What do you do for living (or used to)?

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tonynsx

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tony
Just want to start a new post. Sorry if this was asked before. Just like the title says, what do you do for living or used to do if you're retired?

I was an AH-64D Apache helicopter mechanic in the Army (https://www.boeing.com/defense/ah-64-apache/). Did that for 6 years, then I did some DoD contract work in Iraq. Now I'm working as an IT Systems Administrator.

I have my commercial pilot's license, IFR rated, multi-engine. Only about 300 hours. I haven't flown in almost 10 years.
 
Interesting, keep them coming. If you own an airplane, don't be shy to post that also.
 
kayoh190 said:
Very nice! Always loved the NSX.

I'm a pilot for a living.
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What do you fly if you don't mind me asking? I like the original NSX, especially the type R, I don't like the new one.
 
CFI, charter, sales demo pilot.

Oh wait, that was 1971-72. The next 45 years are kind of a blur. I think I was a lawyer, or something. But that's not important now (as Carl Sandburg would attest).

That was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.
 
tonynsx said:
What do you fly if you don't mind me asking? I like the original NSX, especially the type R, I don't like the new one.
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When I was in college I had a work friend that owned a white '94. He let me drive it from time to time, including at a track weekend. What an awesome handling machine. My work airplane is a 737, which doesn't handle nearly as well. It'll go a little faster in a straight line though. ;)
 
Mechanical Engineer, working on Industrial automation.

CPL-IA Own a Skywagon, working on my Multi.
 
kayoh190 said:
When I was in college I had a work friend that owned a white '94. He let me drive it from time to time, including at a track weekend. What an awesome handling machine. My work airplane is a 737, which doesn't handle nearly as well. It'll go a little faster in a straight line though. ;)
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Cool, 737? Southwest?
 
dbahn said:
Tow pilot.

Oh, wait! That's what I do AFTER making a living as an orthopedic surgeon.
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Can you fix my knee? I went to a surgeon locally and he specializes in replacements and he didnt feel comfortable fixing mine. I think its mostly meniscus soup in there and some strange bone growth on the aft side of the patella.
 
I work in a button factory.

First, I chuck a hunk of plastic into the lathe. After it's turned down into a nice, flat circle, I move over to the drill press, and drill two symmetrical holes.

There. One button, ready to be packaged and shipped.

I don't enter the shipping department. The Oompa Loompas take care of that.
 
Non Compos Mentis said:
I work in a button factory.

First, I chuck a hunk of plastic into the lathe. After it's turned down into a nice, flat circle, I move over to the drill press, and drill two symmetrical holes.

There. One button, ready to be packaged and shipped.

I don't enter the shipping department. The Oompa Loompas take care of that.
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Sounds similar to when I worked in a can factory. We took billet aluminum rod and turned it down to .007" sidewall thickness. Boom one can. I still cry to this day when I see someone crush a can.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Sounds similar to when I worked in a can factory. We took billet aluminum rod and turned it down to .007" sidewall thickness. Boom one can. I still cry to this day when I see someone crush a can.
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Ball cans? Who, as I understand the folk lore, bought the process from Coors?
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Mechanical Engineer, working on Industrial automation.
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Ditto, though my degree is actually in aerospace engineering. When not daydreaming about flying my Hatz biplane, I design the machines that make some parts that are almost certainly in your car if it was built in the last 10 years.
 
gkainz said:
Ball cans? Who, as I understand the folk lore, bought the process from Coors?
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Yes. The factory is just thousands of lathes and machinists turning down one can at a time. Piles of chips. :D ;)
 
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NJP_MAN said:
Can you fix my knee? I went to a surgeon locally and he specializes in replacements and he didnt feel comfortable fixing mine. I think its mostly meniscus soup in there and some strange bone growth on the aft side of the patella.
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Some things are harder to fix than others, and some things really can't be "fixed" as such. But no, I'm retired and have let my malpractice insurance, my state license, and my dangerous drug prescription license all expire - i.e. die a natural death.
 
I'm always impressed with what other people do.

I'm the kind of guy who looks around and no matter what a person does, most of the time says "that sounds like fun".

I work for an insurance company. Originally in IT but moved to operations 20 years ago. When I leave the office I run a small landcare business, primarily mowing, around 80 accounts, and love every minute of it.

There was a time I wanted to fly helicopters for a living. Was ready to walk out the door. Man, that was a close call.
 
I maintain the T6 simulators for the Air force but as a contractor. I was active duty in the Air force as a mechanic on the flight line.
 
tonynsx said:
Cool, 737? Southwest?
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Nah, one of the other ones.

I wonder what my life would be like today if I had stayed a software developer. Probably still living in Austin I suppose.
 
Software Engineer - databases
Air Intercept Controller/Avionics Tech - USN
Lineman, power line construction
Redneck farm kid
 
Software engineer ( originally game/simulations development , now business/finances)
 
dbahn said:
Some things are harder to fix than others, and some things really can't be "fixed" as such. But no, I'm retired and have let my malpractice insurance, my state license, and my dangerous drug prescription license all expire - i.e. die a natural death.
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Well I suppose I'll just have to amputate it myself. Do you recommend and specific cauterizing techniques or will just any old MAP gas torch work?
 
I used to be a software engineer, then systems architect. Now I am a CTO, which essentially means a combination of technical kibitzer and curmudgeon.
 
I farm. Corn and soybeans. I have my training done; just waiting to get my checkride done in a couple weeks. Hard to schedule around harvest, dpe schedule, and club plane schedule.
This photo is from last fall with my oldest:
IMG_20181013_152849607.jpg
And this was my view a couple days ago, finishing filling a grain bin:
KIMG0387.JPG
 
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