Best pilot job?

[flying55]

What's the best job as a pilot besides being an airline pilot?

Also where is the best spot in the world to fly.

[Leo777]

It's like asking; how long is a piece of string?

[flying55]

in your opinion

[PBY]

Ryanair cadet

[lk978]

Newly upgraded 767 capt for Qantas....

Sorry, too far?


If this is not a piss take, then it is very offensive to anyone who is an airline pilot or anyone else who has seen the light and is not an airline pilot. Maybe speak to some people before posting rubbish

[VH-XXX]

Someone got out of the bed on the wrong side this morning!


I'm thinking Seaplane pilot in a tropical location. Shorts, shirt and no shoes every day. That would have to be the best pilot job. Airline flying is not for everyone as we all know.

[Lancair70]

Totally agree there XXX, thats my dream job, if only the pay matched the pleasure you got from doing it.
Flying to awesome locations, seeing amazing sights everyday, meeting new people everyday and being their guide/pilot on an adventure of a lifetime for them and fishing/sailing/drinking (possibly all at the same time) on days not flying, that'll do me Jimbo.

[The Green Goblin]

Paspaley Pearls flying the Mallard if you want to fly barefoot :ok:

For me it would have to be flying for a wealthy family to exotic locations earning a lot of money doing as little as possible.

Something like a Gulfstream G650 or a global express would fulfil this quite well.

In all honesty though I think the best way to enjoy aviation would be to have become wealthy externally, and fly for fun.

[redsnail]

I reckon Compressor Stall has an awesome job. :ok:

[wishiwasupthere]

Twin Otter flying in the Maldives. Or military fast jet!

[falconx]

Beaver in the whitsundays? Sorry this not a pissing match

[SgtBundy]

Beaver in the whitsundays?

Sure it would be a great job, but what has this got to do with flying?

Oh... that Beaver.

[Piano Man]

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/9786/dsc0291kq.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/198/dsc0291kq.jpg/)
Was trying to avoid doing this but as someone has mentioned floats, beavers, and the Whitsundays...

...I'm sorry guys. I will now go to the back of the room!

[falconx]

Performing a safety demonstration?

[adsyj]

Oh Piano Man you suck;)

I agree with XXX and the others, you only have to look at Piano Mans photos and you start to salivate. Good luck to you brother.

Apart from that I was once told RFDS was the best gig, is this true?

[Checkboard]

Mate of mine had a job living on a luxury Fiji Island resort, flying a Cessna 337 out to the main island to pick up guests. When the Island was empty (fairly often) you got to live in the luxury huts, swim on the beach, fish and whatnot. Very little actual work involved :ok:

[Chimbu chuckles]

For me it would have to be flying for a wealthy family to exotic locations earning a lot of money doing as little as possible.

Something like a Gulfstream G650 or a global express would fulfil this quite well.

GG the reality of that job is effective 24/7 standby interspersed with flying that is not limited by ANY FTLs.

I guess some people like that lifestyle.

In truth there is no correct answer...its extremely subjective.

[Trevor the lover]

Quote:
For me it would have to be flying for a wealthy family to exotic locations earning a lot of money doing as little as possible.

Something like a Gulfstream G650 or a global express would fulfil this quite well. GG the reality of that job is effective 24/7 standby interspersed with flying that is not limited by ANY FTLs.

Not necessarily so Chimbu - the statement in the box sums up my job perfectly!!!:8

[Homesick-Angel]

Would everyone shut the hell up about float work... Its terrible and no-one would or could ever enjoy it....
Thank you..

[DBTW]

By far the best flying job ever, (infinitely more fun than hauling rubber dog sh1t out of Hong Kong or carrying any form of talking baggage in any kind of large transport aircraft under any circumstance,) is to fly fast jets off big grey war canoes.:)

[Fantome]

A gliding instructor based here in the summer and in France or Spain in the summer . . something like Ingo Renner had stitched up.

Even though I flew Beavers for three years with immense satisfaction, docking in Trinity Inlet with tide, wind and current all conflicting and with no friggin' dockhand to catch you turned me prematurely grey. (On one occasion 'The Shark' who'd been out on the reef three days marlin fishing, sitting in the right seat was NOT impressed. I was going to ask him if he knew how I could correct my swing, but thought better of it when I saw the mood he was in. Not a man for idle persifilage.)

I still say the joys of soaring flight exceed all others.

(Would love to know just how a carrier landing can induce all three of those
claimed benefits. Imagine if you pulled it off as described . . then some C landed on top of you or smashed into you. What would the pathologist make of the contents of your underdungers , BA?)

[training wheels]

Yes, this is purely subjective but consider myself lucky to be able to fly an RPT 60 seater turboprop as an F/O, and also instruct ab-initio students at our airline's flight school in a C172. One week, I could be doing circuits with pre-solo students; the next week conducting a VOR/DME or ILS approach down to minima with a full load of passengers down the back. It's the best of both worlds and adds variety to the type of flying I do during the month. I don't think this type of operation happens a lot around the world, but here in Indonesia, it's the norm for airline owned flight schools to call upon line pilots to instuct at their flight school as well.

[chimbu warrior]

I think if you asked pilots "where are you hoping to move up to next" and one of them replied "nowhere, I am perfectly happy here" then that is the perfect job (in one person's opinion at least).

