What do you do for a living?

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Jason Oliver

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baaaark
Okay, so this is a personal question. But I feel its okay to ask that as the nature of a forum is that where if you don't feel like answering, you can just not post. No confrontation, no awkward silences, etc.

So what do you people on here do for a living to make enough money to afford to fly? I work at a very low-paying job, and it would literally cost a quarter to half of what I make in a year to get certified, and I could fly for about 3-4 hours on a rental plane with one week's paycheck :). I'm okay with this, I'm going to school to better my income and all, but I want to know how much it takes to be able to afford to fly. Its not exactly an inexpensive hobby, but I'm sure its more affordable than some think it to be. I just don't know how expensive (or inexpensive) it is.

So if anyone who is comfortable sharing that sort of information (maybe not your own personal info, but a rough estimate of what it takes) would please reply, I'd appreciate it.
 
I teach people how to get high. That's quite an advancement in my career. It used to be, I only ran drugs for a living.

I'm not getting rich at it but I make a comfortable income and sure as heck love what I do.

Oh, I guess I should mention... I'm a full-time flight instructor and formerly was a courier handling hospice meds, primarily Schedule II narcotics. Only once did I want any for myself. Gall stones are killer!
 
I don't know where you live, but with some effort and a good instructor you should still be able to get your private certificate for around 5000 bucks here.

Oh, and I'm a middle man.
 
Jason, I am a lawyer now, but I surely wish I had gotten my license when I was younger and had no other responsibilities. If you wait until you can afford it, you may never make it happen.
 
I manage a hardware engineering development team for telecommunication equipment.

I agree with SCCutler, once you have a family, kids, house etc... it does not get any easier. As income increases, typically expenses do as well.
 
EdFred said:
I don't know where you live, but with some effort and a good instructor you should still be able to get your private certificate for around 5000 bucks here.

Oh, and I'm a middle man.
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Make that a third of what I make in a year... I know, I know.

I get what y'all are saying. And Spike (can I call you Spike?), that's some great advice, and a perspective I hadn't really thought of. I've never been in a situation where I had more money than time (right now its definitely more time than money). I graduate in 2 years, and It'll be in computer networking. Maybe then I'll be at that perfect balance where I have both time and money (or maybe I'll have neither...lol) :)

Right now I view children more like something that is a punishment for shoplifting. They're fun and all until they start crying and you can't give them back to their parents (cause you ARE the parents) :) I have no GF or anything, so unless something drastically changes in the next few years, I think I'll have a good window where I'm still baggage-free.
 
flight instructor here. very very little of my flying is on my dime. problem is of course that you gotta come up with the cash ahead of time to get to that point. unfortunate family circumstances took care of that for me. but i dont think there has ever been a time when flying has gotten cheaper. and no one has ever told me that they wished they had gotten their certificate later in life.
 
I understand IT guys do quite well. Chuck is cornering the real estate market in all of New England. :)
 
EdFred said:
I don't know where you live, but with some effort and a good instructor you should still be able to get your private certificate for around 5000 bucks here.

Oh, and I'm a middle man.
Click to expand...
Jason works at Gaston's.

And I'm in software development, and my wife's in health care. We both work for not-for-profits, so the funds can be tight at times, but we can always cut back on non-essentials like eating! :)
 
I'm not sure what you mean by "make enough money to afford to fly", as if that amount actually exists :rofl:

I am a low-level bureaucrat, or a upper-level ground-pounder, depending on whether you are asking me, or my employees :D

My avatar in my signature is a hint.
 
I make music and fly airplanes for a living. I'm a recording engineer and a ferry pilot. I'm coming up on my one year anniversary.....I haven't paid to fly since July of '07
 
I'm a scientist, love the work but the pay aint great.

Heres a few tips to help save that money for flying.

1. If you have kids , do your bit for the obesity epidemic, feed them every
other day.
2. You can make really tasty stews with "PAL" dogfood ... if you use
enough chillie.
3. Stop spending so much money at Christmas.... convert to Islam
4. Get rich playing slot machines.. all you need is a quarter and a piece
of string.
5. Hang a sign saying "Blind Pilot" around your neck and sit in the mall
with dark sun glasses and a bowl on the floor.
6. There are 24 hours in a day, theres no reason the wife cant work
2 jobs ( hope she isnt reading this :rolleyes:)

I'm sure others can add to the list
 
Dir of IT for a large law firm, and flight instructor on the side. I did the "pay-as-you-go" scheme for all my training, which took me many years. However, I was debt free when finished. For the Private license I spent a little over a year between job stuff, bad Wx, et al, before I finished. When I couldn't fly I rode with the other students my flight instructor - and his instructor buddies - had, which kept my head in the game. Also, I read anything about flying I could get my hands on, including outdated materials (excluding regs) at the FBO.

