Columbusohio

crewdawg and others. Thanks for the advice! I didnt realize QOL went up so quick, I'll keep the options open. I really appreciate it!

2loud

From reading your post, it sounds to me like your heart is not in it 100%. The biggest question is, do you want to fly for a living? Some people hate airline flying. I know several people where I work who literally hate flying and they seem miserable. An airline job to me is ALL about $$$ & time off, as most airline pilots will agree. The happiest people, including myself, are the ones who live in base and drive to work (preferably less than an hour drive). I wouldn't recommend commuting on reserve. Anyway you slice it, commuting sucks a$$!
No doubt that you will miss holidays, weekends off, kids' birthdays, anniversaries, etc. for the first few years, depending on how quickly you can move up the seniority list. Have a heart to heart with your CINC house. After a few years of paying your dues, the right airline gig is a pretty sweet deal. What other job offers 15-20 days off every month and allows the flexibility to make more if one chooses to be a greedy little bastard!

kme9418

One thing to realize is that the family has to be "all in". They need to realize that birthdays and Christmas are not always on the exact day...they are when Daddy comes home. Yeah, it sucks you can't go over to Grandma's with everyone else on the actual day but then again who wants to sit around all day and listen to the bratty cousins bicker anyway? The wife and kids have to understand that when Daddy enjoys his job, he is more fun to be around. Focus on the time off and not the time away. To me, that's how to be happy at an airline. Driving in rush hour both ways 5 days a week then trying to force in all the fun stuff into Sat/Sun traffic with every other schmuck who is also off work just so you can say you are home every night when everyone is tired and at their worst is not for me.

Cuervo9606

Amen to that, brother.

PRS Guitars

You need to look long term on this.

Yeah, you'll likely miss some Holidays and birthdays. But in the long run, the financial peace that you'll give your family will far outweigh those missed holidays. Speaking of Christmas, picking up an extra 3 or 4 day trip in November will pay for all of your Christmas gifts (depending on your budget of course). The ability to do that is awesome. The 401k contribution is ridiculously good compared to what most people get.

I loved being in the Air Force, but usually when Monday rolled around I wasn't happy going back to work. At the airline job, I don't mind it at all (other than being away from home) and I commute on a 4 hour flight.

The first year sucks, don't quit in the first year. I told myself that I wouldn't make a decision to quit until year three (if I didn't like it). I'm not there yet, but definitely won't be quitting.

You do need to manage expectations at home, and the adjustment to airline lifestyle takes some time.

HoursHore

Imagine not giving a crap what was in your work email. That's the airline gig. Parking brake set, go home.

hindsight2020

Show of hands, what percentage of airline pilots w/ children have stay at home spouses?

The "banker's hours" snark is such a canard. Banker's hours may seem overrated, but our child-bearing society is built around it. Daycare, schools, most pedestrian work schedules are all driven by that cycle. It's easy to scoff it when you have a SAHS covering the domestics, not so when the spouse of a retiree or separating member tells him "it's my turn now". No offense, but if I have a wife at home who wants to work and a kid that wants a father to be there more than to wire him money, I'm probably not gonna listen to some DINK or SAHS proselytize about the economic merits of their spouse being gone 15 days and 12 nights a month.

At any rate, this is an aspect of the job I'd love to hear publicly debated more often.

Grumble

Apply and get hired first. Then decide based on your options. If it's time with your kids you want, I saw my dad way more as an airline pilot than any of my friends with 9-5 dads. Holidays? If you opt not to live in base you'll miss Christmas by a few days... Not months as with deployments. Free travel, better money and bennies. It's as good as you hear. Whether it's for you is up to you and your wife, but apply and get the option first. Living in domicile bidding reserve every month though, I have a mil bud that retired, dropped anchor in DC with the family and bids reserve getting weekends off every month and periodically picks up a trip just because his wife kicks him out of the house.

With your kids age you'll probably be able to pay their college tuition out of pocket. When theyre gone, you can take the wife on multi day layovers anywhere you go. It's not easy for the first year or two, but things are moving so fast I know guys with two years on property getting Christmas off. If you don't like it.... Quit. I know mil buds that have after a year or two but they made an educated desicion.

JNYVEGAS

There are options around Columbus if you don't want to make an airline plunge to the majors. There is NetJets at CMH, there is PSA at DAY. You can teach at Flight Safety, etc. There are lots of options. As a retired OH ANG pilot working for FedEx, coming here was the 2nd best decision of my life. As the other posters said.....a few years is just that....a few years. The next 20 are important for you and your family so stability, solid future and benefits will help make the holiday out of town a little more palatable! Good Luck!

Dragon7

If asked i tell anybody that if you really like to fly this is a great post retirement job. You need to get something to do to get those kids through college. Building another retirement isn't a bad idea either. Having been in my early 50s with Dash 1 going off to college, finding a job at that age and from a senior military background is a minefield. So if your gonna go, go now during the best airlines hiring wave ever. If you can be happy being an FO and not running the show for a few years, enjoy leaving work at work, and like days off other than saturday and sunday, again, this is your job. Commuting to reserve is no picnic, but did it until Dash 3 was out of HS. Then moved to base and learned about a whole other level of awesome. Travel? My wife and i have been to NYC, SFO, Hawaii, Cancun, and Key West in just 3 years. She and at least one Dash have gone on their own to Hawaii twice, NYC twice, and Vegas. Do i like this job? Oh yeah.