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Show us your day job!

Left UT after 2 years toward and aero eng degree and started my work life in the Air Force. Worked on F-4D WCS, F-16 Comm/Nav/ECM, and then F-117A everything electronic.

Got my FCC with RADAR endorsement and went to Delta Air Lines at DFW as a line mechanic, getting my A&P as well. Did everything there from autopilot to toilets to engines.

Then the big downsize lay-offs in 1993 put me in the semiconductor industry. I have been a Final Test Engineer and Field Service Engineer for various equipment manufacturers before I got tired of traveling and settled on Motorola Semiconductor which is now Freescale Semiconductor. Can't complain about working seven 12 hour days every two weeks.


What I did today.

 
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Sig600 said:
I'm guessing the plastic Saturn didn't fare quite as well.

That'll buff right out.
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Sadly the driver of the Saturn walked out of the ER a few hours later (he ended up rolling his car 8 times after impact) and the driver of the benz didn't make it :( thats the only bad part of my job...
 
Reconstructed total?

Out of the 1000+ car collisions I have reconstructed < 10 had vehicles broken in two. The most recent was a BMW. Maybe we should ask the Germans. The BMW had a rear suspension subframe that tore the unit body structure open.

RR Grade Crossing collisions, tree and pole collisions are the most likely to result in the car exiting the collision in two pieces. BTW, I have learned to show this with my 3D animation software (It takes some "special" tricks).

Larry Tompkins
N544WB -6A
W52 Goheen Field, B.G. WA


Hens07 said:
Just another day at the office as a Paramedic....

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I do have a pretty awesome job but hoping to make the leap into full time aviation someday soon :)

^^^ btw... to this day I don't understand how that Mercedes "tank" was sliced cleanly in half by a Saturn doing 100+ :confused:
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Bang'in rivits

I am a night lead mechanic for a large part 135 operation in Alaska. My job duties include just about anything you would expect from a A&P. My favorite thing is sheet metal, and I am the go to guy for that kind of stuff. Here is a recovery that two of us did last year. A temporary fuselage repair to the aft spar carry thru, a new wing, nose gear/engine and mount was needed to ferry it 800 miles out to our maintenance base. This aircraft was put back to work in about 5 months.
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I manage and fly this aircraft. Lear 45. The aircraft is Part 91 and owned by five families. I've worked for them for fifteen years. They treat my co-pilot and I like family. It's a very rewarding and fun job.

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I've been an aircraft mechanic, and electrician and an electrical contractor.
 
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Cold conditions

Andrew, I guess when I worked in my garage on the 8 and didn't have the heater on in the winter, I had no legit complaining (errr wining) after seeing your outside work conditions. What was the coldest it got when you were working on that repair (two posts before this one)? Dave
 
The Dream came true

After almost 16 years in the US I have been blessed to live the "American Dream" to the fullest. Get to fly a wonderful machine for a living and now build my own airplane. Now isn't that some awesome blessing!
I feel right at home here on VAF because of all the cool people with a purpose in life from the cube-dwellers to the space cowboys. We all need each other.

So thank you for all you do because without you I wouldn't be here either.

Many happy landings
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My post at http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=81167 led to Pierre suggesting this thread so I'll expand on "A bit about me: I'm have an electrical engineer, computer science degree. I got my private ticket in 1987. Instrument rating in 1990. I've been a member of EAA chapter 105 for 18+ years and I'm currently on the board of directors. I've worked for Texas Instruments (Houston), Compaq Computer (Houston), Intel (Hillsboro, OR) and a small start up called ADDMM. I started working part time for Advanced Flight Systems shortly after the first flight of my RV."

I worked for Texas Instruments for 5 years designing seismic data acquisition equipment, the product was completed just as the oil industry had a decline and the equipment never went into production. While at TI, I also worked on a printer that did not make it to production. Joined Compaq Computer as employee 641, started working on the first DeskPro, 6 months later it was shipping. After 10 years at CPQ, and 10 products in production I moved to Portland OR area to work for Intel. I literally "wrote the book" on how to design with the Pentium Pro, Pentium II and several subsequent processors. Following many successful years in technical marketing, I worked in processor validation. ADDMM was a small company designing an innovative memory controller, funded by a large Japanese company: I was jack of all trades, master of none. Fun while it lasted, funding evaporated when the Japanese company lost money for the first time in their history. Then my full time job became building my RV-7A. :)

I had been talking to Rob for years about working for Advanced Flight Systems, just after the first flight of my RV-7A, he called and asked about my availability to work. I've been working for AFS as a contractor since then. Note that I planned to use a AFS-5600 years before I started working there! No picture of me now, at OSH 2011 one of Stein's guy's told Jenny Hickman that "Roy looks like a roadie for Blue Oyster Cult". Since then I've made my third hair donation to Lock Of Love........

Regards,
 
How cold?

