Perfect Side Jobs?

+VE R8 · Post by **+VE R8** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 10:31 am

Sitting at home (broken airplane) on my a$$, and thinking how it would be nice to have the ability to turn some down time into some money in the pocket.

So this gets me thinking....what jobs are out there that people like us (fly full time and aren't making great $) could help increase the income by utilizing a job on the side. This does present some interesting challenges and some poor qualities from an employers view.

So what do some of you do to help supplement your income? I have a flight sked that keeps me fairly busy (when the airplane isn't down), that gives me 5 days off every 4 weeks, and weekends here and there.

What job would allow you to show up to work when ever your able, and not be missed when you can't?

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 10:50 am

5 days off every 4 weeks and you still need to make more money? I thought slavery had been abolished? You don't need more money, you need a life.

+VE R8 · Post by **+VE R8** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:34 am

I had a feeling that there would be a comment about the sked...I didn't go into great detail, but allow me to say this...I get scheduled block of 5 days off every 4 weeks, NOT 5 days off every 4 weeks.

I must say that I have a decent sked (I'm lucky in that regard), I'm just looking to help out more with the free time that I have. One can only cut the grass at the house so many times a week!

cplpilot · Post by **cplpilot** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:39 am

What about painting houses? big money in few days and no investment on your side (a roller is 10$).... my 2cents...

Switchfoot · Post by **Switchfoot** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:51 am

Do you have an instructor rating? Freelance on the side! Great money, and you can write your own schedule. The only thing you have to be careful with is TC and duty limits.

Out West here, there is so much work. You can pretty much do any type of work on the side. Tim Horton's is paying $16/hr. starting in this part of the world. If you can't get a job in Alberta, you're lazy. Not sure what the market is like elsewhere, but methinks it's not as good.

Lots of opportunity on-line too if you have some computer skills or try the stock market.

Good luck.

Switchfoot.

JohnnyHotRocks · Post by **JohnnyHotRocks** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:54 am

...holy sheet...$16 at timmy's....you'r kidding right?

grimey · Post by **grimey** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:39 pm

Wouldn't surprise me if it's in the oil patch.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:45 pm

Marshall at a golf course. Sit on your ass, drive a cart around and tell the old farts to speed it up! Ive seen one posting in SW Ontario for 11/hr. Id definatley work at Tims for 16/hr. What a world we live in...I know flight instructors that make 8.50/hour...they worked it out...salary...teaching people how to fly frickin airplanes (I think thats amazing myself...I sure couldnt do it) and you have people who make coffee all day for 16. Canada is grand.

golden hawk · Post by **golden hawk** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 2:18 pm

Drive a cab.

Lommer · Post by **Lommer** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 3:04 pm

Work the ramp. There's a few places out there that pay >$13/hr as long as your not a pilot looking to upgrade off the ramp or one who will jump ship in 2 months when the next phone call comes in.

Mr. Jones · Post by **Mr. Jones** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:03 pm

Do home inspections. Get $250-$350 per house takes about 2-3 hours per home and schedule them when you are available.

sprucemonkey · Post by **sprucemonkey** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:17 pm

Deliver zzzaaa. Weekends bring in 130+ for a 4 hr shift.

hazatude · Post by **hazatude** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:19 pm

Small grow-op will get you the shiny new car etc.

cyyz · Post by **cyyz** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:20 pm

gambling

or

stripping...

planett · Post by **planett** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 5:04 pm

Teach a groundschool at $300.00 per day, do that as often as demand permits.

Fox 3 · Post by **Fox 3** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:21 pm

I do website development in my spare time, plus when I'm out of base I can still do it on my laptop. The only time I get in a panic is when a customer needs something done right this minute and I'm busy at work...this doesn't happen to often though so it's ok.

FOX

goldeneagle · Post by **goldeneagle** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:24 pm

+VE R8 wrote:So this gets me thinking....what jobs are out there that people like us (fly full time and aren't making great $) could help increase the income by utilizing a job on the side. This does present some interesting challenges and some poor qualities from an employers view.

...

What job would allow you to show up to work when ever your able, and not be missed when you can't?

A lot of smart-ass answers, but, nobody putting 'meat' on the plate on this one, allow me to give it a shot.

In the mid-80's I found myself in the same situation, doing mostly ad-hoc work, a fair amount of down time, no way to really plan anything else to fit the down time, and a strong desire (some would call it a need) to generate a little extra cash. I was already doing a lot of work in programming computers as a hobby, so, I struck out down that route, and started hunting down the occasional programming contract, something I could work with on my own time/pace, provided I met a delivery schedule. It was a good little supplement to the meager earnings of a pilot.

By the time the late 80's rolled around, I was getting pretty well known within my specialty, and had a couple of fortune 500 corps as clients. Same old drill, working on my programming stuff whenever I wasn't flying. That was in the days before notebooks were common, so it wasn't something I could 'take along' back then.

