I'm just going to do a little thinking out loud here. You guys can comment. I got my private pilot certificate in 1968. I flew off and on over the years. One time I took a twenty-six year layoff, but got back into it four years ago, give or take. I flew around for a couple of years, then lost my medical. No big deal. I can live without flying. I got my A&P in 1970. I worked for a while with a crop dusting outfit, spent four years in the Navy working on helicopters, worked another year or so in GA, got a job as a police officer and worked part time for a couple of years, then didn't do anything much with airplanes until I retired from the police department. When I retired I went back to work in GA, worked a couple of years, got my IA. Then I got offered a pretty good job not related to aviation, worked that for a while, and did a little aircraft work on the side. I quit that job, didn't do anything for a while, then got a job with parks and rec as an aquatics supervisor and lifeguard. This summer I turned down some airplane work.I just don't make enough money at it and I just don't feel like it. Another thing is that I don't feel like I'm staying competent. I've started even turning down my friends.
In February there is a two day symposium that I need to go to if I want to keep my IA. A lot of guys like me, who don't do enough work on aircraft to keep their IA current, go to the symposium in order to stay valid. I'm thinking of skipping it this year. First of all, I don't think that I am going to work on airplanes anymore. To tell you the truth, I make more money working as a lifeguard/lifeguard supervisor than I would make as an A&P, at least around here. That is kind of depressing in itself. Not to mention that I am getting rusty as far as being a mechanic is concerned.
OK, the only problem is that I worked pretty hard for that IA. I invested a lot of time and money in it. It is also the last thing that ties me to aviation. If I loose that, I'm just flat out of it. I'm on the spectator side of the fence. As it is, if I do go, it will get to the point where my A&P is not current, which will essentially make my IA invalid as well, so even if I do go to the symposium, it won't change much. It might delay the inevitable for a year. So there you are. Do I spend a couple hundred dollars and a weekend going to presentations about Cleveland Brakes, and Goodyear tires, or do I just throw in the towel?
In February there is a two day symposium that I need to go to if I want to keep my IA. A lot of guys like me, who don't do enough work on aircraft to keep their IA current, go to the symposium in order to stay valid. I'm thinking of skipping it this year. First of all, I don't think that I am going to work on airplanes anymore. To tell you the truth, I make more money working as a lifeguard/lifeguard supervisor than I would make as an A&P, at least around here. That is kind of depressing in itself. Not to mention that I am getting rusty as far as being a mechanic is concerned.
OK, the only problem is that I worked pretty hard for that IA. I invested a lot of time and money in it. It is also the last thing that ties me to aviation. If I loose that, I'm just flat out of it. I'm on the spectator side of the fence. As it is, if I do go, it will get to the point where my A&P is not current, which will essentially make my IA invalid as well, so even if I do go to the symposium, it won't change much. It might delay the inevitable for a year. So there you are. Do I spend a couple hundred dollars and a weekend going to presentations about Cleveland Brakes, and Goodyear tires, or do I just throw in the towel?