Most days were between 15 above and 10 below. The heater we made is visible, the plywood and tarp lean-to is not. Heat ducted to warm tools. One day It dipped to 25 or 30 below with a little wind. That day management snatched us out of there for a few days. "You have 20 minutes untill the plane gets there to rally your stuff, or wait until tomorrow" The support we got out there was tremendous, and we actually had a lot of fun.
 
25 years with Dep.Of Defense Heavy equipment technician, at USMC Mountain Warfare Training Center
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Bridgeport Ca
 
I have been flying a C525 (pictured) for a part 91 family for the last 7.5 years. Been flying contract to stay current in a C510, C525A and Falcon 900DX EASy. A&P and started PlaneAround LLC selling aftermarket RV-10 parts. Also opened an Xtend Barre SLC with my wife.


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I now know the company I am in and it is a very nice feeling. This crowd is so talented, so nice to be amongst you all!
 
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I've been a general dentist, AKA molar mechanic for just over 29 years. its been a very fulfilling career, just that I have to look down in the mouth all day........
 
VP, IT

I work for a large gold mining company. Here is my office in downtown Vancouver, BC:

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Here I am at one of our Mexican mines:
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Here I am pretending to do real work - that is a silver/gold bar, mostly silver by volume but mostly gold by value:
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And here is a piece of raw ore from one of our Canadian mines:
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Student count?

Well........... I design websites as a small income and also keep my blog up to date.
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Other than that, I am a High school student who will be attending Ohio University next year.

Someday I will post in this thread with my 747 left seat pic and a signature full of RV projects: complete
 
Engineer

I am an engineer at one of the greatest companies around, US Synthetic.
We make synthetic diamond cutters for the oil and gas industry as well as diamond bearings and drills for the coal industry.
Our presses generate over one million psi. It is the same pressure as flipping the Eiffel Tower over and resting it on the palm of your hand.
We are always looking for talented engineers.

Here is a picture of a few employees at a hike I led in Southern Utah.
We do at least one activity each month and the hikes are always a fun thing.
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Our CEO and founder retired a couple of years ago. This is at his house. Yes, I've rode it quite a few times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIjjWXstjZc

Nitro Circus came by his house one afternoon and we watched them film this. It usually is shot over the mountain or in the fields around work. It goes almost a mile and has about 15 seconds of hang time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSS7AZiAF34

Here is more on the work US Synthetic does in Kenya, Africa and you can get a flavor of the great leadership we have. I consider myself to be very lucky to have worked with this team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4muV0Q6InU

A couple of weeks ago I forgot about a gift exchange at work and made up a quick "One Free Flight" ticket. Sean helped me take a larger group flying over the Christmas break. It was a fun day.
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Yes, FUN is a value we practice at work! (Fun, Trust, Respect, Open, Growth, Service)
 
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N395V said:
I fix Broken Hearts
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Cool job Milt! I have been designing medical devices for 35 years, currently working on new peripheral angioplasty devices. An EE by training, I first designed pacemakers, then external defibs, then implanted defibs and variety of other medical devices. And two years ago I spent several hours on a table just like yours getting fixed!
 
One from downunder...

I'm a structural engineer (another one!). Most of the stuff I do is typical commercial and industrial work, but sometimes we get something a bit different.
Here are a couple of my more unusual projects:

The base structure for the ESA 35 metre deep space tracking antenna at New Norcia, north of Perth.
The antenna weighs 600t and its pointing accuracy is unbelievable:
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WA Maritime Museum - under construction:
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Finished:
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... and holding up all the exhibits, such as Australia II, the yacht that finally won the America's Cup after you guys in the US had it for 132 years,
plus the triple non-stop circumnavigation yacht Parry Endeavour:

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It's interesting job. You never know what's coming up next. :)

PS. Those old dockyard cranes that are visible in the right background in the museum construction photo were used to service a fleet of about 50 US, British and Dutch submarines that operated in the Indian Ocean out of Fremantle during WWII. They are now part of the Museum Precinct together with an Australian Oberon class submarine on the slipway.
 
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Started out running projectors at a Drive-In Theater.
A few years at College.
A few more years with Uncle Sam in the US Air Force.
Then 41 years at Texas Instruments doing everything from Engineering to Quality Assurance.

Now I work for you guys. When you're ready to fly that creation, give me a call.
 
At work in the "other" Air Force

I take care of the next generation in the USAF now....
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But I put my hand in the air to be a flight doc, which will entail working more with the current generation of pilots/crew, plus regular back seat time in this.... :D
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BTW - an AF recruiting project featured a short segment about my career path so far, and mentioned my RV9a here http://www.todaysmilitary.com/military-careers/career-profiles/show/ryan-mchugh. Glad they specified Vans Aircraft!

I took the photographer flying when he snapped this picture used in the Futures Magazine, a recruiting publication in most high schoool counselor offices across the country. (Online here - http://www.todaysmilitary.com/static-main/pdf/futures-magazine.pdf.) Technically I was working when they took this picture of my RV grin:
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just another prop trash puke. drive an ATR-72 around the miami system.

