wildfan75 1 #26 January 24, 2008 He's been doing it for the last 25 years so it shouldn't be long now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 8 #27 January 24, 2008 Quote Yikes. How long is he going to be able to keep doing that for? Yeah, I think it's amazing of him to do that, but if that is the case, It would probably be better for the sport as a whole if he invested in a more economical airplane. You know, you really don't need to go to 13.5, most DZ's still just go to 10!=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildfan75 1 #28 January 24, 2008 We have 3 182's. The $30,000 was mostly to pay for new engines for two of them. We only go to 10,000' because it takes so long to go higher than that (not economical) unless we are doing formation loads (we aim for 11,000' for 8 ways and 12,000' for the very, very rare 12 ways). We pay $15 to go to 10,000' and the +/- $1 for every 1,000' up or down Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,254 #29 January 24, 2008 Hell of a sugar-daddy! Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildfan75 1 #30 January 24, 2008 Quote Hell of a sugar-daddy! You have no idea. My boyfriend and I have a deal. Either one of us can sleep with him and its not considered cheating. I don't know about him but I've never had to "cash" in yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beerlight 0 #31 January 24, 2008 Quote Our club too pays $5/hr for our 182. Quote And that's what kills me. My last load flying jumpers in a 182 was 10 years ago. And back then, I was paid $6 per load..Killed me seeing some pilots walk up saying they would fly for free..... but that is for another thread. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beerlight 0 #32 January 24, 2008 Quote Mind you, one time I had to threaten to shut down the airplane - in the middle of a busy Sunday - before anyone would bring me a sandwich. i DID shut down the plane, get in my truck, drive off for an hour and had lunch. DZO never said shit to me. I gave them plenty of warning..... Usually they would bring me a sandwich, eat it in the plane. That day, I'd had enough...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itllclear 1 #33 January 24, 2008 I just got a flyer from a flight school in CA. offering up to $56K/year, plus benes for flight instructors. Makes you wonder what you want to do in aviation. Blue skies! Harry"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
L.O. 0 #34 January 24, 2008 Quote Quote Hell of a sugar-daddy! You have no idea. My boyfriend and I have a deal. Either one of us can sleep with him and its not considered cheating. I don't know about him but I've never had to "cash" in yet. No I have not cashed in on our agreement. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #35 January 24, 2008 QuoteI just got a flyer from a flight school in CA. offering up to $56K/year, plus benes for flight instructors. Makes you wonder what you want to do in aviation. Blue skies! Harry >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That is a recent shift. Traditionally, flying instructors were paid as poorly as jump pilots, but recently, commuter airlines have been decimating the ranks of flying instructors. This new policy of "eating their young" has left some flight schools scrambling to find enough instructors to train next year's flock of commuter co-pilots. This recent hiring surge is forcing flying schools to start pay "real" wages if they want to retain staff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #36 January 24, 2008 Jumpship time is good because it is Pilot in Command. It usually is done within the framework of a corporate structure; this tends to indicate that there is pressure for efficiency as well as experienced oversight. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Correct. This can be an advantage for commuter co-pilots. If a young pilot follows the current career path: private pilot, aviation college and straight to the co-pilot's seat of a commuter, he/she may find himself/herself with more than a thousand hours of flying time, but not nearly enough PIC time to get promoted to the left seat. Similalrly, why do you think so many commercial pilots fly small airplanes on their days off? It is not always for a love of flying. Sometimes it is impossible for them to build enough PIC time at work. Don't be surprised if a commuter pilot - with more than a thousand hours - offers to fly jump planes, because he/she needs that PIC to get promoted to the left seat. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xlh883 0 #37 January 24, 2008 Getting in the door is the problem. I have 380 hours total time and am a skydiver myself. I got both of my commercial ratings in November. I have been applying to every regional and any other possible flying job that I might even have a chance at and no one is interested. To make things worse, I have been working on getting my CFI for the last two months becuase it looks like I have to and that may not happen either. I am about of money for that. I think my flight instructor is taking advantage of me at this point. He won't commit to signing me off for my check ride. Anyway, I for warn any one that is trying to switch to a career in aviation. I am 36 and had to choose a new career for reason I won't go into here. It is very hard to get in and you will never have enough flight hours or money. I see in the near future I Will have to quit flying becuase I won't be able to afford to build time. Maybe I will get lucky some time. If not, bankruptcy is in the future to get rid of the educational loans I took out. And please save the "you'll get something some time" comments. As I appreciate people encouraging me, it doesn't help any more and makes me feel worse. I just wanted to let people know how rough it actually is, especially when you have to depend on your mother for a place to live. David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewwhyte 1 #38 January 24, 2008 So buy a trailer and get a job flying jumpers. Live on the DZ and when you are not in the air PACK. Either you want it or you don't. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xlh883 0 #39 January 24, 2008 Like I said in my previous post, I do not have enough hours to get a jump pilot job currently. The norm seems to be 500 total time, I have 380. No money to buy a trailer. The majority of DZ's here have turbine's any way which require a higher total time, like 100 hours. My current dropzone only has one packer for the tandems. Everyone else packs for themselves and as of last summer, wants to pack for themselves. The season doesn't start here for at least another 1.5 months as there is still snow on the gound. Doesn't help me now at all and I can't afford to move right now without something pretty well firmed up. You must have a really nice cushy job with lots of money and no worries. Some of us are struggling to make ends meet. So, thanks for the help. David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
