Original Message

Cherry-drying is boring. BO-ring. Here's why: Cherries continually absorb water when it rains. If they absorb too much water they split open, reducing the "pack-out" or percentage of cherries from that orchard that are acceptable to the packing sheds. The pickers are taught to discern good cherries from bad cherries. Growers plant cherries...guess where?...right, where it does not rain a lot, like the interior of Washington State where it is VERY dry. So cherry-drying pilots sit around, and sit around, and sit around, praying for rain. But it might not come - you might spend days or weeks or even a month without turning a blade, depending on whether it's a dry or wet month (spoiler alert: it's usually dry). On a really rainy day (they happen), you might fly nine or even ten hours, only shutting down for refuel and defuel. But that will be the exception rather than the rule. If you're a snowflake who's obsessed with rules about breaks and days off, then maybe you should seek another line of work than aviation.

One minor nitpick with the ad: It's a little misleading. Jamie fails to make clear that the "SIC" positions are unpaid. "SIC's" go there to (maybe) build some time in the S-55 but there's no pay involved, unless that's changed since he bought the company. The "compensation" (which is why you need a Commercial cert just to be a "copilot") comes in the form of room and board for two months and, of course, any flight time you gain during the gig. Whether you're PIC or "SIC," it's a fun job, and a lot of guys/gals who are successful pilots today have gotten their start in it.