Washing Planes

Cutlass1287

Cutlass1287

Well-Known Member
I've been giving this idea some thought lately- I would like to wash planes down at my local GA airport, make a few bucks, and meet some pilots. I have never really washed a plane, but I am real good at washing cars. I have done a lot of reading on the subject, and I was thinking of maybe finding a local aircraft owner to let me learn to wash his plane on- No charge (expect maybe for materials), and he teaches me how to do it correctly in the process. What do you guys think? Is there a demand for this service? Or maybe a demand for some other service that a HS student could offer? Also, would a 1400 PSI pressure washer hurt the plane? I have one that I can use.
 
I did that for about 3 months. I can tell you first hand it sucks. At least for me it did. I would go to school at 7:30 (still in high school) come home at 3, leave for work at 4:15, drive to the airport, work 5-10, drive back home with soap fused to my self. Aircraft soap does not wash off well. I think what really stunk was when there were no planes I had to do janitorial work. Unless you live in the south doing this in the winter sucks even more.

I also thought I would get to meet pilots, nope. The only ones I could talk to were just transient, and since I was busy washing the plane I couldnt go over and talk to them. Unless you're there either when the pilot drops off the plane, or comes back to get it back. You never see them.

The real reason why I quit is, no time to study, no time for friends and activities, and I never actually ate supper with my family the entire 3 months.

Aviation is a huge interest but I do have a life outside of it. You only get one chance to live, and that just wasn't letting me. I would go to school, go to work, go to sleep.

Sorry for the rambling, but unless your job will be different from mine, your not going to meet pilots, and It is not going to be a job you enjoy.

Tom
 
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