What airplane did you earn your first dollar in?

My first paying gig before I became an instructor was flying a 182 down in Palatka, FL dropping skydivers. It didn't last long. I had a prop governor break and go berserk on me right after I kicked everyone out at 10,000 feet. Oil splattered on my windscreen and the engine kept surging. So I brought it back to idle and figured (being the astute, newly-minted CSEL pilot that I was) that I would pitch for Vg because that's what you're supposed to do right? Wrong! I got yelled at by the person on the ground for "coming down too slow". I told them I had engine problems and they go, "well you aren't going to fix them up there so hurry up and get down here". I about had my fill of dropping skydivers at that point.
 
chrisreedrules said:
My first paying gig before I became an instructor was flying a 182 down in Palatka, FL dropping skydivers. It didn't last long. I had a prop governor break and go berserk on me right after I kicked everyone out at 10,000 feet. Oil splattered on my windscreen and the engine kept surging. So I brought it back to idle and figured (being the astute, newly-minted CSEL pilot that I was) that I would pitch for Vg because that's what you're supposed to do right? Wrong! I got yelled at by the person on the ground for "coming down too slow". I told them I had engine problems and they go, "well you aren't going to fix them up there so hurry up and get down here". I about had my fill of dropping skydivers at that point.
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Good job showing the reasons for every negative skydive stereotype in one story!
 
Couldn't find an exterior pic... PA-28-181 Archer II N70FG on Sept 14, 2001! I remember thinking "man... I'm finally not paying to do this! I like it! "

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NovemberEcho said:
That must have been a weird time to make your first commercial flight.
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My first flight was supposed to be on the 11th! All my paperwork for employment was signed that day.

The next few months, I got the cops called so often trying to do engine out work with students. "OMGZ THEREZ A LOW FLYIN PLANE OVER A FIELD... MUST BE BIN LADIN!"
 
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Mine was a C172, N9082V I think the Toyota Corolla of the Skies, I spent a lot of time in there having the best time of my life, this was back in 1999 at the PhilAir Flight School in DAB. I also flew a lot a gorgeous little 152 that I absolutely adored, N49134.
 
skypilot6 said:
hmmm, got more info?
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New owners...right before I left they said they thought the name had a bad wrap nationwide and online. They asked employees for name suggestions and I guess that was the announced winner.

If you want my real opinion, they won't spend the money to change it. The new owners are really stingy with money. They came in fired like 20 people (including the new CEO lol), said they'd increase CFI wages for almost 7 months and nothing happened. Same thing with new interiors and paint jobs. They did it to one airplane and said it's too expensive.
 
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