Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
At the Reno Air Races this weekend, everything worked out great for me... finally! I introduced myself to the Head of Engineering for Lancair Kit Aircraft in Redmond, Oregon and we ended up having an informal interview Sunday morning in the front-seat of his car (never expected that to ever happen) and now I have a job offer for next spring! 
I start for 3 months on hourly, doing both the engineering stuff as well as working in the build-shop putting them together, as he likes the enginerds to know what goes into them so they'll make them as simple as possible. After three months, have a review and if I'm what he's looking for (and if I'm still wanting to work there) I go onto salary somewhere between $40-$45k/year. It's not a Boeing $55k/year out-of-college job, but it's the job I've wanted since I started College, and it's where I want to live! That will make up for the $$$.
Anyway, I go up over Thanksgiving break and spend a day w/ them, then over x-mas I'm going to go work for a week, then probably over spring break I'll work another week. He really was looking for somebody full-time starting October 1st, but he said it's not crucial and he wants to wait for me to graduate. Great small company w/ only 70 employees in Redmond and 100 oversees somewhere (assembly). 5 engineers on staff, I'll be number 6!
The other benefit? Going from being 20 hours from the g/f to being less than 2. And even less then that in an airplane, which I can get from the company for gas only 
. Then once I have my 300 hours total time, I can rent the actual Lancairs, not just the C150. Oh, another benefit? I can build any airplane for myself at COST!!! Also, all help from the factory during the build process is FREE!!! He said "when you want to build your own plane" not "if... . "
had to brag some
Josh
I start for 3 months on hourly, doing both the engineering stuff as well as working in the build-shop putting them together, as he likes the enginerds to know what goes into them so they'll make them as simple as possible. After three months, have a review and if I'm what he's looking for (and if I'm still wanting to work there) I go onto salary somewhere between $40-$45k/year. It's not a Boeing $55k/year out-of-college job, but it's the job I've wanted since I started College, and it's where I want to live! That will make up for the $$$.
Anyway, I go up over Thanksgiving break and spend a day w/ them, then over x-mas I'm going to go work for a week, then probably over spring break I'll work another week. He really was looking for somebody full-time starting October 1st, but he said it's not crucial and he wants to wait for me to graduate.
Great small company w/ only 70 employees in Redmond and 100 oversees somewhere (assembly). 5 engineers on staff, I'll be number 6! The other benefit? Going from being 20 hours from the g/f to being less than 2.
And even less then that in an airplane, which I can get from the company for gas only . Then once I have my 300 hours total time, I can rent the actual Lancairs, not just the C150. Oh, another benefit? I can build any airplane for myself at COST!!! Also, all help from the factory during the build process is FREE!!! He said "when you want to build your own plane" not "if... . " had to brag some
Josh
Congrats on your dream job. Oo.
