Airline Pilot Forums

Where and what are you doing now?

My background. Aviation Science degree. On my second regional (been with the regional career for 7 1/2 years) and really seeing nothing changing at the company. The pay and amount of time I am on the road with terrible schedulemjust isn't paying off for me. Curious as to those who left flying to pursue another career, what did you do? I'm great with building computers, maybe getting a masters in business management, or looking for a corporate flying career, and thought about pursuing something in that job market.

Unless you have contacts and or a needed type rating... you will probably find it very difficult to break into the corp market.

If you decide to leave there is a world of opportunity out there. I left the business for about 10 years or so.... made a good living, owned and sold a business, and the lure aviation brought me back.

Everyone's journey is different, good luck in your future.

Dead-end at a crappy regional (well any regional) with no upgrade in sight should cause anyone to question the career. I'm really only hanging in there because I tend to be goal oriented to a fault and I can afford financially to sacrifice rapid career progression for max QOL.

In your shoes I might be looking to break into some kind of real career and CFI on the side. That way you could stay connected to aviation and maybe do part-time corporate. In case the pilot shortage ever comes about you would still be current. Maybe you could get into corporate full time.

If you can build PC's, you might get a job as a tech then do some network certification and the MBA...that would set you up to be an IT manager at a mid-size company. To get into IT at larger companies, they usually look for formal education and certification (CS, EE, Computer E, Math, etc).

If you have the personality traits, you might be able to get into sales of sort.

There is so much you can do if you want to stay in aviation, but not be a line airline pilot. We should start a list.

FAA, Air Traffic, Safety, Data, Inspection, etc
Airport Management (usually city)
NTSB
Aerospace Manufacturing Management
Aerospace Safety
Planning Airspace/Approaches
Dispatch, Flight Following, Operations
USDA
Forest Service
Sim Instructor for type ratings, etc.
Bush Pilot
Cargo Pilot
Instruction
etc

Some of these require specialized training or experience, but some are a lot more general than you'd think (boeing manufacturing planning and manufacturing engineering), once you really start to dig into job searches, you start to see more and more of these. I recently just took the FAA route, but the point is that it IS possible to "break out". I highly recommend getting a Master's degree that is somewhat targeted to what you want to do. After that, it's about selling yourself properly.

I make pretty good money now as an aviation consultant. Get paid to answer simple aviation related questions for companies looking at doing business in the industry.

There is a whole section on leaving the career.

Skyhigh

How common are Aviation Consultants? I haven't seen much on them.

When I got furloughed from NJA, the only interview I could get (almost a year after the furlough) was with ASA. I couldn't afford to work there given we'd have to put our son in daycare, crashpad, back to commuting, etc. Luckily I didn't get hired.

By January I had 2 interview offers. One was with Walmart, the other with a local Gov't. contractor. I got hired at Walmart, and interviewed at the Contractor the next day. It was an odd interview, and I ended up being in the right place at the right time. I just started my third year with the company last month. I am co-located in a Gov't building doing quality reports on various aviation and non-aviation systems. There's little to no travel involved, I'm home every night, and the company treats as good as NJA did. Work schedule was up to me, as long as I get my 40 hours in, and the Gov't folks are happy with it.

This has turned out to be a blessing. I was sick of being gone all the time. Coming home to a baby who didn't recognize his daddy really sealed it for me. as luck would have it, the company is toying with the idea of an airplane. It will likely be them chartering at first, but I'm working that angle best I can.

Nothing will replace flying. I miss the hell out of it, but I see my kid every day. I get to watch him grow up. I saw every soccer game he played in, I've been to every karate testing, every birthday, every holiday. It was a good trade, and I can always get back into aviation should the need arise.

Now, the downside to Gov't work. Budget cuts. I don't know how much longer I'll be in my current position. It is likely it will be cut, and I will be retasked. Unlike most companies here, mine will not lay you off when your project ends. They give you busy work until they have another task to put you on. Those tasks are often not even work related. My company has paid its employees to build houses at Habitat, read books to school kids, etc. Obviously if half the company is not working on a task this won't last forever, but I've been told if everything fell apart we'd be in fine shape for at least a year.