Best of luck, and keep in touch with us here at PoA.
 
OK Jason
Heres my serious answer. Dont listen to anyone who says you have to fly x hours a week in order to learn efficiently. Whilst it is absolutely true, for most people it wont happen if you have to save up for it, you will always find higher priorities for your money. If you really love flying as much as I did , and still do, it doesnt matter how long it takes, as the journey is the reward in itself. I soloed after 12 months with 19 hrs. Then after 3 yrs and 57 hrs I got my GFPT ( in australia that lets you fly with a passenger in a restricted training area). Then got my PPL after 5 years and 120 hrs. Thats less than 30 hrs a year average but it was all I could afford. I loved every minute of it and I got there in the end.. just by taking lessons when I could afford to. So dont even think about the total cost, just find that $150 for the first lesson and take it from there.
Good Luck
 
I'm a computer consultant for a small firm that subcontracts for several larger companies. My entire career has been in IT; I spent 15 years as a mainframe systems programmer, then moved into Unix systems administration. Yeah, I make enough now to be able to afford to buy a new airplane (taking delivery today! :yes: ), but I got my private ticket 20 years ago when I wasn't. I got lucky: a job change produced a few thousand bucks extra, which I dedicated to getting the ticket.

I chose to wait till I knew I could afford to finish before I started. In the end, you need to make that decision for your own circumstances; if you can only afford a few hours here and there, go ahead and go for it. It might well take you longer in the end, but you will be flying.
 
I'm an engineer for a company that happens to have a good flying club that makes flying significantly more affordable.

Most pilots I know aren't rich, they're just dedicated to it. Becoming a professional pilot, like pretty much almost any other field, requires a significant outlay of money to get the initial training, but there is nothing that says at what pace you need to do that. If you're going to school while working at Gaston's, you probably don't have a ton of time anyway. So, schedule yourself a 1-hour lesson per week if you can swing that. That's how my boss learned to fly when he was in high school, and I know people who are learning to fly with a lesson every few weeks. As efficient? No, it's not, but flying isn't necessarily about efficiency, it is also about fun. In fact, if the fun gets taken out of flying, it probably means you're doing something wrong.

There's also nothing that says you need to get anything more than your private pilot's license, and just fly on perfect days. A lot of people I know do that, too.
 
Jason Oliver said:
So what do you people on here do for a living to make enough money to afford to fly?
Click to expand...
I'm a nurse and my husband is a retired school teacher and active flight instructor. Therefore we basically don't have much money. But flying is a priority/way of life for us, so we don't have fancy stuff. The expression, "I drive an old car so that I can afford an old airplane" applies to us.
 
I'm a Structural Engineer,... just passed my Licensing exams about a year and a half ago. I have twin daughters, and my wife stay's home, since day-care is so expensive. For the past 4 years, I've worked two jobs to make things meet, but things are getting better now, and that tight budget is getting relaxed a little.

I saved monthly for almost a year so I could get my training done as efficently as possible, and studied along the way when I could. I tried a few flight schools, and found one that suits my needs and had older planes at a cheaper rate (not the case anymore with fuel). My wife's been very understanding and I've typically been able to fly twice a week, for at least an hour or more each lesson, starting in January of this year. Fortunately, my funds lasted just about the right amount, and I'm scheduled for my checkride Thursday.

Trouble is, once my saved funds are up, and they will be by the end of June, I'll be able to fly about 4 hrs per month,.. maybe more here and there depending on overtime and how the gas situation turns out as summer progresses. So,.. that means I can bore holes in the sky 4 times for an hour,... or maybe go on a nice XC to meet up with the Northeast Flyers,... gonna be tough,.. but as others mentioned, you give up something feed the addition/need/hobby,... (I sold RC planes, books, CD's, anything I could find on Ebay or flea markets for a while)

I plan to take short hops (50nm) to get something to eat with my wife or friends, and build time/save money again to shoot for the Instrument Rating in 2 yrs. The cycle begins again.....
 
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Hubby and I are "software engineers". He programs for a small company that makes aviation and marine gps and weather software. I test medical imaging software for a multi-national company. We both came to the realization late in life that we wanted to fly, so we had the money and the time (4 weeks+ of vacation time) to get our certificates at a time in life when there are still a few synapses firing.

We have four adult children and about 10 (synapses haven't woken up yet) grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren all living more than 900 miles from us, so the plane (c-172) shortens the travel time to about 1/2 when going to visit.

We keep current with weekend flights with friends for lunch or dinner or sightseeing. Recently, we volunteered to fly animal rescue flights, but so far we haven't picked up any animals.
 
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I did my Private when I was single, employed as an intern architect. The pay was dismal for professionals in general, but I lived simply. Even after getting married I managed to get my Instrument, Commercial, and CFI. But that was before having a kid and becoming self-employed. Starting a business is definitely not good for expensive hobbies, but at least I'm making progress on my homebuilt.
 
