Your Day Job:

[Gunsmith]

Wow that's a pretty rare trade! I didn't see that one on the career day schedule in school.

[Spiddy]

This thread is fascinating - which I'm not
After finishing Art College many, many years ago, my first job, at £6 a week, was as an Architectural Design Draughtsman. Sounds good, but in fact my part was simply illustrating proposed buildings. The company wanted me to become a proper Architect, so attended college again, but couldn't handle the maths - no calculators or computers back then.
So moved on to Graphic Design. Ended up owning a design group which I sold to retire here in Spain in 2001.
Now my wife and I run our vacation rental business, and in my spare time I'm building an N guage model railroad, writing a novel, building stone walls and sticking my head under the bonnet (hood) of my Spider. Not exactly earth-shattering

[131]

Self-employed for the last twenty-six years. I build, repair and restore early keyboard instruments that Bach, Handel and Mozart would have played - harpsichords, clavichords and fortepianos.

My wife bought a 130 year old piano complete with brass candelabras for me to restore, it was never going to happen! The wooden trolley that my barbecue was mounted on was falling apart so I gutted the piano and mounted my BBQ in place of the keyboard!

[kbee00]

Amazingly diverse group of Fiat owners.....this is the best thread I have found here. Thanks to everyone for replying.

I am a Mechanical Engineer - spent 20 years designing automation equipment. Started and sold two engineering firms (more fun to start them than actually RUN them....)

I was working in Georgia designing cookie making machines when I got a call from a headhunter that found me through a friend. Flew to Salt Lake City to meet the owner of this young company called Packsize and was hooked on his plan in 15 minutes. I am now an Area Manager for Packsize. Packsize supplies box making technology to companies that no longer want to buy boxes and deal with the complicated box buying supply chain. Make your own boxes exactly when you need it, how many you need, and exactly to size. The top three online sales companies are using our technology and just one of them alone saved $11M in shipping costs -not to mention the corrugated and labor savings. As we say at Packsize - "it's not a matter of if, it's only a matter of when".... I truly believe everyone will be making their own boxes one day. It only makes sense.... And the best part is that we GIVE you the equipment to use - you only have to purchase the corrugated Z-Fold that the machine uses to make boxes. Instant ROI !!

End of commercial!!!

When I am not traveling, I am working on my honey do list. After that, I am working on my Fiat. And teaching my daughter how to drive.....

Go Green Bay Packers!!

Loren

[SeldomSeen]

Self-employed for the last twenty-six years. I build, repair and restore early keyboard instruments that Bach, Handel and Mozart would have played - harpsichords, clavichords and fortepianos.

My wife bought a 130 year old piano complete with brass candelabras for me to restore, it was never going to happen! The wooden trolley that my barbecue was mounted on was falling apart so I gutted the piano and mounted my BBQ in place of the keyboard!

Over the years I have found that there are many instruments deserving of such an ignominious fate.

[Glasair180]

Quite a group!

I am an aircraft mechanic and pilot. Been flying since I was 12 when my dad started hang gliding and I started making flights down some small hills at the end of the day. He taught me to drive so that after he launched from the top of the mountain, I could bring the car down to where he landed! I soloed a sailplane when I was 14, and went to A&P (aircraft mechanic) school out of high school. I worked for United Airlines for a bit then decided to become a professional pilot. I worked my way up in the airlines, flying all over the US, including a year of bush flying in Alaska, until I was the chief pilot for a B-727 charter operation. When they went out of business in 2005, I decided to try something different. I designed some unmanned aircraft for a small start up company until I got a call asking if I wanted to teach in the North American T-6 with a Warbird flight school here in Kissimmee, FL. I did that for just over three years, and I still fly for them every once in a while. Now I am self employed specializing in ferrying antique classic and experimental aircraft around the US and to Brazill. Not too many pilots can/will fly old airplanes any more, especially over water or the Amazon! But it has allowed me to fly some pretty cool airplanes I would otherwise have never been able to fly, and meet some incredible people as well.

I soloed my son last year when he turned 16, and now we are restoring a pair of spiders together.

Sean

[SeldomSeen]

Sean:
As a one time pilot and fanatical aviation history nut, If you write a book about your life in aviation I'll be among the first in line to buy it! Do you have any stick time in a Travelair biplane? We have a Travelair at the local AP. IMHO that is the most beautiful and desireable airplane ever designed.