asmund 0 #40 January 24, 2008 QuoteLike I said in my previous post, I do not have enough hours to get a jump pilot job currently. The norm seems to be 500 total time, I have 380. No money to buy a trailer. The majority of DZ's here have turbine's any way which require a higher total time, like 100 hours. My current dropzone only has one packer for the tandems. Everyone else packs for themselves and as of last summer, wants to pack for themselves. The season doesn't start here for at least another 1.5 months as there is still snow on the gound. Doesn't help me now at all and I can't afford to move right now without something pretty well firmed up. You must have a really nice cushy job with lots of money and no worries. Some of us are struggling to make ends meet. So, thanks for the help. David And it doesn't get that much better a year later when you've got 1200 hours... That's where I am, and I'm sorta locked into flying divers and my other day job, because going to an airline involves up to two months with little or no pay during training. You've gotta have cash reserve to afford getting a job. Flying divers does nothing for your instrument skills, so I'm also worried as *** about the simulator part of interviews.I like subway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #41 January 24, 2008 You are definitely in a tough situation...I was gonna say break out the Parker and build some hours but you're obviously not in the mood. What exactly ARE your goals as far as flying? Corporate...airlines...charter? The problem is, you're starting late in life. It's 'usually' up to a 10 year 'full time' commitment of scraping the bottom before you start making a living wage, and even that can be just barely a living. In reality...you being 36 puts you at mid 40's to be making what many in their late 20's can scrape by on. Then a few more years until a comfortable stable position...you say you can't 'afford' money wise to to that and that's understandable, but I have to wonder...were you lead to believe it would be different? You have a lot to overcome, I don't envy you because I know what you are facing. My wife was a CFI, then flew Grand Canyon tours for a few years and almost gave up...then went to the regionals for turbine time, she's now a senior Captain at a major....but she's been flying since 16. Again, she was young when struggling, and it's her passion to fly so she would have still been flying in some manner, even if her career took another path. So I guess what I'm saying ...is it flying YOUR passion or is it what seemed at one point in your life a lucrative career? I can't offer any intuitive advice that you haven't already heard. I can tell you, the airlines hire in cycles, my wife is amazed at the number of mid 20's co-pilots she has that were recently hired on with not much over 1500 hours. On the other hand the retirement age is now 65 so the cycle thing is somewhat askew. Best of luck whatever you choose to do! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #42 January 24, 2008 Quote Is it true pilot for jump plane earn $20 per hour? It must be good wage! Depends on the plane. And that's only while you fly which is dependant on weather and people to take up. And it's not a guaranteed 40 hour work week and there is no health insurance or retirement. That wage is actually pretty horrible.Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,048 #43 January 25, 2008 Hi xlh, Quotebankruptcy is in the future to get rid of the educational loans I took out. You might want to check into that, my son's do not go away with bankruptcy. JerryBaumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lastchance 0 #44 January 26, 2008 I believe but am not positive that our pilots are payed $10.00 per load flying the C-206 and that could be DOE. I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trivial_Trekker 0 #45 January 27, 2008 $1700/month, plus room and board and..... dicounted skydives []DETE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peckerhead 0 #46 January 27, 2008 Quote Is it true pilot for jump plane earn $20 per hour? It must be good wage! Whatever happened to a sandwich and maybe a free jump? $20 bucks an hour seems a bit steep. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DBCOOPER 1 #47 January 27, 2008 Quote Quote Is it true pilot for jump plane earn $20 per hour? It must be good wage! Whatever happened to a sandwich and maybe a free jump? $20 bucks an hour seems a bit steep. You get what you pay for...Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superfletch 1 #48 January 27, 2008 QuoteWe actually don't pay enough to pay for the fuel and maintenence of the airplanes. In the last two years, the plane's owner has taken about $30,000 out of his pocket to keep them running. I'm very appreciative that he's worked hard his entire life to be in the position to be able to do that for us, and continues to give to the sport instead of taking from it. Or at least that's what he's been telling you anyway. :P Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark 102 #49 January 27, 2008 QuoteOr at least that's what he's been telling you anyway. :P I hope you didn't intend to imply that Bob is less than a stand-up guy, but that's how it comes across to me. Nothing could be further from the truth, and it's not too late to edit your post to be clearer about what you mean -- or delete it. Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superfletch 1 #50 January 27, 2008 Quote Quote Or at least that's what he's been telling you anyway. :P I hope you didn't intend to imply that Bob is less than a stand-up guy, but that's how it comes across to me. Nothing could be further from the truth, and it's not too late to edit your post to be clearer about what you mean -- or delete it. Mark Buddy... I don't even know this bob of whom you speak. I was just cracking a joke as indicated by the " :P " which I thought would produce a when I originally typed it. And had I intended on deleting my post I wouldn't have posted it to begin with... In the future... you might not want to be such a sensitillia... and try work on your sense of humor. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
