Observations
 

In my career I made a study of my older co-workers everywhere I went. When I was spending time with them my questions were not about cool jobs they have had but rather how they got where they were, decisions they made and of their personal lives.

In regards to my time flying smoke jumpers Most (all) of my co-workers were single people with little in regards to assets. They made a good haul over the summer and would spend much of the winter visiting friends or touring warmer climates. Sometimes they had a plane or sailboat but home ownership did not make much sense since they were not there to even mow the lawn most of the time. Their lives were spent in solitude or with co-workers and acquaintances they barely knew.

The flying was fun but at what cost? To me this situation was leading to a lonely, aimless and fruitless future. No retirement, health insurance, slim hope of moving on to someplace better and little opportunity to develop meaningful relationships. I have always been most interested in life building. To me the life of a smokejumper pilot, bush pilot or other similar fun flying jobs were distractions from what was really important in the long run. I saw my co-workers permit themselves to be distracted by a fun flying situation without taking the time to calculate where it would lead them.

In my case I saw few whose life I envied in the fire service and moved on. Best wishes to those who stayed. It was not it is not for me. I highly encourage everyone to constantly evaluate where the path is taking them and be prepared to make corrections as necessary. Fun is fun but it takes sacrifice, hard work and an eye on a long time horizon to get where you ultimately want to go. Fun flying can be a trap for many.

Skyhigh

Ryan Air Attack Base 5-28-11 - YouTube

Who are these guys? It kinda looks like a state run division in California.

I wouldn't mind giving it a shot in that OV-10 :D

USMCFLYR

Yeah tankers drop lines of retardant to box in a fire or direct it to move away from critical areas and into lighter fuels. They do not generally drop on a fire to extinguish it. I have seen them drop directly onto a grass fire to put it out but that doesn't work in thicker fuels.

CDF,

Yeah that is a state run fire agency. The pilots are contractors working for an outfit that supplies fire pilots for the CDF (California Department of Forestry). I think it might be Dyncorp but I'm not sure on that.

That is a TOUGH operation to break into. It pays well and most guys stay their whole career after getting hired.

YET ANOTHER observation..
 

I was a bush pilot in Alaska. I was Smokejumper pilot I had fun doing it. I have worked for three Major Airlines and have been with UAL for just under 15 years. I know multiple ex Smokejumper pilots and tanker pilots and air attack pilots and lead pilots and bush pilots and crop dusters who have also done their fun flying and are now senior with a Major airline.


Reading Skyhigh's posts are kind of like reading a soap opera script. Full of drama and emotion but very loosely based on reality.

BTW, Sky, Bighorn had health insurance I surprised you didn't know that?

Oh Hoss.....:(
You are just going to invite yet another post that was copied and pasted from long ago.;)

USMCFLYR

You're right of course.

I need to stop responding to that broken record.

If they did have health insurance I don't recall that.

Skyhigh

Cutt off
 

Most from my generation are laid off. You and your friends got in to the majors at a good time. (pre-1995 pretty much the very tail end of the good times) The rest who followed have not had it so good.

... And those who come after us will have it even worse. ;)

Skyhigh

Hired at UAL in 97. But we've been through this before and you refuse to listen. I am your generation.