I am the Director of Educational Services for a software company that makes membership databases for health clubs and fitness centers. I develop training materials for our consultants and our customers to use, I lead several live web seminars each week, I'm in charge of our internal employee training, and I write our company's employee newsletter.

I wound up taking out a loan to pay for my PPL because I wanted to make sure I got it done quickly. If it can be avoided, I would recommend against going this route. I did it because my girlfriend and I were starting to get serious and I was afraid that if I didn't do it then, I would get married and have kids and not be able to do it for many years. Ultimately, I'm glad I did get my certificate, but the trade-off is now I can only afford to fly about 2 hrs per month while I pay off my loan and a few other debts. I should have these things all taken care of in about 6 months to a year, but then I'll have an engagement ring and wedding to save up for. So, it will be a while before I can afford to fly more than I do now, but the good news is that I have my license and will have it forever, so it will be easier to get proficient again once I can afford to fly some more.

In the mean-time, I do stay connected through podcasts, forums, and literature, so I'm always thinking about flying even when I can't find myself in the cockpit. I also bum rides off of friends whenever I can :).
 
I'm a corporate who, uh, I mean, cog.

--

I work in Global Operations for a big multinational firm in the paper products industry. I'm 25% law, 25% finance, 25% strategic planning, 25% M&A, and 25% administrivia. I am a reformed IT geek, who started out life writing device drivers and teaching engineers how to work with high end Digital UNIX products. Now? I spend my life in Excel.

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
t0r0nad0 said:
I wound up taking out a loan to pay for my PPL because I wanted to make sure I got it done quickly. If it can be avoided, I would recommend against going this route. I did it because my girlfriend and I were starting to get serious and I was afraid that if I didn't do it then, I would get married and have kids and not be able to do it for many years. Ultimately, I'm glad I did get my certificate, but the trade-off is now I can only afford to fly about 2 hrs per month while I pay off my loan and a few other debts. I should have these things all taken care of in about 6 months to a year, but then I'll have an engagement ring and wedding to save up for. So, it will be a while before I can afford to fly more than I do now, but the good news is that I have my license and will have it forever, so it will be easier to get proficient again once I can afford to fly some more.
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Interestingly, I've picked up the pace on my training and doing other things that heavy involvement with females tends to hinder since I broke off my engagement. This way, I'm more likely to have it be a part of my life that's been around longer than whoever I end up dating next. :D

My ex was encouraging about flying until she thought that she had me roped in enough that she could stop acting nice and start acting like a wife.
 
astanley said:
I'm a corporate who, uh, I mean, cog.

--

I work in Global Operations for a big multinational firm in the paper products industry. I'm 25% law, 25% finance, 25% strategic planning, 25% M&A, and 25% administrivia. I am a reformed IT geek, who started out life writing device drivers and teaching engineers how to work with high end Digital UNIX products. Now? I spend my life in Excel.

Cheers,

-Andrew
Click to expand...

Hopefully the 25% that is finance/math isn't the most important 25%. :rofl::rofl:
 
What do I do for a living?

Well I fly, I play music, I scuba dive, I ride bikes, I travel.

But for money I have to do other stuff.

My job is NOT my life, it is not my 'living' and it is not how I define myself. My job is a means to provide the living that I want.

Don't fall into the trap that we are our jobs. Those jobs are only temporary anyways. Someday you will retire, if you were your job, your life after your job can be a sad lonely one.

My $.02
 
Right NOW, I am a full-time college student, part-time IT grunt, and part-time city transit bus driver.

I got my PP-ASEL in summer 2000 when I got my first IT internship. I was making decent money for a college sophomore/junior and I was able to live at home with my parents. All my money went towards flying. I was new to the area so I didn't have lots of friends to worry about hanging out or boozing with nor a female to keep happy ;), which helped keep the cash from disappearing. I found a local club (cheaper rates) and was able to fly 2-3 times per week in their 152. Doing it this way, I went from first-lesson to checkride in about 2.5 months and 40.1 hrs.

I eventually quit school to get a grasp on what I really wanted to do in life and got a grunt job paying ~$40k/yr in the agricultural industry. I also got married. All of this put a dent in the flying budget. If my dad and I hadn't built an RV-7A, I probably wouldn't have been able to afford to fly more than a few hours/month. My wife finally gave me the nudge to get my IR a few falls ago, so we saved all my overtime pay and I was able to do the IR (in the RV, of course) in a couple of months.

