer to be a light sport and tail wheel instructor.
I didn't instantly tell him to screw off, so something is going on way back in my head that I need to sort out.
I'm probably too old to recoup the cost of getting everything current again, so it should be an easy decision.
But it's not.
Click to expand...

Too old to recoup the cost of renewing a CFI? I don't think it's too terribly expensive, but I suppose anything's possible.
 
Flying routes and schedules that other people select? Flying planes that other people decide what to fix and when? No thanks. I like working for myself. I wake up when I want, get to play golf every day, hockey 3 times per week, and fly whenever and wherever I want, all while squeezing in a little work each day to pay for it all.

Thirty years ago I probably would have said yes, though.
 
mtuomi said:
Thanks! Wife and home still in Atlanta, I'm in Page, AZ until mid-November, flying a Cessna 207. Hoping to find something closer to home after the season ends here!
Click to expand...

Beautiful area, but I think the third time over the lake I would be really bored. Do they still own C-207 serial #0001?
 
Zeldman said:
Beautiful area, but I think the third time over the lake I would be really bored. Do they still own C-207 serial #0001?
Click to expand...

Yep, the dog is still here :)
I fly the turbos though, dog doesn't fly much. (we call #0001 the dog because it's a non-turbo, and the climb performance is less than stellar when density altitude hits 8000+).

It's probably not the most inspiring job in the world, but it's flying, you get paid, and you build experience and hours while doing it. Can't complain.
 
mtuomi said:
Yep, the dog is still here :)
I fly the turbos though, dog doesn't fly much. (we call #0001 the dog because it's a non-turbo, and the climb performance is less than stellar when density altitude hits 8000+).

It's probably not the most inspiring job in the world, but it's flying, you get paid, and you build experience and hours while doing it. Can't complain.
Click to expand...


I went there one time looking for a summer job and they showed me #1. It wasn't flying at the time, but I was impressed that it was still around. I have seen too many 207s meet their end in Alaska.

I didn't work there. They were looking for a chief pilot at the time and I just wanted a summer job that would be fun. We did do the Antelope Canyon tour. My wife really enjoyed that.
 
I have a cousin who loved golf so much he became a golf pro. Now it's just a job for him. Be careful about making your hobby your employment.
 
FormerHangie said:
I have a cousin who loved golf so much he became a golf pro. Now it's just a job for him. Be careful about making your hobby your employment.
Click to expand...

I did that with my first hobby/love. That was back when IT was cool and some young parachute popping young'n decided to do IT just for money.

But if flying is your first hobby/love, then go for it. I won't say "do what you love and you will never work a day in your life" horse s.... but it does add a little sugar to the bitter pill known as work.
 
Truly, the path is so much easier now you guys have it made. Regional airlines (my day called commuters) you can get on with almost zero experience. When we tried??? 1000-1500 PIC in a twin was required just to look at your app. That's not total time, that was PIC TWIN.
 
Zeldman said:
I went there one time looking for a summer job and they showed me #1. It wasn't flying at the time, but I was impressed that it was still around. I have seen too many 207s meet their end in Alaska.

I didn't work there. They were looking for a chief pilot at the time and I just wanted a summer job that would be fun. We did do the Antelope Canyon tour. My wife really enjoyed that.
Click to expand...

I wasn't anywhere near doing anything flying for a living but we also did a tour out of Page one day long long ago. It was in a 182 as I recall.

We signed up and they never got any other takers on a weekday so they used the smaller airplane. Once we met the pilot and he found out I was a pilot and we flew all the time, he said, "You care if we do the normal route, or do you want me to show you some other stuff?" Haha.

We said "other stuff", so he showed us the movie town (part of the standard tour) and then chased wild horses around with the airplane the rest of the time. We enjoyed it. LOL.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top