What is your ideal LIFESTYLE job?

Bob A. Booey · Post by **Bob A. Booey** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:10 pm

So we all know that guy who has a severe hard-on for 747s, that gal that just has to jump in a Lear 45 ASAP...but is anyone out there chasing a lifestyle job? If so, fill me in.

Allow me to explain...I've had the opportunity to be exposed to all kinds of aviation operations both as an aviator and as a professional desk/ground monkey. But at the end of the day, I just enjoy aviation...a given, of course. So the hunt for me, is a lifestyle. I don't want/need to live in a big city, I value my time off immensely as I have plenty of pursuits that add to my contentment. I don't yearn for a fancy new car, an extravagant house, or a captains hat that will make my fellow aviators jealous. Just a decent income, an adequate home (maybe near a nice lake) perhaps my own tailtragger once my hair gets a little greyer, and a little peace of mind at the end of the day.

I'm not chasing an airplane, I don't need to be a jetsetter off to some exotic destination, mach .92 isn't going to make me any happier than mach .29. I don't mind going on an adventure or two but at the end of that stint, be back in my little town enjoying life outside of aviation.
I want to fly in a professional environment but not sell my soul to an airplane type and an operator that doesn't appreciate me. If I am nuts or completely naive, I'd love to hear it.

Now let me close by saying I am not putting down someone who lived their whole life to be 747 driver, got there, and also got the lifestyle they were seeking. Go ahead and spike the ball for accomplishing that, you earned it.

Anyway, just stirring the conversation pot. Also, you can PM your job offers to me. Thanks.

Robert

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:34 pm

So we all know that guy who has a severe hard-on for 747s,

We must remember to be open minded here and include the ladies in this example...so for the lady pilots would that then be a severe wide-on?

Bob A. Booey · Post by **Bob A. Booey** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:44 pm

And yes, being a old goofy guy is a lifestyle, so your point is well received

mikegtzg · Post by **mikegtzg** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:52 pm

My ideal dream job would be to drive coast to coast in someones extensive Ferrari collection just to exercise the cars.
I haven't seen an ad for that on any of the job websites yet.

Airtids · Post by **Airtids** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:08 pm

Funny this comes up today, Bob. I've just come from completing company training on our floatplane with a retired 747 Capt. who's tickled pink to get to fly like us this summer! Very self-assuring experience for me. I've had a few of my peers over the past few years who went different routes than I did and are flying big jets all over the world, tell me they wish they'd done what I did. Makes me feel good inside.

I'm pretty sure that I do have my ideal job. I've made a bunch of decisions over my career that have landed me where I am, and I don't regret ANY of them. I get to do some diverse flying (VFR, IFR, wheels and floats, single and multi), in cool machines, in scenery that other pilots pay ME thousands of dollars to get to experience.

A friend of ours who flies an Air Tanker came into the hangar the other day, and my wife asked him "When are you going to offer Robin his dream job that he can't say no to?". He replied that I would be welcome there anytime I decided to make a move. I had to explain "What Mrs. Airtids doesn't understand is that I've already got my dream job that I can't say no to. It's the not being able to say no that's the problem!".

I got off the airline train several years ago because of this lifestyle choice. I could hop back on that train at any point, if I chose to, but I really hope I don't have to. I get to be at home most nights with my wife and daughter, live in a community I love, get respect from my peers, and be a leader. My only wish is that it was a little more secure, and maybe paid a little better, which kind of goes hand-in-hand with the security thing. Oh, yeah, maybe a little less time behind the desk, too.

To each their own, to be sure, but I'm a pretty happy kid. I know lots of folks who have made the same choice, and most (certainly not all) are very satisfied people. I consider myself extremely fortunate.

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:00 pm

mikegtzg wrote:My ideal dream job would be to drive coast to coast in someones extensive Ferrari collection just to exercise the cars.
I haven't seen an ad for that on any of the job websites yet.

I'll be the co-driver.

-istp

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:30 pm

It would involve the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders....

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:51 pm

I was going to make some crack about beaver in vancouver

Motto Pilot · Post by **Motto Pilot** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:34 pm

That would be Air Canada mainline hands down. You can bid to be senior on something small like an EMJ and basically be working on your own scheduling terms-but you would prob wanna move to the most junior base, like YYZ. I think most people opt for a balance of bigger and better $ in exchange for less influence on their scheduling. Everybody can choose their niche...

sprucemonkey · Post by **sprucemonkey** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:51 pm

Flying a CL-415 for the OMNR. Then squatting in Maui during the winter.

RVR6000 · Post by **RVR6000** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:04 pm

Flying for Porter in YYZ.