[haughtney1]

The ideal? well the most money with the least amount of ball ache and plenty of time with the family. Presently that means my current job.
GG, Chuck is right, the reality of most corporate/private work is 24/7 you are connected to your stress berry etc, there is no escape.

[Capt Fathom]

Flying a Bou in the RAAF. Landing where it's hot wet and tight, and with 12 inches at idle

Rescued by a Chinook no doubt? :E

[John Eacott]

Brian,

5 years of carrier ops for me, the stiff wing drivers earned their pay on Non Diversion Flying but they all look the same on the end of a winch wire ;)

Although this forum is slightly FW centric, there is little true flying around as good as most rotary jobs. Fire ops, any Navy stuff, ambulance work, filming, sling loads, Antarctic ops, SAR, the list goes on.

I certainly enjoy it more than FW, even being thrown onto the deck at night in the looker's seat :p

[redsnail]

I'm lucky in that while I fly around in a biz jet, I am also subject to FTLs. None of this 24/7 malarky. I like my job, I wouldn't mind the G-550 (or G-650) or a Global. Just for something different.

International Hog Driver has a great gig too.

[John Citizen]

What's the best job as a pilot besides being an airline pilot?

Airline pilot is the best job as a pilot ?:confused:

Strongly disagree.

It might be one of the better paid jobs as a pilot, with good perks but I wouldn't agree it is the best job as a pilot.

[Ejector]

International Hog Driver has a great gig too.

Care to share what you are talking about red?

[j3pipercub]

Best job? Mine :E

400 hours a year, 130k, every weekend and public holiday off. Lets me do the fun stuff like riding motorbikes and real flying on the weekends (read things built before 1950) :O

I will have to be crow-barred out of this job.

j3

[redsnail]

Ejector, he's flying a nice Falcon 2000 EASy in QLD.

[pull-up-terrain]

Working with this mob would be my dream job

'Keeping Up with the Joneses' Promo: First look - YouTube

[4Greens]

Good idea but not many war canoes around unless you are a US citizen. Flying off is the easy bit, getting back on is the tricky bit.

[tinpis]

Tankers en plein ciel 2/5 727 Transafrik / Air Gemini - YouTube

[TOUCH-AND-GO]

Actually, just having a flying job is the best job in the world. :D

Would everyone shut the hell up about float work... Its terrible and no-one would or could ever enjoy it....
Thank you..
Whats wrong with it? Should I reconsider getting a float plane endorsement :sad:

[haughtney1]

Gentleman's hours for the most part, but then there are the all nighters trans-pacific or trying to get through to Mumbai on HF along with what feels like half the EK airbus fleet!

At least Hoggie, its only a 7 hr-ish jet, any longer than that and you need to be able to stand up and pee:E (or wake the boss up on the way to the one at the back:ok:)
I always liked the 2000 more than the 900, but the low VFE on them is a pain if you don't like those two stage AB's
If you do have a good boss, then a corporate gig beats an airline flogging every time, it does however get a bit stressful when the boss is running out of cash however:confused:

[Howard Hughes]

Apart from that I was once told RFDS was the best gig, is this true?
No, no...it's crap, honest.;)

[Turkeyslapper]

Sar/ems.....5 months work a year,Single pilot ils in crap weather one moment, nvg winch or landing on a highway at night the next and achieving something pretty worthwhile at the same time:ok:

Wouldn't want to do anything else.....exept earn some tax free dosh in the sandpit:E

[das Uber Soldat]

Best job? Mine

400 hours a year, 130k, every weekend and public holiday off. Lets me do the fun stuff like riding motorbikes and real flying on the weekends (read things built before 1950)

I will have to be crow-barred out of this job.

j3
But you have to fly in the dark, and thats scary. :}

[Howard Hughes]

But you have to fly in the dark, and thats scary.
There are aircraft that fly in the daytime?;)

[j3pipercub]

I hear from a friend in the RFDS that EMS helicopter blades don't create lift after dark...

It's nice flying at night, direct everywhere, no holding. There was a thing over on the Freight Dog forum 'You know you're a freight dog if...'

I reckon it's the best kept secret of aviation.

[Brian Abraham]

I hear from a friend in the RFDS that EMS helicopter blades don't create lift after darkSo why's the guys from Latrobe waking me from my slumbers at all hours of the night? On nights when I'm very, very glad it's them and not me I might add (weather, and foul as only Gippsland can make it). Thumbs up PV if you are still there.

[Gnadenburg]

Dragonair has a part time scheme. You probably get the same pay or more than a Jetstar Capt. Month on and month off with a months leave. So 5 months work for the year.

The souring note being you still have to fly into China.

[Homesick-Angel]

Should I reconsider getting a float plane endorsement

Yep.. Sun, sand , beautiful scandinavian Bonnie's at every turn.. You'd hate it..:ok:

[Trojan1981]

InTheWeeds said
From all the flying I have done nothing has come close to conducting a life saving AME or disaster relief.

Pretty rewarding stuff.

I reckon the EMS/rescue guys have the best gigs


I would have to agree. My first SAR operation was as a volunteer crewman on the 1998 Sydney to Hobart, and after watching those Pilots and Paramedics in action I was filled with respect and awe. I can't think of a more satisfying job.


Flying from war canoes must be the pinnacle of fixed-wing aviation; unfortunately not available to us these days. But then you are a very, very lucky bastard, aren't you DBTW?! :)