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I also run a company designing embedded controllers for forensic lab equipment.
 
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Nice paint job

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I see a paint scheme like this every day

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This is the boss and I after prepping the POC (Proof of Concept) jet to fly back to Greensboro after Oshkosh last August.

Paul Danclovic
Jamestown NC
RV-8A N181SB
 
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What a Great Thread

When I run out of new things to read at VAF I turn to this thread. Great reading.

There are still a lot of folks missing in this expanding thread.

Come ON....Give us a run down on what pays for that project/Flying fix!!
 
Boomer #2

Took me off this,
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into this for 10 years
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Then into this for another 11 years

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All that Booze Boomer had Pictures of, I drank it.

Finished up doing this for 15 years.
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Boomer Bruce, i need some more of the good stuff.
Thanks
 
OK, here I am in the combine during soybean harvest. This is the best seat in the fall to be in as far as I'm concerned but thankfully I don't have anyone fighting me for it.
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Here are my pets that I get to spend time with everyday. Maybe I qualify for the dirtiest RV supporting jobs.
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But at the end of the day, it's still a great way to raise a family. Note my daughters shirt! It says "My dad can fly, what can your dad do?"
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Farming

Ok so this is my secondary job but I don't have a picture handy for the primary one. I do testing,adjusting, and balancing of HVAC systems but have a farm for a side income.

We grow about 200,000 to 250,000 pounds of catfish a year.

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Structural Steel Industry

Looks like there is a few on here in the steel industry:)

I am the General Manager and part owner of a Steel Fabrication plant that works with a great group of individuals in the office, shop and field. We work in both the Commercial and Industrial market mostly in Alberta. We are very fortunate to have most of our work minutes from the plant thanks to the great Alberta market. We do all our drafting in house with 3d modeling software, fabricate and install the product. I can honestly say that I have always enjoyed going to work. Almost as much fun as building airplanes.;)

One of the many office building that we have done in Calgary and Edmonton. Note the stanchions and high lines for the 100% tie that the industry requires.
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Flew these for a few years:
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Then spent seven more in these:
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Now flying part-time in B757s and 767s for a struggling major air carrier. (That really narrows it down, doesn't it?)
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But my real "fulfillment" job is flying warbirds, mostly older jets like the L-39:
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I do a lot of instruction, but also a fair amount of contract work, ferrying, and production test flying. For instance, when a client orders their vintage fighter-jet updated into the 21st century, I'm the the dude who gets to make sure the magic smoke stays inside the wires, the landing gear goes up and down, and the wings stay on at 6 Gs. Here's a sample retrofit cockpit. Not bad for a 1970s Soviet-bloc airplane:
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On my days off, I slowly build an RV-8, operate a video production company, take pictures, and fly airplanes! :D
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I'm an emergency physician - I practice in a private group of ER docs in a single covered suburban ER. I am also the medical director for EMS services in the county. Don't really have a picture ... anything good would get the HIPAA police coming after me!

I am sure jealous of all you guys in aviation and engineering gigs ... sometimes I feel like I missed my calling there. My dream as a kid was to be a naval aviator and then an astronaut; my coke bottle glasses prevented any sort of military aviation career.
 
Pilot working for the US State Dept. in Iraq.
Bell212


Sikorsky S-61


Flown all over the world in both helicopters and fixed wing. Owned a helicopter service center in Minnesota and build flying machines in my spare time.
 
droping retardant

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my summer job is to stop forest fires by dropping retardant . In an other life I was a fighter pilot during 18 years .
 
Another tooth mechanic

You want your kid to have a great smile like all of his friends, right? Don't you love them? I'm that guy...the orthodontist.
 
I consider myself retired at 23 ... but here are some things I do for fun.

Aerial Seeding Office
PA-18-150 Super Cub:
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Aerial Spraying Office
C-188 Bonaire Ag Truck:
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marchudson said:
I'm humbled to be a part of such a talented a diverse group of professionals.

Spent 22 years in the Navy. Smokey I hate to disagree with you about flying the "coolest airplane on the planet" :D I was blessed to fly this aircraft for a better part of my career.

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Taught students for a while in this aircraft.

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Now, I'm thankful to be flying for a very successful airline.
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Oh No!! Not a Black Lion in our midst!

...VF-114 Fighting Aardvark...:D
 
Aviation has been good to me

This is what I used to do for a job

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This is what I used to do for fun and airshow money
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This is what I do now for food

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This is what I do for fun

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You've flown the "frightening"

Nouj said:
This is what I used to do for a job

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As a great Staple of fellow British film buff madness would say... "you luckeeey, luckeeey!...:)


The RAF kicked me out of Biggin Hill selection for being short sighted.

Always regretted it..Oh well.

Frank
 
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Noujaim......


Stop boasting - The Colonials won't appreciate it !!

Cassells has told me all..........


The Thomas Cook boys should be showing you how to fly the Scarebus BTW !

We're bringing 'II down to you this summer - PM me later to coordinate rosters.


M
 
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