[palmfish]

OK, I'm just tired of looking at the title of that other forum every time I log on.

Here's the idea. Write something that you love about your job. Let's see how many of us are on here. I'll start with one to get the ball rolling...

Free coffee.

[EC120AV8R]

Chicks dig flightsuits. I was going to go with free coffee but it was taken.

[PhotoFlyer]

Two weeks off...

[RockyMountainPilot]

Worked 47 days last year.

[palmfish]

RockyMountainPilot, on Jan 16 2010, 08:12 , said:

Worked 47 days last year.

I start bouncing off the walls by the end of a 4-day weekend - I'd go crazy if I worked that little!

I get 36 days off per year (26 annual leave + 10 federal holidays). That works out to about 7 weeks. Generally, we take one or two "real vacations" and I use the rest to stretch some weekends.

I don't know what I'll do with myself when I turn 57 and forced to retire. My hobbies are web surfing, video games, and home theater...

[RockyMountainPilot]

palmfish, on Jan 16 2010, 17:28 , said:

I start bouncing off the walls by the end of a 4-day weekend - I'd go crazy if I worked that little!

I get 36 days off per year (26 annual leave + 10 federal holidays). That works out to about 7 weeks. Generally, we take one or two "real vacations" and I use the rest to stretch some weekends.

I don't know what I'll do with myself when I turn 57 and forced to retire. My hobbies are web surfing, video games, and home theater...

I work to live. Flying is just a job to me. If I could afford my own plane, I would probably fly for fun. But flying for someone else isn't fun anymore.

[palmfish]

RockyMountainPilot, on Jan 16 2010, 10:24 , said:

I work to live. Flying is just a job to me. If I could afford my own plane, I would probably fly for fun. But flying for someone else isn't fun anymore.

I'm the other way around.

If I owned my own plane, it would fall apart from neglect. Oh, I rent an airplane or helicopter a few times/year to take my wife, kids, and friends up, but that's it. I do it for their enjoyment and that gives me pleasure, but flying just for the sake of flying bores me.

It's the work and the people I interact/work with that makes being a pilot interesting and enjoyable to me. If I won the big lottery tomorrow, I'd do my job for free.

[EC120AV8R]

Palm, I have to agree with you. I enjoy the camaraderie with the officers on the ground, other pilots (both LE and otherwise). But I get the biggest satisfaction of being the ones to find a knucklehead that thought he got away, and knowing that he is going to jail because we were there.

[EAGLE1]

This is definitely the best job in the world. I get to fly helicopters, help people when they need it most, and make sure those that need to go to jail get there expeditiously. Oh yeah, there is the flying on goggles, putting out fires and the dozens of other missions we do as well when the others get "routine". And then there is the camaraderie with other pilots and the guys on the ground as well. It is the job that just keeps giving......

[palmfish]

That's a big difference between you guys and me.

I don't fight fires, rarely fly at night, and almost never see anyone get arrested. My challenge is keeping the aircraft well positioned for my observer and not being noticed by the bad guy.

Different environments make this easier or harder (helicopter vs. airplane, urban vs. rural, etc.).

And then there's erad, of course - my favorite time of year. Terrain flight with the doors off, landing in field LZ's, evening BBQ's with the ground crews, etc. takes me back to my Air Cav days. Haz Duty Pay 5 days/week is nice too...

Oh, and I thought of another plus for us - if we lose our medical for some reason (knock on wood), we still have a job with the same pay/benefits.

[heligirl03]

Ok, if I didn't want your job already (which I TOTALLY do) I want it now...mostly for the summer BBQs Promise I won't go for it 'til you are on the verge of retirement..how long does that give me?

palmfish, on Jan 23 2010, 10:05 , said:

That's a big difference between you guys and me.

I don't fight fires, rarely fly at night, and almost never see anyone get arrested. My challenge is keeping the aircraft well positioned for my observer and not being noticed by the bad guy.

Different environments make this easier or harder (helicopter vs. airplane, urban vs. rural, etc.).

And then there's erad, of course - my favorite time of year. Terrain flight with the doors off, landing in field LZ's, evening BBQ's with the ground crews, etc. takes me back to my Air Cav days. Haz Duty Pay 5 days/week is nice too...

Oh, and I thought of another plus for us - if we lose our medical for some reason (knock on wood), we still have a job with the same pay/benefits.

[FLHooker]

I like taking AF fixed wing guys for a ride in the jumpseat, and watching them freak out when i start slowing the airspeed down at 1000'.

Or climbing up to 12,500' to do Military Free Fall

Or bringing a company (of guys) under goggles to their sister company's location so they can air assault in, create havoc... get picked back up and off we go.

Or Anything I do while i'm strapped in.


CHAD

[palmfish]

heligirl03, on Jan 25 2010, 14:25 , said:

I won't go for it 'til you are on the verge of retirement..how long does that give me?

I think I might have a few years left in me...

Fortunately, you don't have to wait for me. I could hook you up with our recruiter.

[Spike]

This is the only job I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot-of-em) where people actually told me “you’ve got the best job in the world”….....

Priceless…………………

[FLHooker]

Brian,

Do ya'll have a max age to apply? I'm aways from retirement too, just curious...


CHAD

[EC120AV8R]

Spike, on Jan 26 2010, 14:04 , said:

This is the only job I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot-of-em) where people actually told me “you’ve got the best job in the world”….....

Priceless…………………

Aint that the truth. Not a day goes by I don't pinch myself and say "I can't believe they pay me to do this".

[EC120AV8R]

FLHooker, on Jan 26 2010, 20:00 , said:

Brian,

Do ya'll have a max age to apply? I'm aways from retirement too, just curious...


CHAD

Chad,

I think the feds cut off at 38...Brian will correct me if I'm wrong.

[FLHooker]

Thanks. I figured it was about that. I think CBP has the same? Not 100% though. Sucks, i'll be 46 when i retire. Oh well.



CHAD

[palmfish]

Chad, 37 is the cut off for us 1811 (DEA, FBI, etc.) types. CBP has an OPM waiver so they can take you up to 40.

If you go M-Day, then you can have the best of both worlds...

[FLHooker]

Brian,

True, but i'm just not 100% on the 2 jobs again.. did that, was busy as hell constantly. Advantages to both though.


CHAD