After 3 years of 70hr weeks, I have quit grunt work and my wife and I have both returned to school. This has put a MAJOR dent in the flying budget. Basically, I only fly when I 'need' to these days. I flew with Tony a couple of months ago to get IR current (though not proficient), and that's about the only flying I've done this year. Summer classes (for me) will be done this week and I will be able to start working 40 hrs/week next week, so flying money should be a little easier to get a handle on. My wife is nudging me to get my Comm and CFI done this summer -- if not now, then when!? Hopefully nothing major comes up, and I can blow our rainy day fund on that and hopefully get paid to fly every once in a while to feed the habit.

The fact of the matter is -- you're NEVER going to have 'enough' money to fly. You have to make cuts elsewhere. You can't go flying during the week and then go partying with buddies on the weekend. The cash has to come from somewhere, and unless you have a cash tree in your backyard, you will have to scrounge to do it.

More power to you! I hope you find a way to make it work. One thing is for sure, though, once you get started, you WILL find a way to keep going! :yes:
 
I'm an egg farmer.


I had an outstanding mentor/professor in college that made us spend a week doing a thoughtful "bucket list", and flying was on my list. I was 26 and had a short term consulting gig when I was between jobs that left me with plenty of time and money. I trucked on down to the airport and got my PPL, bought a plane, and got my IR. 600 hours later and still going strong.


James Dean
 
CJones said:
...My wife finally gave me the nudge to get my IR a few falls ago...My wife is nudging me to get my Comm and CFI done this summer...
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Chris,

you are damn lucky to have her.
 
I am a law enforcement officer, but I don't make enough money from that to fly. I moonlight as an instructor for a law enforcement academy and that pays for the fly habbit. The academy job paid for my flight lessons and my first two airplanes. But with the cost of flying these days I am looking at going experimental light sport. You might check with your local FBO that does flight training and see about going to work for him. I have heard of guys/gals trading work time for flight time.
 
I'm currently working as a project manager on two distinct projects for a major auto manufacturer.

One project is a global project working with a great group of industrial engineers. This has allowed me to work with some great folks all around the world.

The other project, which I co-designed, is going to launch tomorrow at 8:00 am. Wish me luck on this one!
 
I'm an engineer working for the largest semiconductor manufacturer in the world. I'm involved in standards and regulations for electromagnetic compatibility. Like Scott, I spend too much time in aluminum mailing tubes and not enough time in the left seat. But, it pays the bills.

I started training for my private certificate when I was 48 and passed my check ride 2 days after turning 49. Something I'd wanted to do since I was a kid. Just had to wait until time and money came together at the same time. Raising a family took precedence (as it should for a married man).

Do it when you can. Scrimp, save, fly when you can, study when you can't. But finish college first if necessary. That degree will help with whatever you decide to do in the future. Younger is better than older, but do it when you can.

And stick around here. Lots of folks infected with this disease we call aviation who will be happy to encourage you.
 
I'm a risk specialist for an international bank. My current job is restructuring large corporations so they can make enough money to repay our loans, and collecting from those who can't.

I waited until later in life, after the kids were grown and gone and I had the time and money to afford it. Rented for 7 years and then bought into a partnership 3 years ago.
 
Currently a Operations Manager and Senior Wireless Engineer for a small telecommunications firm in Arizona. I'm working with satellite communications, point-to-point microwave systems, and developing new services like hosted Voice over IP and e-mail for schools and businesses.

I also run a photography business part-time. I shoot landscapes and abstracts for gallery sales, model portfolios, and the occasional wedding and family portrait package. I'm currently making a move into commercial photography, targeting advertisement and stock sales.

Been flying since 2003 but I've tailed it off as I've invested more money and time into my photography business.
 
I go to school. pay stinks, but it looks good on a resume.
 
I'm a physics professor. It's not a high-paying line of work. After surviving the ultra-low-pay world of graduate school, I got a job for one year in Antarctica, where I drew a paycheck but had no living expenses at all. All that money just filled up in the bank for 12 months. Many of my colleagues used their 12-month cash influx to pay off their house or buy a boat or something... When I got back, I spent it all on flying lessons, and have no regrets. It was a short-term thing (similar to the people who go work on oil rigs or who come up here to Alaska for a summer to can fish or work on the North Slope) which got me off the ground financially.

--Kath
 
smigaldi said:
What do I do for a living?

Well I fly, I play music, I scuba dive, I ride bikes, I travel.

But for money I have to do other stuff.

My job is NOT my life, it is not my 'living' and it is not how I define myself. My job is a means to provide the living that I want.

Don't fall into the trap that we are our jobs. Those jobs are only temporary anyways. Someday you will retire, if you were your job, your life after your job can be a sad lonely one.

My $.02
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+1

I'm an attorney, which picks up the tab for the things I enjoy.
 
I forgot to ask, what are your flying goals? If you are looking to fly for fun and are not planing on making a career out of it, look into getting your light sport license first. This can be done a lot cheaper and you can buy E-LSA for less than $10K for a single place and less than $12K for two place. Your light sport license will cost you less than $3K here in the midwest.
 
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