[tonyfromjersey]

Sean,

Your flying sounds a lot more interesting than being an airline pilot. I spend an awful lot of time at FL390 driving back and forth from Newark to Miami, JFK-LAX, etc. I used to fly international which was at least mildly interesting, but that will have to wait until my seniority improves somewhat. I work for a major airline who's service and reliability has gotten very bad, and it is not a fun place to work at all.

I also fly vintage aircraft. The KC-135s we fly all over the world in operations and missions never dreamed of by the original designers are all 1964 or older vintage. New motors, new cockpit, datalink, satcom, on and on cannot hide the fact that the airplanes are all pushing 50. The military flying keeps me engaged and interested however. Last week I was in Stuttgart having a beer or 2 with some friends for example.

Fly safe,

Tony

[131]

Now I am self employed specializing in ferrying antique classic and experimental aircraft around the US and to Brazil. Not too many pilots can/will fly old airplanes any more, especially over water or the Amazon! But it has allowed me to fly some pretty cool airplanes I would otherwise have never been able to fly, and meet some incredible people as well.

You lucky, lucky bastard. What a brilliant gig, I'm deeply envious.

[Glasair180]

Seldom seen-
Not sure that my life story would be much more than a lot of boring chapters with maybe a few interesting paragraphs, kind of like the old saying about flying, hours and hours of boredome with a few short moments of sheer "excitement".
I have not had the privilege of flying a Travelair yet. But I will certainly jump at the chance if one is offered! (if the one up your way needs a ferry pilot, let me know and you can go along!)

Tony
I know what you mean about the airline gig. I do not miss it at all. The job is sure not like it was, or should be.
I did not get to serve our country, and I thank you for your service flying the tankers. I do get to do some military contract flying tho, and it is gratifying to be able to help out our service men and women.

Mick
I do feel lucky when there is work... But when I go a month or two with out, I sometimes wish for something a bit more stable!

Sean

[georgeramos]

I am a cabinetmaker/kitchen designer and remodeler in Portland, OR. Check out my website here

http://www.georgeramoswoodworking.com

George Ramos

[Ptoneill]

Great Thread...

I am the guy you hate to see in your rear view mirror....I am a Motor Officer in Tacoma. Although I do a lot of traffic stops I specialize in accident reconstruction, I know it is weird however I am fascinated by the math and techniques that go into putting an accident back together.

Prior to police work I served 12 years as an Electronic Technician on US Submarines, I am proud to say that both of my kids joined the Navy, the youngest is in submarines!

[BrianB]

I love this thread!

I'm an attorney currently working at a Community Court in Manhattan. We do a combination of Housing, Family and Civil matters with an emphasis on getting the litigants the assistance they need to get themselves back on track. We offer on-site mediation and counseling, social workers, caseworkers and such.

Prior to that, I was a child abuse/neglect prosecutor in NYC.

In my spare time, when I am not turning a wrench or raising my 9 year old son, I'm also a commissioned officer in a Mounted Cavalry Unit in the CT State Governor's Guard.

Brian
79 Spider
79 Porsche 928

[124JOE]

well its now a night job at a pizzeria
but i think id rather be driving a fork lift

[MrWampus]

I am a process and quality engineer. More specifically, I am a Six Sigma Master Black Belt for a large (and often hated) bank based in Charlotte. I started with the bank in 1993 as a computer technology consultant and spent time doing technology projects, worked on merger teams, spent time in our Supply Chain Management group and currently am part of the core organization that "owns" the Six Sigma, Lean and Business Process Management capabilities. We consult with the rest of the bank, we develope the training curricula, deliver the training, etc.

I discovered about 10 years ago that the unique way I always thought about process wasn't so unique, it had a name and a large set of tools and used a lot of statistics. Once I started doing the job, statistics made sense for the first time ever. I love what I do and I love the company I work for and it hurts my heart to see so much negative press written about it. The VAST majority of people who work there have a sincere desire to do what is best for our customers. I don't think I have ever met a "greedy banker" in my 18 years there.

I am still excited to see all the wonderful diversity on this forum. I learn so much about the cars that I love and now I have learned a lot about the other people here who share my strange obsession.