Why Do I Make So Much Money?

[mtsu_av8er]

So, I'm talking to a guy in from one of my classes the other day, and he notices my Wings of Eagles shirt (sorry...plug...) and asks, "Oh, you work there?", to which I answer, "Yes"!

"What do you do there?"

Well, I tell him...I'm a flight instructor. He proceeds to start asking me questions about flight training, and the costs. I explain to him that a Cessna 152 is $70 per hour for the aircraft rental, and that the instructor is $32.50/hour.

He gets angry and says, "Over $100 per hour? You're making more than $100 an hour and you guys complain about pay cuts? I hope you all go bankrupt!!"

I was totally confused and sickened at this point....

[Foxcow]

The general public hates/doesnt understand the importance of aviation. Just another dummy

[triplec76]

Yeahhh.....well I wouldn't lose too much sleep over his ignorance. It definitely IS bliss.

[EDUC8-or]

Uhhh, yeah. I just work 2 jobs because I'm scared of the boogie monster in my closet and I want to be out of the house about 15-16 hours a day.

[mpenguin1]

Everybody thinks that when you talk about hourly pay you are talking about a standard 8 hour day, 40 hour week. Tell him what your yearly salary is next time....

[Stone Cold]

I've got one better...prospective student (friened of the owner)comes in after no showing me earlier in the day and does a lesson. He says he needs to get his certificate so he can make some serious money. I sit him down and explain how the system works and show him my pay for the day, since I had been no-showed, and then showed him my pay for the month. He tells me he doesn't want to instruct, just work for the airlines and make good money. I explain once again how the system works, paying dues, etc...I think I got through to him but he's still interested in coming out here.

Of course, I type this as I wait for him to show up for a lesson...another no-show. He's done in my books...owner and I wil have to talk.

[mtsu_av8er]

Whip his a$$, txpilot... . Man, that sucks.

What does this weirdo do now?

[EatSleepFly]

See, thats why I prefer not to tell anyone what I do.

In fact, I came up with a wonderful line that won't invoke any further questioning. When someone who I suspect to be ignorant says, "so, what do you do?"

I say, "I'm a plumber...I like to lay pipe." Then they grumble off, wrongly figuring that I'm just more immature than they thought I was, and it saves me from the "are you even old enough to drive?" conversation, that I love oh so much.

[flyover]

[ QUOTE ]
I was totally confused and sickened at this point....

[/ QUOTE ]

Really, if you enjoy aviation try letting this stuff roll off your back. Whatever he's got going on is his problem, not yours, so just laugh and carry on. Believe me it will make your chosen career much more enjoyable.

[mtsu_av8er]

I hear you, flyover. It confused me more than anything. How he got me and the airlines confused...I'm still trying to figure out....

[DE727UPS]

You should tell him the 152 that rents for $70/hr is worth $20,000 but insurance costs the flight school 5K a year and gas is $3.30/gal. (that's the going rate around here).

[mtsu_av8er]

That's about the going rate at our airport, too. I mentioned gas prices to him, maintenance, and the fact that the flight school had to have little luxuries like electricity, running water, etc.

That seemed to calm him down some. Most of these people will never have a clue, and there's n amount of ranting I can do that'll change their minds!

[Stone Cold]

He's in the courier business...prior Navy (served 4 years) and apparently fits very well into the civilian world. I'm not sure if he's a courier, a janitor, or what...the guy has a story for everything....you know the type, I'm sure. He's tried to tell people he did CIA work, etc. but this is a military town, so everybody knows he's full of it.

Oh well, the life of a CFI...hopefully for only a couple of months more.

As a side note, the computer I have here at work doesn't like double "L"s, so if you notice me leaving off "L"s it's the computer, not me misspelling on purpose.

[Doug Taylor]

Two words for those people..... "dumb-asses".

Now I can see if these conversations took place in the before the mid 1990's, but with such a vast amount of information now available on the internet about the biz, either these people are living in denial or they're dag-gum st00pid.

Anyone like the southern coloquialism up there? heh heh...

But seriously, are these two people the type that buy "Axe Body Spray" because "Dude, like if it'll work for that mannequin, it'll totally rock for me!"

[triplec76]

[ QUOTE ]

But seriously, are these two people the type that buy "Axe Body Spray" because "Dude, like if it'll work for that mannequin, it'll totally rock for me!"

[/ QUOTE ]

LMAO

[Maximillian_Jenius]

[ QUOTE ]
Uhhh, yeah. I just work 2 jobs because I'm scared of the boogie monster in my closet and I want to be out of the house about 15-16 hours a day.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm just scared up opening up my closet door and finding a small asian boy and his cat in there!!!!

Matthew

[project7]

[ QUOTE ]
See, thats why I prefer not to tell anyone what I do.

In fact, I came up with a wonderful line that won't invoke any further questioning. When someone who I suspect to be ignorant says, "so, what do you do?"

I say, "I'm a plumber...I like to lay pipe." Then they grumble off, wrongly figuring that I'm just more immature than they thought I was, and it saves me from the "are you even old enough to drive?" conversation, that I love oh so much.


[/ QUOTE ]

I usually say "Drywall". People stop asking questions after that.

[PeanuckleCRJ]

I'm a petroleum to rotation conversion technician in the pressurized alluminum tubing industry.

[rv7]

I got the "overpaid taxi driver" line for the first time the other night. It came from my friends father who is as old school New York as they come. Didn't even begin to correct/ argue with him because it isn't worth my time. I just chuckled at his ignorance and finished off my beer. Some people have no clue.

[jdflight]

Tony told a woman in Vegas that I drive a backhoe and it turned out one of her best friends did that. Had to fess up after that coincidence.

[PorcoRosso]

[ QUOTE ]
That's about the going rate at our airport, too. I mentioned gas prices to him, maintenance, and the fact that the flight school had to have little luxuries like electricity, running water, etc.

That seemed to calm him down some. Most of these people will never have a clue, and there's n amount of ranting I can do that'll change their minds!

[/ QUOTE ]

I concur with your actions, but I can't imagine how you can let someone carry on with their ignorance without completely correcting them so they understand where you are coming from.

[stuckingfk]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
That's about the going rate at our airport, too. I mentioned gas prices to him, maintenance, and the fact that the flight school had to have little luxuries like electricity, running water, etc.

That seemed to calm him down some. Most of these people will never have a clue, and there's n amount of ranting I can do that'll change their minds!

[/ QUOTE ]

I concur with your actions, but I can't imagine how you can let someone carry on with their ignorance without completely correcting them so they understand where you are coming from.

[/ QUOTE ]


Dude, no more concurring

[I_Money]

I was out down the pub with one of my friends who is a pilot. When asked by a lady what he did, he said I work with alimiun tubing - she replied 'you should have said something impressive like you were a pilot' - that was funny!

[WillNotFly4Food]

I conquer?

[CapnJim]

Porco- I'm diggin' you avatar. What is it? Where'd you get it?