In 1989 I had yet another layoff in the flying biz, and, was wrapping up the years taxes, and I came to a conclusion. My part time software work that was fun, actually generated slightly more than 3 times as much revenue as compared to the full time flying job, yet only burned up about half as much of my time. This certainly made one pause for consideration.

After the layoff, I was back in YVR, and interviewed with an operator there, got to the point of actually getting an offer. The offer was to fly the right seat of a -8, and the dollars involved were dismal to say the least. In reality, if I had taken that position, I'd still be eligible for partial EI benefits. I wasn't terribly impressed, especially considering that as a software developer, I could often invoice for a day of work an amount equivalent to the monthly pay for that -8 right seat. I was just past the 5000 hour mark, more than half of it mpic, and a reasonable jag of turbine time back then. My final reaction to the 'chase bigger airplanes' rat race was 'I didnt' spend 10 years getting here for this'.

I've never really looked back. My software business is good, gives me the freedom and flexibility to fly part time, more as a hobby than as a real serious effort to generate revenue.

If I was starting out today, and really wanted to stick with the airplanes, I'd have a couple laptops that I carried with me, and all those overnites in hotels turn out to be a perfect time to work undisturbed on the real revenue projects. Make no bones about it, once you get established in the business, and develop a real specialty thats in demand, there is absolutely no way to compare the revenue from that, vs that available from flying airplanes. They differ by an order of magnitude.

I've considered a couple of times going back flying on a more committed basis, along the lines of a full time flying spot. I'd only consider it tho for the ideal aircraft/schedule opportunity, and one that would not interfere with my ability to manage my software development operation. I may like flying airplanes, but, I know which side the bread is buttered on too.

pelmet · Post by **pelmet** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:35 pm

Become the next Peter North...You know the politician in Ontario.

Glory. · Post by **Glory.** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:37 pm

teach yourself the FOREX market and trade on it

flyinhigh · Post by **flyinhigh** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 7:56 am

+VE R8 wrote:I had a feeling that there would be a comment about the sked...I didn't go into great detail, but allow me to say this...I get scheduled block of 5 days off every 4 weeks, NOT 5 days off every 4 weeks.

MMMMM, 5 consecutive days in 4 weeks, WOW
Buddy I work air ambulance and am on a 10 on 5 off schedule. unless I am reading yours wrong thats not that good.

As for the money, just be creative. Landscaping pays big bucks
As it is winter coming, do snow removal

bandit1 · Post by **bandit1** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:39 am

I fly a sched and never work more than 15 days a month. This month is 12 to be exact.

At the BS salary I make, It's a good thing I only work 15 days a month. I have to work on the side to be able to afford to live.

I work as a salesman on contract that involves alot of online stuff so easy to do even away from home.

+VE R8 · Post by **+VE R8** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:05 pm

Thanks to all, for both a good laugh and for some very useful ideas! Goldeneagle, thanks for taking the time to allow me some insight in what seems to be a similar situation, I do appreciate your post!

Once again as for my schedule (this isn't even relevant to the post), allow me to clarify, in a set schedule that is for a period of approx 4 weeks, somewhere in said schedule I will get a block of 5 days off (which one must bid for), I didn't say that I don't get any other time off. All that I was looking into doing was fill those 5 days that I get with the opportunity to make some extra income. Actually, it works out that I work alittle more than 50% of the days in a 4 week sked.

Haz, I like shiny new cars...you have a location in mind?

Mr. Jones, I think that is an outstanding idea, and will look into it!

As for a job that requires lots of sitting ("Za" delivery/taxi driver), I alreday sit too much in the airplane.

The instructing thing I have tried to do in the past in combination with other jobs, and I don't feel that it is fair to the student having to be a victim of my shcedule.

Once again, thanks to all for opening up some great possibilities!

alpha1 · Post by **alpha1** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:46 pm

just an idea.....supplement your flying income by becoming a successful trader in the futures market.

The best way to become a successful trader, IMHO, is to read five times Trade Your Way To Financial Freedom by Van K. Tharp, and then give it a shot and see if trading's for you.

in the end, here are some of the things we all want:

- financial independence and security
- health and happiness
- income to support ourselves and our families that IS NOT DEPENDANT ON HOURS WORKED OR HEALTH OR ABILILTY TO WORK
- not being subject to others ( ie morons)
- meaning to life

.......flying for a living can cover some of these bases, and trading can cover the rest....

if trading turns out not to be for you, then find a successful trader, give money to her/him, and see if they can generate enough passive income to cover your monthly expenses....good luck.

mellow_pilot · Post by **mellow_pilot** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:33 pm

Real-estate mogul.

alpha1 · Post by **alpha1** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:46 pm

mellow pilot,

not a bad idea either....people used to think arnold schwarzenegger was a joke.....until he got into the real estate business on the side and made a ga-jillion dollars.....

Perfect Side Jobs?

Perfect Side Jobs?

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