What do you think is the most overlooked career in aviation?

mikecweb said:
Mile-high club company. It's a commonly used term among most people but there are very few outfits that cater solely for making the wings rock at 5,500ft.
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Like an adult video store, I'm not sure I'd want to "maintain" the area in the back.
 
I agree with USMCmech, I think career CFI, maybe teaching TAA avionics in some larger aircraft would be great QOL.

USMCmech said:
In the eyes of the general public: Freight. Few if any civilians have any idea how much air traffic is based on moving boxes around the world. For most passenger airlines, the cargo hold is the most profitable part of the airplane.

In the eyes of pilots: Career CFI. Sure, it's a small niche market, but the guys who can instruct full time and make a living at it have some of the best QOL in the industry.
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The GUY/GAL driving the honey wagon...............................must suck not haveing anyone that will have lunch with you
 
A good buddy of mine is an insurance adjuster who investigates aviation accidents... He is also a 135 corporate pilot. But I think the insurance side of aviation is largely overlooked and very lucrative if you have the right connections.
 
I have worked a wide variety of positions in aviation.

My career summary is line service, airline ramp rat, airport firefighter, airport operations, airport management, jump pilot, parachute rigger, C-130 maintainer and En-Route services supervisor (transient alert, aerial port, GSE/AGE and pax terminal, aircrew liaison)

The two that paid the best so far have been airport management and the en-route services supervisor, but both were on remote islands. Wake and Midway. The one I liked the best was the En-Route services supervisor not because it paid the best, but I actually enjoyed my job providing the best customer service experience possible to the military air and maintenance crews that transited Wake Island.

However with that said I still dream about flying. I fly a C-172 from time to time just to stay current. The best avenue for me to fly for a living at the moment is to take my C-130 crew chief background and combine it with my tickets and pursue being a Air Force Flight Engineer. I only have one element on my flight physical, but so far everything else looks good. Actually get paid a respectable living while attending school and doing your job. I also purchased the King CFI ground school and am working through that on the civilian side.

It seems to me find that niche job that makes you happy is the ticket. I loved Wake Island but I couldn't stay on a remote island forever, I had to come back and face reality if I was ever to fly for a career. Just my .02.
 
bb10pilot said:
Flying for the Park Service or Fish & Game.
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Exactly what I plan on doing. I am already a LE Ranger with the NPS, just gotta get the hours. Only catch is theres only a few places that the park flys, and even fewer that id like to be.
 
From the wait time it took to get an intercom installed and the cost for 2 hours labor, I suggest avionics technician. Installing Glass is exponentially more cost prohibitive.
 
On the military side, my favorite is hopping around the world on a 7+ person crewed aircraft. Good people will make bad trips better. And the good trips...ooooh boy, there's nothing like sitting on the beach after a frigid preflight, an 8 hour flight and a refuel and post flight on a tropical airport or airbase ramp.
 
falconvalley said:
On the military side, my favorite is hopping around the world on a 7+ person crewed aircraft. Good people will make bad trips better. And the good trips...ooooh boy, there's nothing like sitting on the beach after a frigid preflight, an 8 hour flight and a refuel and post flight on a tropical airport or airbase ramp.
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Are you a KC-10 driver?
 
A law-enforcement flying job. Flying for the USMS, FBI, DEA, ATF or local Sheriff's Office.

My dream would be for the Sheriff's Office to pay for my training to get my helo ratings and become a helicopter LEO.
 
ppragman said:
Small time 135 guys. There are guys who make very successful careers flying small airplanes around - usually for charter companies where the boss knows everyone's name and the profits are more equitably distributed between management and the pilots. You won't get rich doing this type of flying (though you'll probably do pretty well if you run your own business) but you'll make enough to retire and be comfortable, that said, a "big" airplane to you will be a KingAir - and a lot of guys really want to fly bigger things.
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I was going to say this also. It never crossed my mind that I would be doing what I'm doing, or that I could make a pretty good living doing this. Like you said, if you find the right niche, a mom and pop shop can be a pretty awesome place to work.

I can say without a doubt this is the best aviation job ive ever had, and I simply can't see myself leaving again.
 
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