Aviation BS and Photo Thread

Just don't forget to enjoy the ride. It is easy to focus on the end goal but all of the time building opportunities can produce great experiences and memories.

 

Aviation is supposed to be FUN ... always remember that

 

I miss GA. I dig my current job & I enjoyed the other places I've worked with the majors (United Airlines was my least favorite) but, GA is where I've enjoyed myself the most.

 

... ^^^ ... At first, I thought this was photo shopped, But you guys say it's a real photo

I did see a guy barely hanging off a Huey skid in a firefight (major small arms fire and somehow he didn't get hit very lucky guy).

And saw some people live through some crazy stuff and saw others get the "Golden BB" out of the gate. Try to forget that stuff today.

 

Shhhhh, there's no money here.

 

lol... Ya we need to keep that to ourselves @ckeene9

BTW chris, if you wanted to deploy you should have told me... I've got slots for days on another program

 

Always slots elsewhere, I'm trying to hit that 5yr mark then reassess though.

 

Right on man You're 3ish in at Pickett?

 

3.5, gotta get to Nov '17.

 

Then sell the house and move to tucson....

 

I don't think I could have said it better myself. Excellent write up! I have a couple thoughts based on the corporate side of things.

Corporate jobs may have more weekends/Holidays free as business is typically done during the week.
I have had to work many holdiays because families like to travel. This may be the only point you made that I don't agree with.

Depending on the job, you may be able to enjoy layovers in different places.
This is best part of flying corporate. I often end up with 1-4 days to kill. I am able to explore museums, history, tourist attractions, etc. I've been to 47 states now and I feel like I have been very fortunate to be able to really see what those states are like. I have also had some sweet layovers in Mexico, Canada, Bahamas.

May be able to keep hotel points. (In my opinion that can be a wash with the jumpseat benefits on the airlines depending how you travel.)
I am platinum at marriotts and I often use the points with my wife. We have enjoyed that perk. But I don't think it is comparable to free flights with the airlines.

May not have a set schedule or known days off.
This is by far the most difficult part of corporate flying. I have been called at 3:30am for a 5am show and then I was gone for 5 days. That's it...90 minute notice and poof, you're gone.
I often get called at 9pm for an 11pm show and then I will fly East and land around 7am. Only to be gone for 5 more days. I have been home a lot in the last 2 weeks, but I know the time is coming again where I will be gone A LOT and my wife will get frustrated with the lack of schedule.

Overall flying is a great career. I really enjoy what I do, but it's not for everyone. @MatthewMay1, if you want to have some fun while you're young, try and go the corporate route. I am glad I am doing it now when I don't have kids, and then someday I am going to try and get on with a major and get one of those elusive schedules.

 

"You'll never be a millionaire in aviation unless you were a billionaire when you started in aviation"

I've heard that one ^^^^ a bunch over the last 30 years.

Might as well have fun... That's why I worked on a radial engine every chance that comes up

 

We tend to lump all private jet flying as "corporate" and I was trying to differentiate it (at least in my head) as corporate versus private flying. As you pointed out flying for a private individual or family is different and does tend to involve a lot of weekends and holidays. I have found that flying for an actual corporation that has their own airplane just for business purposes tends to have more weekday flying and more weekends/holidays at home. It is not 100% of course but pretty likely you will see that.

As for hotel points versus jumpseat value, that really is an individual determination. For the way my wife and I travel, we make far more use of hotel points as we drive more than fly. On the trips we fly we would rather have guaranteed airline seats and flights than risk losing a day or two with standby seating. For longer trips the cost spent on hotels versus airfare becomes a wash if you can get one for free. But for people who travel to visit friends/family with more flexible visits I could see jumpseating being a nice perk and better than the hotel points.

 

Flying non-rev is a massive pain. When it works, it's great. It works about 80% of the time, and you can't even think about flying on hollidays. Spring break? No chance.

 

Speaking of radial engines, I got to come in to work early today and see the last ever takeoff of a Boeing 247. I was standing about 15 feet away when they started the engines and then ran them up at high speed, nothing sounds quite like it.

 

Thats awesome !!! Thanks for the picture ... Thats a piece of aviation history !!!

 

http://www.iliamnaair.com/On Demand Charter.htm

This is the kind of outfit that you can have 'all you can eat' flying... flying into some questionable airstrips in fast changing weather. Not for the faint of heart but you can build time in a hurry. My buddy told me that if you have a commercial with 500 'Alaska' flying hours hat you can move on to a larger operation. Just an example ... not a personal endorsement of this company

 

... ^^^ ... I love those older aircraft.

A friend of mine (Delta pilot) found Delta's first DC3 in Puerto Rico and then helped to organize and bring it back and restore it.

A little real life story to go with it too .....

The sad thing later was ... that "restored Delta aircraft" was the backdrop at his memorial service at the Delta hanger a shortly after it was finished and restored.
SR took a lump sum retirement from Delta ... was doing a retirement job and he & the rotary pilot were killed (mechanic in rear survived) in a helicopter crash in the jungles of South America (close to Brazil border). Pilot was killed on impact ... SR (injured) was still alive and mechanic in rear was alive. They did a satellite call back to Gwinnett Office (they called 911 & etc.) and US government would not locate them. It was a bad deal and Brazil went into another county (close to their Border) and got them 2 days later. SR died of exposure before rescue ...and this was a giant international mess too.

Then another Delta pilot buddy, LZ (that I bought my present house from) who worked on that same Delta plane ... LZ an active Delta pilot and was killed in a small plane crash in Forsyth County, when a tail wind pushed them onto a house roof at take off. (2 of my friends in that A/C).

I really like being around and watching the guys restore aircraft and some of the guys at PDK still do it. I have some fun pics at PDK and I will dig them up. We were working on some old A/C and playing with some biplanes a few months ago.

Love those old planes ... especially those rotary engines ... problem is the "oil spitting" on you in an open cockpit biplane.
.

 

I saw the DC-3 in the resto hanger when I worked in ATL ... gorgeous aircraft

I didn't know that part of the story, thanks

For those interested:

https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/exhibits/aircraft/dc-3-ship-41