what is/was your dream flying job ?
Join Date: May 2002
Location: New Zealand
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This has been posted before on pprune........ still a timely reminder worth reading:
Grass is always Greener:
One fine hot Summer’s afternoon saw a Cessna 150 flying circuits at a quiet country airfield. The Instructor was getting quite bothered with the student’s inability to hold circuit height in the thermals and was getting impatient at sometimes having to take over the controls. Just then he saw a twin engine Cessna 5,000ft above him and thought "Another 1,000 hrs of this and I qualify for that twin charter job! Aaahh.. to be a real pilot.. going somewhere!"
The Cessna 402 was already late and the boss told him this charter was for one of the Company’s premier clients. He’d already set MCT and the cylinders didn’t like it in the heat of this Summer’s day. He was at 6,000ft and the winds were now a 20kt headwind. Today was the 6th day straight and he was pretty damn tired. Maybe if he got 10,000ft out of them the wind might die off... geez those cylinder temps! He looked out momentarily and saw a B737 leaving a contrail at 33,000ft in the serene blue sky. "Oh man" he thought, "My interview is next month. I hope I just don’t blow it! Outa G/A, nice jet job, above the weather... no snotty passengers to wait for.. aahhh."
The Boeing 737 bucked and weaved in the heavy CAT at FL330 and ATC advised that lower levels were not available due traffic. The Captain, who was only recently advised that his destination was below RVR minimums had slowed to LRC to try and hold off a possible inflight diversion, and arrange an ETA that would helpfully ensure the fog had lifted to CATII minima. The Company negotiations broke down yesterday and looked as if everyone was going to take a damn pay cut. The F/O’s will be particularly hard hit as their pay wasn’t anything to speak of anyway. Finally deciding on a speed compromise between LRC and turbulence penetration, the Captain looked up and saw Concorde at Mach 2+. Tapping his F/O’s shoulder as the 737 took another bashing, he said "Now THAT’S what we should be on... huge pay packet... super fast... not too many routes... not too many sectors... above the CAT... yep! What a life...!"
FL590 was not what he wanted anyway and considered FL570. Already the TAT was creeping up again and either they would have to descend or slow down. That damn rear fuel transfer pump was becoming unreliable and the F/E had said moments ago that the radiation meter was not reading numbers that he’d like to see. Concorde descended to FL570 but the radiation was still quite high even though the Notam indicated hunky dory below FL610. Fuel flow was up and the transfer pump was intermittent. Evening turned into night as they passed over the Atlantic. Looking up, the F/O could see a tiny white dot moving against the backdrop of a myriad of stars. "Hey Captain" he called as he pointed. "Must be the Shuttle. "The Captain looked for a moment and agreed. Quietly he thought how a Shuttle mission, whilst complicated, must be the be all and end all in aviation. Above the crap, no radiation problems, no damn fuel transfer problems... aaah. Must be a great way to earn a quid."
Discovery was into its 27th orbit and perigee was 200ft out from nominated rendezvous altitude with the commsat. The robot arm was virtually U/S and a walk may become necessary. The 200ft predicted error would necessitate a corrective burn and Discovery needed that fuel if a walk was to be required. Houston continually asked what the Commander wanted to do but the advice they proffered wasn’t much help. The Commander had already been 12 hours on station sorting out the problem and just wanted 10 bloody minutes to himself to take a leak. Just then a mission specialist, who had tilted the telescope down to the surface for a minute or two, called the Commander to the scope. "Have a look at this Sir, isn’t this the kinda flying you said you wanted to do after you finish up with NASA?" The Commander peered through the telescope and cried "Ooooohhhhh yeah! Now THAT’S flying! Man, that’s what its all about! Geez I’d give my left nut just to be doing THAT down there!" What the Discovery Commander was looking at? A Cessna 150 flying circuits at a quiet country airfield on a nice bright sunny afternoon.
Grass is always Greener:
One fine hot Summer’s afternoon saw a Cessna 150 flying circuits at a quiet country airfield. The Instructor was getting quite bothered with the student’s inability to hold circuit height in the thermals and was getting impatient at sometimes having to take over the controls. Just then he saw a twin engine Cessna 5,000ft above him and thought "Another 1,000 hrs of this and I qualify for that twin charter job! Aaahh.. to be a real pilot.. going somewhere!"
