Back in the days when I had a couple of Renault R5 Turbo IIs, one of the profoundly experienced club members came down (to Calif) from his spread in Idaho with his covered mini truck/tools/knowledge and, for a fair price, go through our cars, tune them, make suspension suggestions, & give them a good love pat. He stayed overnight at times & left the next a.m.
He would sometimes work several cars in one day...making close to $2k/day.
He traveled around the western US for a couple of years - worked other exotic cars also.
An idea.

Sing,

Tried to call but your phone number has changed. Email me your cell number when you get time.

Joe

Fing,

I'm a 38 year-old corporate pilot, and I work with many ex-airline career pilots who lost their pensions. I understand your plight.

The first thing I would do is get out of Aviation. Sure, you like the rest of us, loved flying since you were 5 years old and always new that's what you were going to do. After all the ladder-climbing, modernization and globalization of the Aviation Industry and equipment this job has become something very different than what it was when you started out.

I don't know about you, but when I was young I used to buy all the Avaition related magazines off the rack and read them. Now when I get home I want to read anything BUT that stuff (for entertainment purposes, that is-I'm still a professional in the utmost regard). Maybe it's because it's your job and no longer a fun hobby, but something has changed.

So..... let's think of something you would be interested in, but without the risk of those crazy Pilot jobs in foreign lands. Something tells me you don't want to be scud running in the mountains of Columbia or working 16 hour days flying a Sheik's cousin around Yemen at this stage in your life.

How about Consulting? I see a lot of wealthy people do this after "retirement".

Perhaps you have many contacts you have made over the years and they know someone who wants to improve their aviation business or even start one?

You could work for the Flight Safety organization that does audits of flight departments. They and others like them are super busy right now preparing US based GA for SMS compliance by the end of 2010. You are probably an expert in this realm, and you would travel from place to place on their dime. You wouldn't be bored and you'd be in a new city every month, and would probably have Health Insurance to boot.

Good Luck,

-Dana

Adding to what Dana mentioned above, the ONE thing that I can think of right now that he might just get into and not only survive but prosper, is the upcoming SMS and IS-BAO programs.

I am thinking of doing this on the side myself.

Joe A

????

various missionary groups, catholic relief services and such, often hire retired airline guys.

the work is hard. and the pay is minimal. but if you just wanted to get the hell outta dodge for a year and clear your head it might be an option.

They are upcoming safery programs that are being rammed down our throats by the feds.

No way around it and we will be needing people to write manuals for EACH operator.

It will mean a lot of work. Its coming this fall.

fing...you've told us what you are qualified in (aviation). How 'bout what (seriously) interests you. In other words, if you could do anything in the world, regardless of your background, what would it be. Realistically speaking...you know you'll never be a center for the Knicks or a pitcher for the Yankees or tapped to drive a F1 car...if you could do virtually anything what would it be? I think that's where you start.

If nothing else, where geographically would you like to light in the short term? Find a small town with a municipal airport and volunteer to work the tower...or fuel planes. I know a few guys who have bounced around doing this. But unlike you they were there to try to get a few hours in the cockpit or up their ratings.

But you obviously can do something around aviation in most locales to support yourself until you find what it is you want to do.

I guess I'd look at my avocations to see if there was something I could develop into a new vocational pursuit.

So....what are your interests and experiences outside of aviation?

And you might end up liking it. Never know...

Park ranger. Before you laugh think about, very little stress, outside, surrounded by nature. Sure ya won't get rich doing it, but I have a feeling this goes deeper then money.

39 replies to this thread, and none of you even mentioned Hookers and blow.

you guys sicken me..

Unless you meant he should become a pimp & a drug dealer, $10k wouldn't last very long with that type of merchandise...

doesn't matter, it's about clearing the mind, the bank account, and then really starting over....

it's not starting over if you start with 10K. that's just to easy.
And the H&B suggestion is just mandatory whenever anybody asks what to do with x amount of money... PPOT rules.

Hi All, Have any of you ever seen the movie, "Into the Wild"? It's been quite a while for me, and I think it ends tragically for the guy, but the mere suggestion of leaving the rat race is merely a fantasy for most of us-we're admittedly too busy chasing bull****, usually material things and situations, only to realize we're miserable when we get it/there. I'll be happy after I " ", is usually a disappointment for most of us. In all the years I've lived, I still do it, how easy it is to forget, all we really have is what's in front of us now-that's why it's so important to figure out what it is that gives us some satisfaction and fufillment. But, I could be wrong...

