Jump Pilot experiances

H

highalt41

Well-Known Member
So i was hanging around after work at the flight school and I got a call from a guy who was looking for a jump pilot from april till oct. Now I have been a cfi for a good amount of time and I was def open to this reasons being its a new type of flying that I have never done and well its located on a beach. Yes I'm a sucker for the water. Anyone ever jump out of flight instructing to go fly jumpers for a summer, and if so where you happy with the choice you made, I'am young and really have no ties to where I am now except for my current cfi gig. My biggest concern is building quality hrs that will yes look good on paper but also reflect my experience. This is not a multi plane just a 182, I would not be getting any actual IFR time etc etc etc. And if no one minds me asking what is a good pay per load number. I think that is all of my rant there could be more....ya never know


-flight witch :)
 
182 should be $10-15 a load. It's not the greatest experience, since you're not building anything but day vfr (TT). If you're happy with your cfi job, it's paying the bills and getting you enough hours then stay.

I did it for a summer, and it was enough to get me to where I am now, which I am quite happy with overall.
 
highalt41 said:
So i was hanging around after work at the flight school and I got a call from a guy who was looking for a jump pilot from april till oct. Now I have been a cfi for a good amount of time and I was def open to this reasons being its a new type of flying that I have never done and well its located on a beach. Yes I'm a sucker for the water. Anyone ever jump out of flight instructing to go fly jumpers for a summer, and if so where you happy with the choice you made, I'am young and really have no ties to where I am now except for my current cfi gig. My biggest concern is building quality hrs that will yes look good on paper but also reflect my experience. This is not a multi plane just a 182, I would not be getting any actual IFR time etc etc etc. And if no one minds me asking what is a good pay per load number. I think that is all of my rant there could be more....ya never know
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Flying jumpers is good experiance for about 100 hours, after that it's just flying the same hour over again. It will help you get TT for other jobs down the road. It's a great conversation starter in an interview as many of us have done it. Just try to make sure that diver driving isn't the ONLY type of flying you've done, get a good mix if you can.

If your CFI gig isn't getting you much time or money, then it might be a good move.

I would want 10 bucks per load for a entry level 182 job.

Jumpers are a fun buch, but remember it's your responsibility to keep the ride up safe.
 
Flying jumpers is fun if you don't mind some unorthodox situations and experiences. Having said that it's easy to get into a very casual, relaxed way of flying constantly cutting corners- and out of IFR currency/proficiency. You will probably end up having IMC time that you can't log because it would've been illegal and the airplane may not have any type of Nav. You will get really good at landings - and you will probably have a few in flight emergencies during the summer (i.e. Tandem students pulling the mixture/taking the keys on their way out, engine failures, comm failure, students hooking onto the main gear on their way out). You will learn a good bit of PIC decision making.
 
It's a nice, different break from CFIing. I've done both, and like all things aviation, flying is flying - it's just different
 
yeah i guess in a way i just want to be well rounded and not just show that i have been a cfi..just my thought.. the guy did offer me 10$ a load for the 182.. if i take it i was thinking of asking for more in the 15$ dollar range.. he wanted 40 hrs in type and well im giving him hundreds of hrs in type..is that wrong of me to ask for more? being as i have no experience with skydiving. My current cfi gig i make in the range of 600-1000 every two weeks, if its a busy summer am i looking at better than that orrrrr about the same.. Id like to thank all of you for your feed back, I promise I am making more of an effort to post more than just reading things and staring at the floor in shock:) So overall its a nice little change up after 1000hrs of sitting right seat and doing steepturns :)
 
highalt41 said:
yeah i guess in a way i just want to be well rounded and not just show that i have been a cfi..just my thought.. the guy did offer me 10$ a load for the 182.. if i take it i was thinking of asking for more in the 15$ dollar range.. he wanted 40 hrs in type and well im giving him hundreds of hrs in type..is that wrong of me to ask for more? being as i have no experience with skydiving. My current cfi gig i make in the range of 600-1000 every two weeks, if its a busy summer am i looking at better than that orrrrr about the same.. Id like to thank all of you for your feed back, I promise I am making more of an effort to post more than just reading things and staring at the floor in shock:) So overall its a nice little change up after 1000hrs of sitting right seat and doing steepturns :)
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I doubt you'll see 500 a week (consistently) flying skydivers in a 182. I would go where the money is.
 
ryan1234 said:
Flying jumpers is fun if you don't mind some unorthodox situations and experiences. Having said that it's easy to get into a very casual, relaxed way of flying constantly cutting corners- and out of IFR currency/proficiency. You will probably end up having IMC time that you can't log because it would've been illegal and the airplane may not have any type of Nav. You will get really good at landings - and you will probably have a few in flight emergencies during the summer (i.e. Tandem students pulling the mixture/taking the keys on their way out, engine failures, comm failure, students hooking onto the main gear on their way out). You will learn a good bit of PIC decision making.
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+1 I experienced most everyone of those items in my jump pilot experience; I never had a student get stuck on the main gear. The one that really bite me the hardest was falling out of IFR currency and proficiency.
 
ryan1234 said:
Flying jumpers is fun if you don't mind some unorthodox situations and experiences. Having said that it's easy to get into a very casual, relaxed way of flying constantly cutting corners- and out of IFR currency/proficiency. You will probably end up having IMC time that you can't log because it would've been illegal and the airplane may not have any type of Nav. You will get really good at landings - and you will probably have a few in flight emergencies during the summer (i.e. Tandem students pulling the mixture/taking the keys on their way out, engine failures, comm failure, students hooking onto the main gear on their way out). You will learn a good bit of PIC decision making.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I've never experienced any of those things while flying jumpers.

If I did, I think I'd be taking a hard look at who I'd decided to work for. There's really no excuse for all those things happening.

Also, in my opinion, flying jumpers is one of the easiest gigs imaginable. It requires little skill compared to teaching.
 
jrh said:
FWIW, I've never experienced any of those things while flying jumpers.

If I did, I think I'd be taking a hard look at who I'd decided to work for. There's really no excuse for all those things happening.

Also, in my opinion, flying jumpers is one of the easiest gigs imaginable. It requires little skill compared to teaching.
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That said, I am not flying for that guy anymore, I'd rather sit here and stare at math problems then fly for him. A certain other JC'er *cough* Veiheisu can confirm that one!
 
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