How are you supplementing your Pilot income? Details only please!
 

I've come across this statement (or something to the effect of):

"You can always supplement your income with a second job."

No one ever gives any details as to how they are doing this and how much they're bring in and how stable that second income is. How are you, in your first 5 years as a First Officer at the regionals able to supplement your pilot income with something else? Please provide details so that everyone can benefit from this. Thanks!

When I go glider flying, about half of our tow pilots are regional FO's who work on the side as a tail wheel towpilot. I know another towpilot who is a CRJ capt for Skywest, and he is senior enough that he fly's 3 day trips during the week, and tows on the weekend (And during summer you can make over $100 a day yanking and banking a cropduster!).

Just one way I know of pilots supplementing their income.

I'm saving money now to supplement my income later.

I currrently save $550 per month after all my expenses are paid for. When I save up about $10-15000 I will try and move on to a regional. I have calculated how much I will need to have saved to supplement my FO income on a per airline basis. My estimates range from $6000 to $11000. I estimate my FO expenses to be roughly $2000 per month.

What do you need to crop dust?

a special ticket or just a commercial SE/ME?

-LA

Military. Solves all the scheduling and conflict issues. You TELL the airline when you're doing military and they give enough time off to get there, do it, and return well rested. Federal law prevents any whining or hassles on their part...they REALLY don't want to go there. I never heard of any large airline giving pilots hassles. Try to go in as an aviator or at least an officer.

If you're a commuter and you can do your monthly drills in your home town, then you get an extra weekend at home every month.

Another good military trick is to finish year one at the airline (so you're done with your probabationary PC's), then go on military leave for a year or two. Your seniority accrues while you're gone, you get paid more by the military, you come back and presto, instant captain!

Real estate is another popular pilot hobby, but things are cooling a bit. Actually, your airline pilot status will help you in any sales job...the customers will find you interesting.

I have a friend at AAA who does high-end residential tile work work. He has a good rep, and people trust him in their home cuz he's an airline guy who lives in their neighborhood (as opposed to Julio from the Home Depot parking lot). He got into it by doing his own house. Nice fallback position in case of furlough too.

I have no idea about cropdusting. What I know is these guys who got their private in a tailwheel. Then got their instrument/commercial/multi for the airlines. They wind up with about 250TT and 50 in taildragger. Get hired to tow gliders for slightly less than low regional FO or low CFI pay. Average 75month (More in summer, less in winter).

Towing gliders is usually done by old cropdusters (180HP supercub or 260HP pawnee). One you tow the glider to 3-5,000ft AGL, you go into a violent turning slip (3000+ FPM descent) and land, hook up, and go again. Kind of like doing aerobatics for pay.
That's what I was referring to. I am not sure about cropdusting.

Most airlines don't want you to do ANY outside flying, since that cuts into their weekly, monthly, and annual utilization planning. Unless you do it on the DL....

supp.
 

bartend. Thur fri and sat, make over $600 cash a weekend

Rickair, are you refering to commercial flying or just flying in general? My buddy at American sent me one of his old CFMs, and it said AA pilots could do as much personal flying as they want as long as it didn't affect their airline duties. They're not, however, allowed to do commercial flight activites, with the exception of the Military.

He's speaking of outside commercial flying...ie.,anything you get paid for. You can fly your Cub for fun 12 hrs a day if you wish. It's not worth doing the commercial flying on the DL because if you have an incident or if your co. finds out otherwise you'll probably get canned.

Yes, commercial only. I was not recommending the DL, just throwing that out as a possible explanation as to how some airline guys might be towing gliders. That could get you fired just for doing it, and also violated if you exceeded flight time limits.

You can also CFI all you want, as long as you don't get paid for it.

Military flying is TOTALLY removed from the FARs, so it doesn't count. Your airline should allow you adequate rest before returning to work from military duty.

Real Estate
 

More than a decade ago I was laid off unexpectedly from a 135 operator and couldn't find another flying job right away. Instead my brother and I took on building a house even though we didn't really know what we were doing. In one summer we made much more on that simple little house than I could of if I had worked for three years at that air taxi. Over the years I have built a house or duplex during my furloughs and lay offs. I even built a few while gainfully employed. 20 houses later and it has unfortunately become my new profession. Thankful to have a fallback plan, but sadly am doing better and have an easier life now than when I was a pilot. I hope my good fortune continues but success in another line of work is a sure career killer. Real Estate has been very good to me. Aviation has kicked me to the curb more than once. Love needs to go both ways.