Sounds like you've been reading Bukowski, too...

"The problem was you had to keep choosing between one evil or another, and no matter what you chose, they sliced a little bit more off you, until there was nothing left. At the age of 25 most people were finished. A whole god-damned nation of @ssholes driving automobiles, eating, having babies, doing everything in the worst way possible, like voting for the presidential candidates who reminded them most of themselves. I had no interests. I had no interest in anything. I had no idea how I was going to escape. At least the others had some taste for life. They seemed to understand something that I didn't understand. Maybe I was lacking. It was possible. I often felt inferior. I just wanted to get away from them. But there was no place to go."

—Charles Bukowski, Ham on Rye, 1982


"It was true that I didn’t have much ambition, but there ought to be a place for people without ambition, I mean a better place than the one usually reserved. How in the hell could a man enjoy being awakened at 6:30 a.m. by an alarm clock, leap out of bed, dress, force-feed, ****, piss, brush teeth and hair, and fight traffic to get to a place where essentially you made lots of money for somebody else and were asked to be grateful for the opportunity to do so?
"
— Charles Bukowski (Factotum)


"Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I'm not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you've felt that way."
— Charles Bukowski

I was usually the one flying the H & B in and out of Vegas in the early days.

I think a DOW Officer would be a kick azz job as well.

Watch the last 10 minutes of 25th Hour, the movie with Ed Norton.

YouTube - 25th Hour-You all came so close to never happening-ending

Just to clarify, CRS is definitely not a missionary group. It is the second largest relief organization in the world, (after CARE), and yes, it's part of the Catholic charities network but they do zero missionary work anywhere in the world.

I know this because my brother has worked for them for 20 years, (director of south and SE Asia regions), and he is not religious in the least. Same with his wife. Do not confuse CRS with groups of dipschit missionaries from the U.S. making messes all over the world. CRS does fantastic, essential general and emergency relief work in every corner of the globe.

And yes, they do use lots of retired military pilots or just guys from(?) to fly cargo and relief supplies. PM me if you want a contact, my bro is about as high up as it gets in that organization. I'll do anything I can for you.

My brother in Africa a few years back: :cool:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1266170020.jpg

Boy does the paint job on that -130 look familiar...

The tail has the World Food Program logo but the rest is (?)

my mom, anesthesiologist, worked for them for years. i got dragged along on a trip or two. sure seemed like a lot of nuns in charge of things to me. and i don't think you quite understand what "missionary work" means.


either way. i met mostly medical people working for them. it struck me as a sort of humanitarian french foreign legion. if you wanted to get way from your troubles and disappear for a few years it was a very good way to go.

No, you don't understand what the term means. The presence of nuns does not constitute missionary work, in and of itself. I know perfectly well who works for them and what they do. No worries though, enjoy your misinformed position.

Looks a lot like a older SAT C-130 paint job.

I'm coming in late to this party and haven't read all the posts but my suggestion is to start by figuring out what you did right and wrong to get where you are now. Otherwise you are destined to spend a lot of time and money and end up in the same position.

The only problem is...

The FAA (in their infininte wisdom) has not 'gotten onboard' the certification bandwagon yet. IS-BAO is, in fact, the gold standard, but their requirements for 'auditors' require accreditation from a graduate-level coursework. I remember a friend taking the 10 month coursework at USC a couple of years ago, and he only last October finally got his accreditation. This program will not be the 'cut and paste' type thing that RVSM and RNP was.

Believe one of "the group" is already certified and ready to float. He is taking the lead but not going to do it alone.

I think its time for an update :)

Personally, I'd bartend on a beach in Thailand in a thatched hut.

I saw a sign today on the corner, "Whole house sale. Everything must go."

That sign had me thinking wistful thoughts...

When I was a kid had an Uncle that "retired" early due to cancer that successful treatment left him with nothing. He sold everything he had left except for his car and a suitcase of clothes. The car was an older diesel Mercedes sedan, I seem to remember 220. He traveled around and did odd jobs all over seeing the country close up. Talked about going to new little towns and hanging out in the breakfast coffee shop cafes getting to know the people there and finding work.

Every once in a while he got the opportunity to be a part of some venture he liked and invested what little he had, but kept moving. Later in life he got Alzheimer's. His brother spent years finding places and things he had invested a small amount in. More often than no he found the small amount was now worth a fortune. Basically his brother found enough money to easily pay for his care.

I remember going to visit him at the home he was in. Outside his window his brother had a pad poured and they parked his Mercedes there and kept it washed and cleaned up. His brother said looking out and seeing the car made him happy.