For those of you thinking about jumping out, it's all about being in the right place at the right time. I've done my best to give pilots a good name within my work group. If you find yourself in a similar situation, do the same.

Nothing will replace flying. I miss the hell out of it, but I see my kid every day. I get to watch him grow up. I saw every soccer game he played in, I've been to every karate testing, every birthday, every holiday. It was a good trade, and I can always get back into aviation should the need arise.



Could not have said it better myself. The whole work to live and not live to work rule applies... My job pays for my fun time, not the other way around.

I left commercial aviation in 2000 as a regional captain. Before I left though I got 2 IT certifications. I got a Microsoft MCP and a Cisco CCNA.

I went to work nearly immediately for a corporation. These were the times before the "dot bomb" which really didn't effect me personally.

After a few years of doing IT installs, assisting sales guys in their meetings, and more, I thought to myself why don't I just do this on my own and keep all the profits. That's exactly what I did. I started a small IT consultancy and did fairly well.

Well, long story short, I sold my consultancy (my customer accounts) to a larger company and moved to Florida about a year and a half ago. I signed an agreement that I would not resume what I used to do for a year. That year has expired and I'm deciding if I should start up here in Florida doing what I used to do or maybe entertain flying again.

The flying bug doesn't go away, but I've taken comfort in the fact I have logged about 5000 hours with the airlines which makes me feel better knowing I could probably go back if I wanted. After I left the airlines, there was a period of a few years where I didn't fly at all. Then one day a few years ago, I bought an airplane and have been enjoying flying again on my own terms.

Hope that helps. Back when I left aviation it was UNHEARD of. Although I suspect it is much more common place now with pay, benefits, and quality of life issues getting so much worse.

It's a very personal decision obviously, but there is life after flying for the airlines!

Left the aviation world a few times. The last time was this year.

Went into I.T. and haven't looked back.

1. Server crash is easier than airplane crash
2. home every night...
3. in MY bed
4. better pay
5. home EVERY holiday

I can go on and on.

Miss the sunrises at altitude.
Don't miss the thunderstorms, commuting, politics, etc

I got out almost 4 years ago, left a regional after being downgraded and took a government job.

The job is great, home every night, every weekend, and holiday off. We had a child almost 2 years ago, so I've been available for every little job that comes with being a parent. Like someone else said, I miss flying, the sunrises at altitude, the companionship of the flight crew, lining up for a perfect final approach. I've been toying with the idea of getting back into it, I recently received an e-mail from FSI to interview, and I'm really torn on the idea.

That job would put me closer to flying again, and might open some doors to get back into it if the opportunity arose. But there'd be no financial incentive as my current job pays just as much, and my raises are just as good. I think part of the problem is that my current job is just too good, 3 hrs a week of paid exercise time, take leave whenever you want, travel opportunities (even to warzones) which can give a significant bump in pay...at FSI, I'll get current, sit in the sim, instruct new and seasoned pilots, and go back home. I think I'm making the decision to stay out of aviation right now. lol.

I got out almost 4 years ago, left a regional after being downgraded and took a government job.

The job is great, home every night, every weekend, and holiday off. We had a child almost 2 years ago, so I've been available for every little job that comes with being a parent. Like someone else said, I miss flying, the sunrises at altitude, the companionship of the flight crew, lining up for a perfect final approach. I've been toying with the idea of getting back into it, I recently received an e-mail from FSI to interview, and I'm really torn on the idea.

That job would put me closer to flying again, and might open some doors to get back into it if the opportunity arose. But there'd be no financial incentive as my current job pays just as much, and my raises are just as good. I think part of the problem is that my current job is just too good, 3 hrs a week of paid exercise time, take leave whenever you want, travel opportunities (even to warzones) which can give a significant bump in pay...at FSI, I'll get current, sit in the sim, instruct new and seasoned pilots, and go back home. I think I'm making the decision to stay out of aviation right now. lol.
Can you do the FSI gig part-time or would you have to make a full time commitment?

Can you do the FSI gig part-time or would you have to make a full time commitment?

Not sure yet, if it was a part time gig, i'd jump on it in a heartbeat :)