What Do you Do?

[Droning on and on...]

Boy isn't that the truth!! I so miss the days of $1000 J-3 Cub/Champ projects and $8000 decent, flyable Cessna 150s.

Ditto!

Got my ticket in the 80s, flew for fun for a few years, then pretty much gave it up because it was just too expensive for simply "fun".

Took up hang-gliding.

That was a blast until I got too fat, and couldn't run fast enough.

 

[4 inch pistons]

Route driver for 23 years then 15 in facility management. Last 9 as a warehouse supervisor in aerospace. Next birthday will be my 70th and no plans to retire until I can’t move. I also need to support my golf, motorcycle and drone addictions.

 

[Torque]

Just turned 66 and still working full time, 12 hour shifts, as a Respiratory Therapist. Worked as a clinical instructor in respiratory therapy for several years in Salt Lake City, Ut. Moved to Seattle 30 years ago and worked for years in a large, very busy trauma center here. Been at a small, calmer community hospital for the last decade. One day I'll retire, I suppose.

 

[Cafguy]

Route driver for 23 years

In the Army I was a Truck Driver. My M.O.S. was a 64c and then the Army changed it to 88m for some reason.

 

[Slawaw]

I am 56 years old. Professional mechanical engineer. Bosch company, equipment for car repair.

20 years building homemade RC planes, gliders. I love to travel with my wife by car. Since 2024, a military drone pilot and instructor. DJI drone flights, which are illegal over long distances, are very helpful today.

After the war I promise not to take RC remote control in my hands. I dream of seeing London.

 

[4 inch pistons]

I also did RC Airplanes for 20 years in the late 80s. Started with.40 glow and finished in giant scale. Very expensive hobby and unlike DJI there’s no position hold on planes. 3 things you never want to run out of when flying tv fixed wing.
1. Airspeed
2.Altitude
3.Ideas

 

[AnzacJack]

Joined the defence force at 16.
20 years services as an aircraft engineering workinging with many aircraft from RAAF Roulette Air Display team to F111 Strike Bombers. Became a pilot during this time. Transitioned into Education and have now spent another 20 years as Head of Aerospace at an Aviation school in Brisbane Australia.
Many years working with teams of students designing and building UAV craft before multirotors became the easiest choice and most available for pretty much anyone interested.
one of my jobs is delivering the Cert 3 Aviation/remote pilot (a 12 month course) and RePL courses for CASA qualifications.
Still work Australian Army Aviation Regiment and 20th Regiment that utilises modern drone technology.

 

[AnzacJack]

I am 56 years old. Professional mechanical engineer. Bosch company, equipment for car repair.

20 years building homemade RC planes, gliders. I love to travel with my wife by car. Since 2024, a military drone pilot and instructor. DJI drone flights, which are illegal over long distances, are very helpful today.

After the war I promise not to take RC remote control in my hands. I dream of seeing Londo

I like your patch
Angry Drone – drops a ‘gift


Best wishes from an Aussie mate

 

[AnzacJack]

Boy isn't that the truth!! I so miss the days of $1000 J-3 Cub/Champ projects and $8000 decent, flyable Cessna 150s.

Funny you say that, i picked up 2 150s last year, both airworthy and registered for about $8000 each
Only after i got them into the hangar did i realise, on checking my old log books, that i did my first solo in one of them.

 

[Felix le Chat]

30 years working as an archaeologist, then side-stepped into formal site and small finds photography for another 10 years. Finally got bored during COVID and sat for forensic photography certification. Retired now, but can't sit still.

Currently work freelance - surveying built heritage assets, as well as (voluntary) searching for sites of potential coastal archaeology and monitoring areas of ecological damage / at-risk environmental assets for a few cash-strapped groups.

Due to head up to Wales in the next couple of weeks to spend a happy few days photographing the crash site of a USAF Lockheed P38-F1 Lightning that was ditched during September of 1942 (a plane from one of the first flights to make it across the Atlantic). There have been some pretty frisky storms in the area, so fingers crossed the wreck is mostly exposed this time.

 

[BlueHeeler]

Lots of great posts here, actually every one of them.

As for me, still working at age 65 in the Testing, Inspection & Certification Industry ( Petroleum ), I will probably just work until my God says enough "Robert, you're hanging out with me for now on"

My current toys : motorcycle, bicycle, cameras, firearms and of course, drones, I enjoyed beekeeping for 15 years or so, but recently gave it up due to lumbar issues, I miss it though. Women were on that list too, but physical age ruined that, I had a good run.

 

[PINEBARON]

So very interesting to read what so many of you do.

I studied electrical/communication engineering and computer engineering from London UK (was also born there). Independent Software/Technology consultant for the last 28 years here in the US; pays extremely well when theres work, ha ha! As the 'Last resort guy', I'm the arrogant bastard they call when clients are really, totally stuck with a technology issue, hardware or software, any platform, any vertical. Prior to that, out of college I was into consumer electronics manufacturing for seven years, made a boat load of money, then gave it all away to the family, before starting from scratch again in the UK.

One of my craziest travel stories is when in 1978, my wife and I drove my Ford Fairmont, from London UK to New Delhi India: I'm writing a book about the 30 day journey with 20 days of driving. That year Afghanistan was being attacked by (???) and I wasn't aware of dusk to dawn curfew, which we violated and an Afgan Army Brigadier wanted us to face a firing squad, facing 50 Afghan soldiers, armed with automatic rifles like AK47's. I managed to talk my way out of that, phew!

Still married to the same wife for 47 years. Hobbies include flying and building RC planes, scale, pattern, etc. for over 50 years (I'm 72 this Nov), extreme ten pin bowling, 30-150 games or more, literally non-stop (13 games per hour), fishing, running, mountain biking, landscaping our 6 acres plus being a 'know it all' and a 'mr fixit'. Currently trying to master day trading every night starting at 1am.

I'm one crazy SOAB

 

[BlueHeeler]

So very interesting to read what so many of you do.

I studied electrical/communication engineering and computer engineering from London UK (was also born there). Independent Software/Technology consultant for the last 28 years here in the US; pays extremely well when theres work, ha ha! As the 'Last resort guy', I'm the arrogant bastard they call when clients are really, totally stuck with a technology issue, hardware or software, any platform, any vertical. Prior to that, out of college I was into consumer electronics manufacturing for seven years, made a boat load of money, then gave it all away to the family, before starting from scratch again in the UK.

One of my craziest travel stories is when in 1978, my wife and I drove my Ford Fairmont, from London UK to New Delhi India: I'm writing a book about the 30 day journey with 20 days of driving. That year Afghanistan was being attacked by (???) and I wasn't aware of dusk to dawn curfew, which we violated and an Afgan Army Brigadier wanted us to face a firing squad, facing 50 Afghan soldiers, armed with automatic rifles like AK47's. I managed to talk my way out of that, phew!

Still married to the same wife for 47 years. Hobbies include flying and building RC planes, scale, pattern, etc. for over 50 years (I'm 72 this Nov), extreme ten pin bowling, 30-150 games or more, literally non-stop (13 games per hour), fishing, running, mountain biking, landscaping our 6 acres plus being a 'know it all' and a 'mr fixit'. Currently trying to master day trading every night starting at 1am.

I'm one crazy SOAB

Sheesh ! That's a road trip. That situation in Afghanistan sure beats that drive through the English Channel

 

[PakNheat380]

Health Care Administration and corporate pilot. Did the first part to support my family and the second part because I dreamed of being a pilot as a kid. Had the privilege to fly most models of the Cessna twins, Aero Commander 690A, Cessna Citation & Lear 24. Now retired I fly drones.