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Sticking with it works great in Disney movies but it doesn't always do so good in real life. Consider setting career limitations.
In my career I sat next to plenty of guys who said things like "how did I get here" and "now I am stuck". I studied the lives of every captain I flew with to learn exactly why they ended up where they did. Pilots love to ask senior UPS captains about their career progression. Perhaps it is a good idea to do the same with guys who's careers are a train wreck? Why did they end up falling short of their goals and end up doing something less than they had hoped?
One reason is that pilots tend to stick with it long after it becomes obvious that things will not work out for them as they had hoped. I think it is important to set professional goals and bench marks. If you are able to advance and stay on course then great. If not and fate deals you another hand then perhaps it is time to begin an exit strategy.
As we age it becomes more difficult to get to the next rung on the aviation ladder. Additionally it becomes more difficult to effect life changes as our lives become more established and the returns of moving up the ladder diminish since there are fewer years to enjoy the dream job as we get older.
Set benchmarks and deadlines. Have a functional plan "B" in place. The magic may strike but if it doesn't you will have a plan and will be able to start over while you are still young enough.
Skyhigh
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Earn a living as a pilot but have no life. Have a life but earn no living.
EAHINC,
Sky has a reputation of being a little bit on the negative side, every soooooo often. I, however, enjoy all of Sky's posts and respect his view although I don't always agree.
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"Trust but verify"
Ronald Reagan
Some of you people have a difficult time distinguishing between negativity and reality-
When discussing the "Airline Pilot Career", nowadays, it's pretty much the same thing.
Everything Sky has written that I have read, pretty much sums it all up. Sure, it's threatening to some of you-who really deep down inside, know that it's over, but are in denial. I was lucky too, in that I got sh!tcanned right after 9/11. Forced to find another job, I chose a medical career, and what an AWESOME choice that has turned out to be.
Now I fly for fun (Pitts S2C).
My point is-an exit strategy is a MUST for anyone who is flying 121 in todays world. You wouldn't launch on a 200 1/2 destination without an alternate would you?
Look for jobs in fields that are "Non Fragile" -People get sick/injured-Health Care, People need places to live-real estate ect ect
Consider age and income bench marks. Pick a few peers in the industry to measure your progress by. Choose others in different professions to gauge your advancement against as well. Understand that the older we get the more deeply entrenched we become in regards to our profession and life.
It is true that if you stick with it long enough you will make it to a major however there may be nothing left of your outside life as a result and you might be too old to enjoy it anyway.
If spouse, family, financial security, lifestyle and retirement have any value to you then a plan needs to be in place. Waiting to see what aviation offers might lead you to someplace you are not happy about.
The best defense is to have a plan, set limits and attempt to live by them. At least if you blow by an age or financial bench mark and have not attained your goal you will begin to understand the price you are paying.
Aviation gets more costly as we get older. It is no fun to be a new hire in your late forty's. I remember sitting next to a guy on an airliner who was a new hire at something like 46. He was broke, alone and had to move away from everyone he knew to begin his new job as a 737 FO on reserve. I was 23 at the time and thought that I would not like to be in that situation.
SkyHigh
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Earn a living as a pilot but have no life. Have a life but earn no living.
Wow, I'm very impressed by Skyhigh's comments. Alot of rational thought about what people need to do to evaluate if they should stay or go in flying as a profession.
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