C-172 $20 / hour! C-210 $30 / hour! I found my new job...

[Ricky]

As graduation and my career as an A&P (hopefully with paid flying
combined) draws nearer, which should be in August or slightly earlier,
I have been putting out some "feelers" for work. Who's nearby in
central Texas, what do they do, what would I make, benefits etc...

There are 2 "big" places for mechanics & A&Ps in Waco, L3
Communications and RAM Aircraft. L3 does mostly rebuilds & mods on P3
Orions & other big military & civilian aircraft, RAM, as some of you
know, does mostly mods on GA Cessna twins.
I have heard quite a few pros & cons on both places, as well as some
cons from former employees regarding RAM Aircraft.
Yesterday, however, I heard that RAM has at least three Cessnas
available to employee pilots for rental, a 172, a 210 and, I believe,
a 206. The 172 goes for $20 an hour! The 210, $30 an hour (I believe),
and the 206 I'm not sure but is also probably dirt cheap. These rental
prices are WET!
I gather that RAM does this as an employee benefit. Wow. Forget my
income and insurance! $20 for a new 172! (New meaning since production
resumed) I think I know where I'm going to be applying!
Another thing about RAM is that my interest falls mostly in GA anyway
rather than in big commercial aviation or transports, jets, etc.

Is there anywhere else that you have heard of that offers their pilots
and/or mechanics ultra-cheap rental (or even free) use of aircraft as
an employee insentive or benefit? Just curious as that sounds like a
great idea to offer as an employee benefit.

Ricky

[Larry Dighera]

On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 18:42:08 -0800 (PST), Ricky
> wrote in
>:

>Is there anywhere else that you have heard of that offers their pilots
>and/or mechanics ultra-cheap rental (or even free) use of aircraft as
>an employee insentive or benefit?

The USAF bases usually have flying clubs.

[Allen[_1_]]

"Ricky" > wrote in message
...
>
> As graduation and my career as an A&P (hopefully with paid flying
> combined) draws nearer, which should be in August or slightly earlier,
> I have been putting out some "feelers" for work. Who's nearby in
> central Texas, what do they do, what would I make, benefits etc...
>
> There are 2 "big" places for mechanics & A&Ps in Waco, L3
> Communications and RAM Aircraft. L3 does mostly rebuilds & mods on P3
> Orions & other big military & civilian aircraft, RAM, as some of you
> know, does mostly mods on GA Cessna twins.
> I have heard quite a few pros & cons on both places, as well as some
> cons from former employees regarding RAM Aircraft.
> Yesterday, however, I heard that RAM has at least three Cessnas
> available to employee pilots for rental, a 172, a 210 and, I believe,
> a 206. The 172 goes for $20 an hour! The 210, $30 an hour (I believe),
> and the 206 I'm not sure but is also probably dirt cheap. These rental
> prices are WET!
> I gather that RAM does this as an employee benefit. Wow. Forget my
> income and insurance! $20 for a new 172! (New meaning since production
> resumed) I think I know where I'm going to be applying!
> Another thing about RAM is that my interest falls mostly in GA anyway
> rather than in big commercial aviation or transports, jets, etc.
>
> Is there anywhere else that you have heard of that offers their pilots
> and/or mechanics ultra-cheap rental (or even free) use of aircraft as
> an employee insentive or benefit? Just curious as that sounds like a
> great idea to offer as an employee benefit.
>
> Ricky

Where have you been hearing this information? RAM does have a flying club
with a Cessna 172 ($20/hr wet) but is a 1970 model. The Cessna T210 ($40/hr
wet) is a 1969 model. They did have a T206 before the T210 but someone
flipped it on it's back landing on a dirt strip.

Allen

[Blueskies]