The Cessna 402 was already late and the boss told him this charter was for one of the Company’s premier clients. He’d already set MCT and the cylinders didn’t like it in the heat of this Summer’s day. He was at 6,000ft and the winds were now a 20kt headwind. Today was the 6th day straight and he was pretty damn tired. Maybe if he got 10,000ft out of them the wind might die off... geez those cylinder temps! He looked out momentarily and saw a B737 leaving a contrail at 33,000ft in the serene blue sky. "Oh man" he thought, "My interview is next month. I hope I just don’t blow it! Outa G/A, nice jet job, above the weather... no snotty passengers to wait for.. aahhh."
The Boeing 737 bucked and weaved in the heavy CAT at FL330 and ATC advised that lower levels were not available due traffic. The Captain, who was only recently advised that his destination was below RVR minimums had slowed to LRC to try and hold off a possible inflight diversion, and arrange an ETA that would helpfully ensure the fog had lifted to CATII minima. The Company negotiations broke down yesterday and looked as if everyone was going to take a damn pay cut. The F/O’s will be particularly hard hit as their pay wasn’t anything to speak of anyway. Finally deciding on a speed compromise between LRC and turbulence penetration, the Captain looked up and saw Concorde at Mach 2+. Tapping his F/O’s shoulder as the 737 took another bashing, he said "Now THAT’S what we should be on... huge pay packet... super fast... not too many routes... not too many sectors... above the CAT... yep! What a life...!"
FL590 was not what he wanted anyway and considered FL570. Already the TAT was creeping up again and either they would have to descend or slow down. That damn rear fuel transfer pump was becoming unreliable and the F/E had said moments ago that the radiation meter was not reading numbers that he’d like to see. Concorde descended to FL570 but the radiation was still quite high even though the Notam indicated hunky dory below FL610. Fuel flow was up and the transfer pump was intermittent. Evening turned into night as they passed over the Atlantic. Looking up, the F/O could see a tiny white dot moving against the backdrop of a myriad of stars. "Hey Captain" he called as he pointed. "Must be the Shuttle. "The Captain looked for a moment and agreed. Quietly he thought how a Shuttle mission, whilst complicated, must be the be all and end all in aviation. Above the crap, no radiation problems, no damn fuel transfer problems... aaah. Must be a great way to earn a quid."
Discovery was into its 27th orbit and perigee was 200ft out from nominated rendezvous altitude with the commsat. The robot arm was virtually U/S and a walk may become necessary. The 200ft predicted error would necessitate a corrective burn and Discovery needed that fuel if a walk was to be required. Houston continually asked what the Commander wanted to do but the advice they proffered wasn’t much help. The Commander had already been 12 hours on station sorting out the problem and just wanted 10 bloody minutes to himself to take a leak. Just then a mission specialist, who had tilted the telescope down to the surface for a minute or two, called the Commander to the scope. "Have a look at this Sir, isn’t this the kinda flying you said you wanted to do after you finish up with NASA?" The Commander peered through the telescope and cried "Ooooohhhhh yeah! Now THAT’S flying! Man, that’s what its all about! Geez I’d give my left nut just to be doing THAT down there!" What the Discovery Commander was looking at? A Cessna 150 flying circuits at a quiet country airfield on a nice bright sunny afternoon.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: NZ
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I would be the first to agree that it doesnt always appear to be all you thought it would crack up to be.
But to be honest..... after several years on the scene expectations start to change, and heaven forbid we get older
as such so do our commitments outside of work.
As a 16/ 17 year old I would have done anything to get fly a jet but with age I realised that I was going to die eventually and it would be sooner than I had appreciated.... as such I wouldnt see myself in deep dark africa for years flying a big jet for lots of $$$ knowing that in the next decade or two half my family would be gone and myself not all that far away from it either.
Im sure I would love to fly a big jet for big $$$ but at any cost??? Well when im on my death bed in the decades from now the money will be of little help but it will be the memories that remain.
But to be honest..... after several years on the scene expectations start to change, and heaven forbid we get older
as such so do our commitments outside of work. As a 16/ 17 year old I would have done anything to get fly a jet but with age I realised that I was going to die eventually and it would be sooner than I had appreciated.... as such I wouldnt see myself in deep dark africa for years flying a big jet for lots of $$$ knowing that in the next decade or two half my family would be gone and myself not all that far away from it either.