McPhoo · Post by **McPhoo** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:06 am

Life style rates pretty high for me. I worked seven years for a certain Alberta company flying medevacs and I gotta say the life was great. Amazing life style that will be hard to ever beat. Having said that, I am now trying my hand at the Air Tanker buisiness this summer and so far I'm liking it very much. Looks like I'll be parking here for some time to come. Why the switch? $$ and location. So obviously life style counts for a lot but not all

For me though, the increase in pay combined with the ability to live wherever I want and the nice life in the off season has just maybe combined to form the perfect vortex to contentment

I'll let you know in a few years how it works out!!

Mitch Cronin · Post by **Mitch Cronin** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 4:45 am

Best job in the world is flying a Beaver in and around the Gulf Islands. ...a very well maintained Beaver. ...in good weather. ... in no hurry.

Ranger · Post by **Ranger** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:00 am

http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=31945

Excellent lifestyle...great pay...wonderful people to work with.

comspazz · Post by **comspazz** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:41 am

Flying A-26's out of remote strips, bombing fires till they go out, and returning to base for warm beer and Cokes and great hanger flying....

Sounds like great idea for a movie.... ahhh I am ALWAYS late with the good ideas.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:37 am

Wow, I really didn't expect someone to say medevacs.

Sulako · Post by **Sulako** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:35 am

I fly corporate in a small jet, based out of a big city.

We know our schedule a few weeks in advance. The small jet means short trips, which means we are generally home every night, and corporate means I fly around 300 hours/year, making a good salary with good benefits.

At the ripe old age of 35, I have found a job I could happily do until I retire.

Goose757 · Post by **Goose757** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:43 am

Sulako wrote:I fly corporate in a small jet, based out of a big city.

We know our schedule a few weeks in advance. The small jet means short trips, which means we are generally home every night, and corporate means I fly around 300 hours/year, making a good salary with good benefits.

At the ripe old age of 35, I have found a job I could happily do until I retire.

Sounds like a sweet gig. In a month, how many nights do you spend away from home? What are the minimums to get on with a company like yours?

Hedley · Post by **Hedley** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:55 am

The problem is that during the next economic downturn, the corporate jet is often the first thing to go.

Down south, the last few years, fractional ownership (flight dept out-sourcing) is doing pretty well.

Sulako · Post by **Sulako** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:21 am

Goose757 wrote: Sounds like a sweet gig. In a month, how many nights do you spend away from home? What are the minimums to get on with a company like yours?

January 2007 - 3 nights away from home
Feb 2007 - 2 nights away from home
Mar 2007 - 1 night away from home
April 2007 - 4 nights away from home
May 2007 - 8 nights away from home (6 nights due to taking a company check pilot course and also recurrent training at FlightSafety)
June 2007 - 1 night away from home so far

Hedley, my thinking is that the corporate gig is a little more sheltered than flying for the majors. During the next big recession or fuel price hike, the first thing to go are vacations for regular families, especially if a ticket from Toronto - Vancouver costs a couple of thousand bucks.

High net-worth individuals can take a little more pain in the pocketbook before they cancel their weekends in the Bahamas.

Anyway, at my particular gig it has been made fairly clear to me that my job is recession-proof as long as I actually continue to do my job. My parent company's principal is a pilot himself (typed on our jets), the company is worth over a billion and serves a market that is growing rapidly.

Having said all that, job security in any industry is pretty much an illusion. I won't know if I made the right decision until 30 years from now, but I'm having a hell of a good time at the moment.

McPhoo · Post by **McPhoo** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:31 pm

Rudy - As with any industry, aviation has its rotten apples and and few jewels and then the rest in between. I worked on getting my medevac job for three years. Research, persistence and a little luck got me on with one of the few medevac companies I would ever recommend to a friend. And yes I did have major life style doing medevac. For real? Believe it!!

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:15 pm

I wasn't doubting you. I was just surprised after reading horror story after horror story about voyageur, thunder, cg@a, ...the rest of the winners. It's nice to hear a decent lifestyle is possible in that line of work. I'm interested in hearing more about the tanker business. PM me if you want.

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:31 pm

I'm flying Medevacs now as well, after years in the survey flying business. Survey was good....lots of time off and decent pay. But there was tonnes of time away, too.

Now I am enjoying 4 on/4 off, home every night, good aircraft, good crew, and reasonable pay. I love my 4 days off. The only drawback to my current situation is having to do occasional night shifts...but often we don't get any calls and get to sleep a normal night's sleep.

Sully's job sounds pretty good...sweet corporate gig....not as much corporate out on the wet coast, though.

I have also always thought about doing the tanker thing, but then you lose your summer for as long as you are in that job. that's hard to give up....can you bring your family to wherever you are based for the summer?

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 5:13 pm

can you bring your family to wherever you are based for the summer?

Yes, but what do you do with them when you get a quick base move?

Airtids · Post by **Airtids** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:09 pm

Cat Driver wrote:
can you bring your family to wherever you are based for the summer?
Yes, but what do you do with them when you get a quick base move?

Load 'em into the RV and say "Meetcha there! Keep the fridge cold!!". Seriously, though, I think you'd need a pretty understanding Mrs.