SkyHigh

New Jersey unemployment pays $2100 a month, if you compair that to RJ FO pay its rather good and equals to $30 per hour with a 70 hour guarantee. Considering you dont have to be sober or even get out of bed to get it, I much rather prefer it.

I knew I should have done ACA back in 2002...

And to top that off, most states exempt unemployment from state income taxes... Bonus!

I day traded on the side when I was working at ACA/IDE.

The only thing with being on unemployment is that you have to be unemployed. The question is about being an FO for the first 5 years at a regional.

At least with NY, you get taxed at the federal level. And you have to report to the Dept. of Labor on a regular basis with a log of activities of your active job search. If they don't see you actively looking, or turn down a job that pays comparably, they can terminate your benefits.

Wouldn't this be rough if you were on a reserve schedule though? I'm military right now and looking for a regional job when I retire here in August. (Kinda leaves out the military reserves option...) I don't really know how reserve scheduling works, but I am guessing that if you're on reserve "standby" you can't be bartending. What happens if they call and you have to just walk out of a part-time job?

In theory it sounds great, so any info you can give on this would really be great.

Thanks,

marinepilot

Wife and I are Xango distributors.

www.mangosteenchangeslives.com

True. However with the way things have been going in this industry, just wait. Odds are that you too will get hit sometime in the next 5 years... I know quite a few folks from regionals that have even been through two or more furloughs...

It depends on the reserve call out time and if you live in domicile. A 1.5 hour callout would make it complicated to have another job but not impossible. A 12 or 24 hour callout would be OK. Or if you want to bartend, just do daytime reserve and bartend at night. The key would be to find an airline that has adequate staffing such that reserves are not really used much and a part-time employer who is flexible if you suddenly have to bail.

Or if you're on reserve you could do your part time job on your scheduled days off. You'd still be home on your reserve "work" days anyway.

If you're retiring as an officer (you said USMC) then your retirement + regional pay should be livable after year one.

isnt it freaking rediculous that you need to supplement a career position.

Lot's of people in other careers do it. And we usually have more time off than most. I don't think you have to do it, just depends on how much you want to spend.

Oh, here's another tip...pilots tend to be personable, work out, plus you have that whole pilot mystique going for you...you're probably a chick magnet! But don't run out and marry the first pretty FA or CSR who makes eyes at you. The FA is pretty and probably has a fun personality, but she probably hasn't been to college and her only employment skill is flying...well as soon as she starts popping out the puppies do you think SHE's going to want to keep flying? Ummm...no. You just upgraded, got the big raise now you're supporting a family on a single regional income...

There are plenty of hot, ambitious, educated women out there who spent their twenties in law/medical/b school and getting their career started...now they're lonely and confronted with dating in an ocean of loser @sshole meth addicts (most of the good ones are taken by now). GO FIND YOU ONE! You are substance free, have the mystique, and TRAVEL BENNIES. Her six-figure income can cover the restaruants and hotels in Europe, you just provide the travel...she really doesn't care that you only make a third of her income. Trust me. :D

If for some reason you can't find one in your town, start bidding long overnights in NORCAL...

Can not agree more with that!

rickair, You win! :)

It is true that you have more time off, but if you're one of those poor souls that have to commute, well, that's a bite out of your free time, right? Plus, people in other careers can hold another job because they can schedule a second job outside of the standard 9-5, Monday-Friday. If I were an employer, I'd be ticked to know that I have to work shift schedule to accommodate this pilot who doesn't know when the Bat Phone will ring or what his next month or two looks like.