"Allen" > wrote in message t...
>
>
>
> "Ricky" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> As graduation and my career as an A&P (hopefully with paid flying
>> combined) draws nearer, which should be in August or slightly earlier,
>> I have been putting out some "feelers" for work. Who's nearby in
>> central Texas, what do they do, what would I make, benefits etc...
>>
>> There are 2 "big" places for mechanics & A&Ps in Waco, L3
>> Communications and RAM Aircraft. L3 does mostly rebuilds & mods on P3
>> Orions & other big military & civilian aircraft, RAM, as some of you
>> know, does mostly mods on GA Cessna twins.
>> I have heard quite a few pros & cons on both places, as well as some
>> cons from former employees regarding RAM Aircraft.
>> Yesterday, however, I heard that RAM has at least three Cessnas
>> available to employee pilots for rental, a 172, a 210 and, I believe,
>> a 206. The 172 goes for $20 an hour! The 210, $30 an hour (I believe),
>> and the 206 I'm not sure but is also probably dirt cheap. These rental
>> prices are WET!
>> I gather that RAM does this as an employee benefit. Wow. Forget my
>> income and insurance! $20 for a new 172! (New meaning since production
>> resumed) I think I know where I'm going to be applying!
>> Another thing about RAM is that my interest falls mostly in GA anyway
>> rather than in big commercial aviation or transports, jets, etc.
>>
>> Is there anywhere else that you have heard of that offers their pilots
>> and/or mechanics ultra-cheap rental (or even free) use of aircraft as
>> an employee insentive or benefit? Just curious as that sounds like a
>> great idea to offer as an employee benefit.
>>
>> Ricky
>
> Where have you been hearing this information? RAM does have a flying club
> with a Cessna 172 ($20/hr wet) but is a 1970 model. The Cessna T210 ($40/hr
> wet) is a 1969 model. They did have a T206 before the T210 but someone
> flipped it on it's back landing on a dirt strip.
>
> Allen
>
>


That makes more sense, even then $20 an hour wet for a 9 gph plane could net you some big bucks.

[Bob Noel]

In article >,
Larry Dighera > wrote:

> >Is there anywhere else that you have heard of that offers their pilots
> >and/or mechanics ultra-cheap rental (or even free) use of aircraft as
> >an employee insentive or benefit?
>
> The USAF bases usually have flying clubs.

but not at a cost less than the fuel!

--
Bob Noel
(goodness, please trim replies!!!)

[[email protected]]

> The 172 goes for $20 an hour! The 210, $30 an hour (I believe),
>
> Ricky

You're hurting me Ricky. McGregor has a 172 for a mere $100 *MORE* per
hour.

I guess I need a better job or I need to consider if an A&P at TSTC
would be the right thing to do. ;)

(I almost did an A&P twenty odd years ago. Coulda shoulda woulda .... )

[Ricky]

On Feb 9, 7:24*am, "Allen" > wrote:

> Where have you been hearing this information? *RAM does have a flying club
> with a Cessna 172 ($20/hr wet) but is a 1970 model. *

> Allen-

I heard at school that it was a "modern" 172.
Information passed around at TSTC is not always accurate.
So it's a 1970 model. Great. $20 an hour is still incredible. Do you
know if the flying club is only for RAM employees?
How are you associated with RAM?

Ricky

[Ricky]

On Feb 9, 11:06*am, wrote:
> > The 172 goes for $20 an hour! The 210, $30 an hour (I believe),
>
> > Ricky
>
> You're hurting me Ricky. McGregor has a 172 for a mere $100 *MORE* per
> hour.
>
> I guess I need a better job or I need to consider if an A&P at TSTC
> would be the right thing to do. ;)
>
> (I almost did an A&P twenty odd years ago. Coulda shoulda woulda .... )

You know lots of places (most?) hire mechanics who are not certified
who, of course, work under the supervision of A&Ps.
I know L3 hires lots of non-licensed mechanics, don't know about RAM
but I'd assume that it's possible.

The program at TSTC is 1.5 years long if you do all the classes in
order & pass etc...

I am one of the older students, at 40. There are several in their 40s
& 50s.

Ricky


Ricky

[Ron Natalie]

Ricky wrote:
> As graduation and my career as an A&P (hopefully with paid flying
> combined) draws nearer, which should be in August or slightly earlier,
> I have been putting out some "feelers" for work. Who's nearby in
> central Texas, what do they do, what would I make, benefits etc...
>
That's way better than the Cessna employees get. The employee flying
club appears to be a pretty good club but isn't subsidized like that.
Cessna will give you $1000 towards each rating you want though.

Now if Textron extended that offer over to other divisions.

[Ron Natalie]

Bob Noel wrote:
> In article >,
> Larry Dighera > wrote:
>
>>> Is there anywhere else that you have heard of that offers their pilots
>>> and/or mechanics ultra-cheap rental (or even free) use of aircraft as
>>> an employee insentive or benefit?
>> The USAF bases usually have flying clubs.
>
> but not at a cost less than the fuel!
>
I was in a military flying club for a while. We got essentially free
tie down space on the military field and we could order fuel through
government contracts which got it pretty cheap. The club owned a few
planes (older Skyhawks) so flying was cheaper than most commercial
places (by about half).

On the other hand, there's a lot of micky mouse regulation there.
Multiple safety seminars a month, and specific rules for operating
out of the military field which were specifically annoying around
"quitting time" when many of us would like to fly for a few hours.
The ops people got lazy and didn't answer the phone even after 20
rings, so you figure, maybe they've gone home, so your revert to the
after hours plan and then tower tells you, nope they're still open
so you got to go back and try again..