Pilotpip

Wow, I love watching this thread derail.

The point was, I was unhappy with my life as an airline pilot, so I left. I still don't regret it now. I'm home every night, and have a life I'm happy with. I still work in aviation, get to geek out about airplanes, make a little more than I did at the airlines, and I'm home every night (did I mention that?).

I have many friends still flying the line, and they enjoy it. It wasn't for me. I've found my niche in this crazy little airplane world, and I like that niche. It just doesn't involve flying an airliner.

Skyhigh, again, you don't speak for me, and my choices don't validate your stance. They never have, and never will.

HeavyDriver

I agree....Whan I got hired at Air Virginia aka American Eagle...The lowest experienced person in our class of 30 pilots had 3500 Single pilot PIC in an Aerostar...We were all relieved we survived our check running, paper delivering, air ambulance death trap flying gigs for a commuter job....Times have changed...

SkyHigh

I don't miss airline flying but do miss the "high" from chasing the "dream".

I see the same foolish youthful exuberance commonly in new pilots today. The gold fever of chasing an unrealistic dream that largely only exists in the mind of the afflicted. My aim is to help divert some here from blowing a fortune on an illusion and causing lasting damage to ones life.

I concede that many in aviation belong there and have at it. Someone has to do it after all. Not me however, I will sleep in my own bed and live my life among my friends and family. I shall remain in service of occupations that also serve me and grounded in reality that guides towards better decision making for an improved tomorrow.

Cordially;

Skyhigh

JohnBurke

You must have been high a lot for those ten or twenty years that you spent not making it.

Are you living like a king now?

Hang on a tic. You say you miss the "high," then go on to describe the thing you miss as foolish, an an unrealistic fever and dream that "only exists in the mind of the afflicted." Sounds very much like a mental problem. You miss this?

You shall remain in the service of occupations that serve you? Did you think that through before you typed it out?

Many of us do belong in aviation, as it serves us quite well. I also sleep in my own bed, quite comfortably, thanks, alongside my wife. She's quite happy with my choice of vocation, flying for a living.

You're here to save those who can be saved, you say, from the tragedy of aviation. The tragedy, we see, exists within you. The industry didn't fail you. You simply quit. If you're happy somewhere else, then be happy. Stop dragging your chains around here, haunting others in an attempt to make them unhappy too. Whatever the message that you think you're delivering, all you're really saying is that you're miserable and unhappy, and others could follow you down the same sorry path.

Too bad you didn't stay in aviation long enough to reap the rewards, like so many of us. How many more times do you plan to regale us all with tails of your failure? We get it. You couldn't cut it. You were unhappy. You've got another life now. You moved on. Deal with it. Try to come to terms with your decision, and press on. There's something pathological about continually returning here to whine about the past and your fruitless effort to drag others down with you. Learn from your failures, pick up, move on, and live your life. Those of us in aviaiton are living ours, and your continual effort to tell us how unahppy we must be is doesn't make it so; it's a wasted effort. How much longer do you plan on beating your head against a wall to entertain the masses?

You left aviation because it wouldn't let you live like a king, or so you've said, and yet you're not really living like one now, are you?

DALSkyking

A pilot in a 152 looks up from the traffic pattern and sees a King Air above passing by... The pilot of the King Air watches a pilot of a 747 pass by... The pilot of the 747 watches the space shuttle pass by...

The astronaut of the space shuttle sees the 152 in the traffic pattern and thinks to himself "Man, how fun would that be.. Wish that was me down there"

Be thankful for people who have left the industry for something else. They never saw it like that and most likely never would have if they hadnt left for something else. One of the worst environments is being trapped with another pilot on a 5 day trip that can only complain about "work" and how he/she has been mistreated in the past. Give it a break, be professional..

Enjoy the ride

Checked in

I think the guy just wants to talk. Why not? Why jump on him? Maybe what he writes is important to another reader, for one example.

And face it,,, your FO job sucks and you know it.

The dogma that pilots that move on are hiding something, or inferior,,, BS!

flynavyj

I think everyone enjoys to chat - vent - etc...least every once in a while.

I got out of professional flying six years ago, did very well on the outside. Flew piston singles for fun, for instruction (extra $$) etc...life was good, except that I missed flying.

When I first departed the 121 realm I missed flying daily...and even still, I didn't touch an airplane for over 4 years, didn't actually board an airplane for 3 years (as a passenger) started flying again six months after that.

End result however is I got back in, much had changed since I departed though (more than just the phrase "line up and wait" ... who the hell wants to do that anyway, i wanna "position and hold!"

End result, with some hard work, and lots of effort i'm working for a 135 charter operation that's local. Mediocre amount of hard days off, but have some decent time off (just not guaranteed). I regretted getting out when I did, for the reasons I did, but at the same time I always tried to make the most of it.

Getting back in feels great, still stinks leaving the wife and family while I go play pilot for a few days at a time...but either way, it's not bad. I try my best to enjoy the time away, see the sites, and live as much as possible...I do feel better than I did when I sat behind a desk for 9 hours a day, directing a team of folks to get a mission done...it was a GREAT career...but boy, it was terrible work.

Good luck to all!

hindsight2020

How do you reconcile the financial paycut and giving up the retirement? From my understanding, you left the regionals for financial reasons. What changed?

Also, how were you able to sell to the family the reversion to the flying work schedule after having done the banker's hours homesteading schedule for so many years? Are your children now grown? I've heard empty nesters tend to get back in the saddle as their household demographics change. Either way, hope this redux career change yields positive results for you and your loved ones!

airjamaica

The volume of haters giving skyhigh a hard time is amazing. If someone Is straight does he read gay and lesbian forums and bash them for discussing their choice of lifestyle?. Reminds me of a kindergarden playground. Hey im better than you!! Waaa! Thats my ball! What are you doing in the Leaving The Career section in the first place. If you enjoy your career so much the thought of visiting a "leaving the career" would be the last thing on your minds. You would be wayy too busy enjoying life, your girl and your family. Get back in the 121/135 section and talk about your unions and amazing career choice.

flynavyj

First things first - the idea of jumping back in as an empty nester was my plan the moment i left. I started federal service at 25, could retire with 30 years at 55 and have 10 years left as a career to fly airplanes. And no, my kids are not grown...they're little ones still both under 5. Maybe I wanted immediate gratification, or maybe I knew the longer I was out the harder it'd be to get back in, but either way I shelved the idea of a late return in pursuit of an immediate option.

You're 100% right on why I left, it was purely financial. Looking back on it, I'll say "there's more to life than money". Even though I was making a great salary, I didn't feel like my bank account was any better while making decent $$ than I do now. Additionally - my wife and I are in a better financial position now than we were in 2009.

When I ran through the financial calculators on my 401k it actually leaned towards getting back into aviation as a better option than sticking it out towards a public sector job for 30 years. More risky obviously but financially more rewarding (we'll see). Same time, my choice to get back in was NOT due to money.

As to the schedule, it's definitely different. Things that are a plus: my company is local so I'm based at the local airport, I just finished a week of day trips and started 5 days off, Next week has a two day on me, and maybe a 3 day after that. Either way, it's not bad. When I'm working, I'm enjoying it. I don't dread getting out of bed and heading to the airport to blast off to who knows where, and I'm still happy to come home after a long days work.