Another form of bartering. Agreed.
The DZ where I worked offered free lessons, but I was hoping to go military soon and couldn't risk injury at the time.

USMCFLYR

Years ago I was making $50-$100 a day on weekends flying my butt off with jumpers. A rich newbie came around and stole my job because he offered to do it for free. Years later a newbie working for free spun the plane into the ground and killed 5, including the cheap owner.

You get what you pay for.

182/206 drop zones cannot pay livable wages which precludes having the higher level of safety associated with an experienced pilot demographic. They would rather take their chances on safety than pay a livable wage. You would do the same thing. FAA and insurance companies monitor drop zone accident rates which are not all that bad compared to other operations.

The owner I fly for does not need to hire anyone, he has over 15k hours in his log books. He only agreed to meet with and give me a shot based on the recommendation of another pilot who used to fly there. I am not a rich guy by any means, I work for GE full time during the week and fly as much as he wants me to during the weekend.
Maybe its just the area I live in but jumper pilots don't get paid for this job. In fact an odd question came up during my check ride. I had not even mentioned that I was probably going this route and the DE asked me "why the FAA requires a jumper pilot to have a comm ticket and not just a pvt, even though you are not paid for your services?" A: The FAA considers the hours you earn compensation.

xtown....

Kind of a dichotomy there pal. You take a shot at all the "rich" boys with airline captain fathers then turn around and fly for a revenue producing outfit for free?

The guy who's running this outfit is laughing all the way to the bank. He's working you like a tied circus goat. So do what you have to but don't come on here with your rationalizations and expect anybody to agree with it.

It's guys like you who keep the pay in GA at rock bottom levels. Good luck on not killing yourself in the Be-18 if she is a Volpar turbine conversion she's got some very nasty stall characteristics and has killed more than one jump pilot after flipping over and playing dead during the exit phase.

Not being paid. This needs to change.

I'll bet the US Dept. of Labor and some Pro-Bono folks would have a sound argument against that. Administrative Law is always inferior.

Your cheap ass owner who's willing to give a job flying a twin beech as your first multi job is a moron. Obviously money trumps safety there, be very careful. The irs may consider the flying time compensation, they do not like free labor either.

"I know this may upset some people but for those of us that didn't have airline captains as fathers to help us, or mommy and daddy to pay for then CFI rating while letting them live at home free while teaching, this non paying job is the best job I have ever had and I used to make 60k year."

I get the general point you are trying to make, but it comes across as a bit hypocritical when you yourself made some pretty decent scratch (60k ain't exactly living in the poor house). Some people are living in poverty due to this flying dream either because they spent every last dime on it, or had to take out huge ass loans to make it happen.

Just remember, at 270 hours, two years ago when pilots were being furloughed by the 1000's from airlines, I got a job flying skydivers for $400/week in a 182. It went to $500 2nd year, and I got KA90 time when I broke 1000 hours. I also had no family help getting the job. If I had stuck around I could have flown the turbines at between 750-1000 a week.

So go do it for free, but your cutting yourself short.

Anyone know if 1000TT standard now for a jump job?