Im sure I would love to fly a big jet for big $$$ but at any cost??? Well when im on my death bed in the decades from now the money will be of little help but it will be the memories that remain.
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: low and heavy
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I always dreamed of a 'stick & rudder' job. The best paying one I could find was an Ag. job so thats what I did. Now I dream of the drought breaking so I can get back to it.
The Reverend
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Sydney,NSW,Australia
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I have a float rating, great fun! However, my dream job was 18,000 hours + as a F/E operating Convair 880, B707, L1011 and B747/100/200/300. I sorely miss it!
FLOATS IT IS. after 18 years of non flying and before that, instructing, charter,coastal surveillance all over AUS, AN: L188, F27, F28 and now after 2 hours thru my FLOT endorsement, FLOATS IT IS!!!!!!!!!
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Still in Paradise
Age: 60
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I want Stallies job..... or his last job.......or the one before that.......
Or Chucks current gig........
.....only I'm too old and too tired....
Mornos is on a good wicket.....SE but top of the tree
Ah **** it, I just wanna FLY!
Or Chucks current gig........
.....only I'm too old and too tired....Mornos is on a good wicket.....SE but top of the tree
Ah **** it, I just wanna FLY!
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Darwin, Australia
Age: 53
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Flying floats - doing it now. Very challanging at times, but incredibly satisfying.
Always learning, great stick and rudder flying, "real" decisions to make. Get to play on and in the water.
When the wx or water is average the company gets great value. When wx or water great getting paid feels like a bonus - gotta live though.
Barefoot pilot.
. Very challanging at times, but incredibly satisfying. Always learning, great stick and rudder flying, "real" decisions to make. Get to play on and in the water.When the wx or water is average the company gets great value. When wx or water great getting paid feels like a bonus - gotta live though.
Barefoot pilot.
I was born decades too late me thinks.
Have my dream job now, but would love to be doing it in a 727!
Even now when I see one unwinding, I've gotta stop what I'm doing and take a look....
Have my dream job now, but would love to be doing it in a 727!
Even now when I see one unwinding, I've gotta stop what I'm doing and take a look....
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Must say my job's not bad.
Zoom around Europe/north Africa/Russia etc in a bizjet.
We do more flying than a standard corporate outfit but a bit less than the lo co's. Admittedly we have a lot more to do than them.
Stallie's job(s) are crackers though!
For those looking at corporate in Oz,
Have a look at TAG
Zoom around Europe/north Africa/Russia etc in a bizjet.
We do more flying than a standard corporate outfit but a bit less than the lo co's. Admittedly we have a lot more to do than them.
Stallie's job(s) are crackers though!
For those looking at corporate in Oz,
Have a look at TAG
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
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I had a hard choice to make last year, having spent years flogging round in the turboprops with not so much as a sniff of a glamourous job, I got offered 3 really good jobs in the space of a fortnight and they couldn't have been more different. Bizjet F/O with Netjets Europe, ATR72 captain with Air Mauritius, or A320 F/O with Easyjet.
The Mauritius thing was pretty much all my lifestyle dreams come true, I'd be quite happy to spend all my life island hopping round some tropical paradise in a big modern turboprop but it paid sfa. European low cost jet operator, lifestyle aint great but it's the best aircraft and potentially the best money if you can get that left seat in a hurry. Netjets, something else again, still jets still in Europe but a lot more interesting lifestyle and much more glamourous sounding than flying hundreds of bogans to spain spain spain spain and more spain.
At the end of the day though I decided my real dreams don't revolve around a "dream job", it's just about getting into a financial position a.s.a.p. where I don't need to work at all. So I had to go with the money job for now, which is the hard work the playstation jet and quick command.
The Mauritius thing was pretty much all my lifestyle dreams come true, I'd be quite happy to spend all my life island hopping round some tropical paradise in a big modern turboprop but it paid sfa. European low cost jet operator, lifestyle aint great but it's the best aircraft and potentially the best money if you can get that left seat in a hurry. Netjets, something else again, still jets still in Europe but a lot more interesting lifestyle and much more glamourous sounding than flying hundreds of bogans to spain spain spain spain and more spain.
At the end of the day though I decided my real dreams don't revolve around a "dream job", it's just about getting into a financial position a.s.a.p. where I don't need to work at all. So I had to go with the money job for now, which is the hard work the playstation jet and quick command.