Last night I was standing in line to gain entry to the annual local contractors ball and ended up next to the biggest builder in town. I had heard that recently he had bought into a turbine twin that is co-owned by two other business owners.

He told me that he was planning to get his multi-engine rating and fly it himself until he found out how little the pilot was getting paid. He said "man, I don't even pay my lowest grunts that little" and went on to brag about how this guy spends the entire day waxing the plane and burning the day away in a cold and damp hangar awaiting the occasional mission.

My friend told me that he simply shoves the pilot into the right seat whenever he feels like taking the helm and scares himself and everyone else as he attempts to fly it at the pilots career peril. He couldn't believe that a college educated "professional" would stoop to a living that even a high school drop out wouldn't accept and then permit such bullying. I told him to have the pilot report to the job site and sweep until needed at the airport.

He then paused and asked if I would be interested in taking on the pilots days off. Not on your life, was my reply.

Livin the dream.

SkyHigh