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Old 02-22-2009, 08:24 PM
  #22  
timeless
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Joined APC: Sep 2006
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When I started flight instructing I knew that income wasn't going to be enough. I had a CDL from driving dump trucks during the summer for the family business. I was offered the first job I applied for. I'd be driving a brand new Pete 387 with a 525hp Cat diesel for a mattress factory. They only needed me to work two days a week to cover for the two full time drivers so I could easily schedule my flight instructing around it. I had to unload the mattress at my stops by myself. The customer wouldn't touch them until they were at the end of the trailer. To unload all 120-140 mattresses I'd have to walk 1.25 while carrying a mattress for half that distance. The work was grueling and driving in ND, MN, SD and Manitoba in winter was challenging, but it paid pretty well and I got along well with the factory owners. If I did it full time I would have been making $50,000+ as a 22 year old. Since I already had a college degree and I had invested a decent amount of money in flight training I never considered it as a career.
I've been flying freight for about three years now and I've been exceeding my CDL earning potential for the past 18 months. I don't recommend leaving aviation by choice to become a truck driver, but it's a good fall back plan given the horrible job security of this occupation.

Also, The plane I fly had the lav removed during the freight mod so my trucker powerade bottle skills still come in handy.
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