As for the chick magnet thing. I think the female population is getting smarter about being with pilots. A buddy of mine who has never had a problem getting chicks in the past is now getting the Heisman Trophy from chicks right off the line because he mentions that he's a pilot. He has to lie to these chicks to get past the first drink. Maybe it works on the FA and CSR because of their education level as you indicated. But as for the rest of the population, at least, the chicks I've met all prefer to know that the guy's around town. I think that pilot mystique is dying...the chicks know that we're man whoring away from home...and they don't like that! :D

rickair said it best. Find yourself a proffesional girl. I have had little luck with the girls whose expectaions are to find some man to take care of them, but I have dated a doctor, a publisher, and a restraunteur and each of them have been quite fine with my being gone because each of them had their own lives. Also, they don't expect to be taken care of, so it doesn't require extra income to date. Pilots make enough money to take care of themselves, the problem comes if you have any dependants. As for an actual second job, I don't have one, but I'm making about 900 a month with debt and seem to get by, so if you are single with no kids, you should do fine. I don't make enough to take a girl out, but I'm quite alright with a girl taking me out. It's fun being a boy toy.

Absolutely completely f-ing ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, to answer the original question......I am a nurse part-time.

Telling women you're a pilot still works! Oh yes it does. The mistique is there but you have to be smart about it. Most guys have boring jobs that involve sitting in a cubicle and this gives us a tremendous POWER!! You don't even have to be an airline pilot yet. "that sounds dangerous" "well baby...it is". Be as corny as you want to HA HA HA. And laugh all the way to the "bank" Sha Zam!:cool:
How often can you donate plasma to supplement your income? It might help keep your BP down. Plus its not as ethicly tricky as selling your wild oats!

In my community, substitute teachers are always in demand, with no degree required. It might be different elsewhere.

For you married guys out there or those that are real men and don't depend on sugar mamma's to take care of you, try Real estate. Trust me, I started with no money down. As long as you have good credit, you can work the system and make good money. I've got six rentals and do rehabs all the time to supplement my income until I get that dream job.

Before you spit on the idea of a sugar mama let's think about that kind of situation. HOW BAD COULD IT BE? :D I can almost say with a staight face that I would love to have a sugar mama. Just sit around and play with the dog all day. Sounds like a plan to me! How much sugar does this mama have? I think I could live with it. Just make a run down to the clinic and get your tubes tied, because lets face it, the dog needs you.
Let's face the fact that you can't always go with plan A.That would be living the back up dream.:rolleyes: Be a real man...please! Ha Ha Ha. Familyman might have too much pride, but not me.

Where can I find a sugar mama?:D

The low pay is only the first year for most regionals. Enough for you and your 5 other FO roommates to survive. The pay gets better after the first year. Regional Captains make good money. I really doubt many Reg pilots do outside work with only around 10 days off. Especially the turbo prop guys who fly 90-100 hours a month.

Dough
 

I still have to work as a RN on my days off. I make more with two days of per diem then I do with two weeks pay at the regional I work for. You gotta do what you gotta do. :D

That's cool.......I thought I was the only nurse/pilot out there. :)

Rickair, that was hilarious! You are my hero :D

rickair ir right...i married a smart chick and life has never been more fun or easier...:D


Smart, educated , motivated/ambitious women are a real turn-on for me...I


-LA

Starbucks
 

http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/SB-YSB-US-HR.pdf


A few of my NCOs work there part-time (20+ hours a week) and one is considering going with them after retirement as a program manager.

-LA

Well considering I still live at home with the folks and I'm 23.... I really dont have to supplement my income. I did also make 24k last yr in 8 months at my regional airline. I don't know how other airlines feel about flying outside of flying professionally, but at my airline you can fly for pleasure as long as it dosen't interfear with flying 121. I've spent 5 hard years and alot of hard earned $$$ to go blow it all away towing some glider or giving instruction. Although I have considered offering my services as an instructor.... there is too much risk involved, and my certs. put bread on the table. For those of you out there flying professionally and on the DL as well... be for warned. Espcially if you are on probation at your particiluar airline.

Just my .02

Working as an RN 2 days a week pays as much as FO does for a week or more. Second career worked well...did nursing school while flying 135 building the hours...then worked full time as a nurse and 135 in the day...then had enough to go to the regionals where I was an FO for a year...then Capt pay is a little better so I do not need to "Moonlight" much anymore.

If I was not working agency on the side I would be in hobo city. I don't see how people make it without a healthy supplement (second job or spouse)on first year pay. I showed some of my friends that I worked with back home my first pay check and they could not believe it; absolute horror. :eek: It'll pay off one of these days; I hope. :D