My oldest brother retired with not much and found someone that let him live on a hunting lease. He basically lived out of a tent, camping for 3 years. He did have a gym membership where it could go shower and clean up. He loved it. The only reason he moved to a cheap apartment is someone came in while he was gone to town and tore up everything in his camp. Now he lives in a cheap apartment with barely enough SS, doesn't work, but does go to the library often and reads a LOT of books.


A friend that has a small plane pilot's license moved to Hawaii and flew Island tours for 4 years before moving back state side and doing something else. Now he works for Apple and is the top tier in phone support for iPhones.


I'm 56 and not married, no kids, but do have a mortgage. My cars are paid for. Thought about what I would do if I lost my job that I've worked for the same company for the past 36 years. Have a 401K, but it's not really enough to last long after taxes even though I would not have to pay a penalty. Also have an on-going health problem caused by something as simple as stepping on a nail 4 years ago. Don't know what I would do.

I'm thinking Bush Pilot in Alaska....you can be a lifeline to hundreds of people, or just shuttle hunters into the wild. You could pick and choose your clientelle.

SWFL Oct-April
The best weather in the entire country. 340,000 wealthy American, Canadian, and Germans descend on paradise coast.

Most working people are in the service industry (bars, boats, and beaches). Check out Naples airport for work as well.

I have two family members in aviation one just lost a cushy corporate job up north. The business owner is under criminal investigation.

I'll suggest Seminole Bingo.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjmbIGlrr9s

I would get a decent enough Mac to run a word processor and Photoshop, a camera and a tripod, and travel the country photographing and writing articles about interesting vehicles of all kinds. I have a couple of stringers who do that, and I envy their vagabond lives, meeting cool people, getting up close to cool stuff, and making $300 for 12 good photos and 1800 words.

Sing/Fing was one of the reason this place was so interesting when I joined a few years after the Earth cooled. He is still active:

My next door neighbors did just this...sold their place(furnished) and the husband is splitting to travel...the wife and 18 yo son got a small condo nearby. Handed the keys over this morning. 2 college age daughters...1 is going to Au for 6 months on a work visa, the other staying at Berkley. Husband says they are staying married...very strange way to go out. The neighbors are shaking their collective head.

No reaction from Fingpilot yet from his 6 year old thread. So I gather his situation must have improved since then. I have seen his other posts recently. Perceptive on your part Motion....

$10k is not much nowadays. I have been really hungry 3 times in my life. I don't like it. The thought of hunger should be a motivator.....

I LAUGHED MY A$$ OFF when I saw this thread today!

Had completely forgotten that I had started it. I saw the title, and thought, 'Some other poor SOB had to do what I did', and then realized it was ME!

OK, Update all these years later...

I ended up driving to Redstone Arsenal in Northern Alabama when a friend (who knew nothing of my 'situation') called and needed help on a 'project). I was in Flagstaff, behind a snow plow at dawn waiting for the sun to come up so they could open I-40 after a big snow.

My friend and I had worked on a couple of 'projects' in the way-back days, on something that is common now, the concept of UAV's. He had gotten seriously ill at a really bad time in his current project and needed a stand-in while he had surgery. I still had all the clearances and was able to get up to speed on his project quickly. I arrived in Huntsville 3 days later and went right to work. His health had gotten bad enough that the surgery wasn't going to work.

6 years later I was still there. When I 'retired' from there, I was running the small and medium UAV programs for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Over a hundred employees, spread out all over the world flying missions as diverse as ground surface to air missile targets, 50-cal targets for Humvees, autonomous autopilot birds for Navy gun and missile live fire drills. Sigint and Elint observation drones, counter-drone research, low-observable tactics and materials.

Had a blast. Bought a big Diesel-pusher RV with a trailer that has the car and all my toys in it, and now follow the sun, north in the summer, south in the winter. Will take posts as a camp host at National Parks. Last summer at Lake Moomaw in the Appalachians, last winter at a beachfront park in Biloxi.

Am having fun! I loved all the ideas, but surprisingly had BTDT on a lot of them.

I might still have a trick or two up my sleeve!

HOOOOOOT!!!!! What a story, Mike! Life is funny like that... you never know what's around the next corner! So happy to hear that your adventure took such an interesting turn :) http://forums.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/wat6.gif

Ya know, this is one of the best threads here. Thanks for the inspiration Mike! AND best of luck and good fortune to ya, now and in the future!!