Vocation Vacations

wheelsup

wheelsup

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if any of you have seen this, but when I was CFI'ing I was considering do it. It would probably work for CFI's, 91, and 135 freight pilots (if you can get permission from your employer) but 121 pilots would be SOL I think because the person couldn't get access to the cockpit to 'shawdow' you.

Essentially, you sign up to be a 'mentor' for someone wanting to possibly consider a career change.

You create "packages" where they come to see you (they pay to get there) and work alongside you to explore your career path, and learn more about what the job entails. I figured for a CFI, you could do this over a 2-day weekend and the mentor-ee would sit in the back of the plane while you instruct. You could throw in a few 1-hour lessons in the package (I was thinking of charging around $800-$1000 for the two day ordeal, of which maybe 3 hours of plane rental would eat away around $300-$400 of the price).

Currently there aren't to my knowledge any listings for "professional pilot" or "flight instructor".

I had no idea where to put this, as it's not directly a job, but this seemed like the most logical place on the site.

www.vocationvacations.com
 
Such a rip - I used to let people hang out and see what I did for free.

It's called promoting aviation!
 
I just heard about Vocation Vacations on the Today Show or somwhere on TV. I think it's a great idea, especially for CFI's trying to make some extra income (Like me;)) Plus, I think it would be kind of fun, too. I might have to look into that...
 
mtsu_av8er said:
Such a rip - I used to let people hang out and see what I did for free.

It's called promoting aviation!
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personally I'd rather be the CFI making $400+/day "promoting aviation" than doing it for free, but that's just me

and I don't think this is reaching the same audience level as the teeny-boopers or small children who stop in to say hi in the cockpit. I'm all for getting people interested in aviation. Anyone who was a CFI and isn't into that should seriously consider cutting their certs up.
 
I'd do it...but my plane usually only has one seat in it....think they'd pay extra to be strapped under the net?
 
um one glaring issue. If anyone ever asked me about it, I;d just tell them to put the $1000 down on normal flight lessons for as far as it will take you.
 
slushie said:
um one glaring issue. If anyone ever asked me about it, I;d just tell them to put the $1000 down on normal flight lessons for as far as it will take you.
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I think you might be missing the point of the concept. if one wanted to become an [insert career field], it would be prudent to investigate the daily life and routine before thowing $$ toward training. yes you could use all that money toward training but then you have a few hours and still don't know much about the career prospects, you just know what a propeller is and where the empennage on an aircraft is.

This web site is sort of like the same resource, and it's free, but it just goes to show there is a market for everything :)

ps I agree it could be deemed as "sleazy", and shouldn't be geared toward those youngins trying to learn more about the field
 
I think this is a good idea. I'm looking for a part 91 or 135 operation that will allow me to ride SIC or PIC when possible (paid, unpaid or shared expense, not these overpriced PFT places) to build additional hours to meet 135 minimums and gain some real world experience. I currently have 450 hours and there are a few operations that will allow 500 hour pilot to come on board, but this is the lowest I have seen. Even with my hours, I have not flown a lot in hard IFR and would feel a lot better if I flew with an experienced pilot for a while before I start flying freight down to minimums at three in the morning single pilot.
 
rpatte1637 said:
I think this is a good idea. I'm looking for a part 91 or 135 operation that will allow me to ride SIC or PIC when possible
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I think we're talking apples and oranges here. Vocation Vacations is designed for someone with zero experience, but interest in, a different career. It's more of a paid informational/networking thing, IMO.

My personal vision of the typical vocation vacation user would be a mid-30's or 40's career changer looking to do something else with their life, who doesn't have the time or knowledge to network their way into finding a mentor (like this awesome site!!!).
 
I think charging for it is kind of lame. I'd rather do it for free... give a little something back to aviation. When I was in high school I got to ride along in an old Aztec on a freight run, which was awesome. Probably why I'm a freight dog now. Pretty sure I wouldn't have done it if I had to pay for it.

Either way, wouldn't work at my employer- we can't take passengers at all. Just jumpseaters (not considered a pax), and a few others. My last company's ops specs allowed pax, so they let us take people along once in awhile, which I thought was really cool and a lot of fun. I'd love to have someone ride along sometimes... as long as they didn't puke on me or be an annoyance.
 
wheelsup said:
My personal vision of the typical vocation vacation user would be a mid-30's or 40's career changer looking to do something else with their life, who doesn't have the time or knowledge to network their way into finding a mentor (like this awesome site!!!).
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Exactly Wheelsup, I am one of those 30's or 40's career changers, 42 to be exact and it took me 10 years to get where I am now, I don't think I have another 10 years to waste trying to get where I want to be.
 
rpatte1637 said:
Exactly Wheelsup, I am one of those 30's or 40's career changers, 42 to be exact and it took me 10 years to get where I am now, I don't think I have another 10 years to waste trying to get where I want to be.
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but you've already done something better - you found this site. check out the landcare (?) aerial survey gig for a sub 500 TT job. no need to pay or work for free.

waste 10 years? doing what? only if you hop around and beg for time instead of becoming qualified to work (ie CFI or other entry level gig)
 
EatSleepFly said:
My last company's ops specs allowed pax, so they let us take people along once in awhile, which I thought was really cool and a lot of fun. I'd love to have someone ride along sometimes... as long as they didn't puke on me or be an annoyance.
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Yea, I was hoping to do that sometime, but it never worked out :(
 
Ha ha ha, I was looking for something to say in this thread, but you summed it up perfectly bradj.
 
mtsu_av8er said:
Noooo, we're trying to rip people off!!:sarcasm:
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Well then do it for the min cost (250 or something? not sure how much the website company makes off of each mentor-ee) and give the guy/gal flight and dual equal to that amount while they are there shadowing you. Everyone wins that way. It could be used as a way for contract CFI's to expand their student base while filling up their schedule. I'm trying to think outside the box here vs. the traditional sit in FBO, wait for potential student to walk in, and use the ol' used car salesmen approach.

If $800/weekend seems like a rip (ok I admit, it does :)) lower it to what you think it is worth (I'm talking to no one in particular here) and what service you can provide. I think if most people saw $300 for a weekend as a flight instructor that included several hours of teaching and stick time they'd jump at it. $800, yeah, a bit of a strech, maybe if you are a gold seal CFI :) (in a pitts).
 
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