Family life as an airline pilot.
12-26-2015, 12:45 PM
#21
Banned
Joined APC: Sep 2015
Posts: 519
Either this, or sell everything you own, buy a large motor home, and go wherever the job takes you. Be mobile for a few years. Keeps you from throwing away money on rent and hotels, gives you more time with the wife, as well as time sitting around in your underwood waiting on that short call.
Note: I don't recommend doing this with kids, though I have known some who do it. But it wouldn't be my idea of a great time.
Note: I don't recommend doing this with kids, though I have known some who do it. But it wouldn't be my idea of a great time.
Originally Posted by XJT Pilot
Move to within two hours of NYC, EWR and PHL and you can work for any airline in the country for the most part and never have to move. Suck up the cost if family what's important to you. Never commuted one day in my life or missed a holiday. Why? Because I could hold the early show trips that most Commuter's can't. Thus this job for me has been a normal 9-5. Good luck! Heed my words and you'll enjoy your career and only have one wife!
12-26-2015, 01:25 PM
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: Captain
Posts: 310
Originally Posted by BobJenkins
Either this, or sell everything you own, buy a large motor home, and go wherever the job takes you. Be mobile for a few years. Keeps you from throwing away money on rent and hotels, gives you more time with the wife, as well as time sitting around in your underwood waiting on that short call.
Note: I don't recommend doing this with kids, though I have known some who do it. But it wouldn't be my idea of a great time.
Note: I don't recommend doing this with kids, though I have known some who do it. But it wouldn't be my idea of a great time.
BTW You'll probably spend just about as much on lot rent and propane as if you just got a decent apartment.
12-26-2015, 01:51 PM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2010
Position: Baja Vermont
Posts: 5,177
I'm in corporates for the same reason most other corporate guys are--timing, economy, family desires, or failed airlines resulted in needing a flying job that paid enough. Funny thing, flying airplanes is, for most people, poor preparation for most other careers that pay high middle class salaries. There's a lotta luck involved, little of it you can control.
GF
GF
12-26-2015, 02:12 PM
#24
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: Window seat
Posts: 5,211
Divorce rates by profession -
Divorce Rates by Profession - Lex Fridman Blog
Pilot ranks about #470 of 511 professions. Which means it's one of the low risk professions associated with divorce.
Pilot divorce rate about 60% of the midpoint of the list.
Much better odds of not getting divorced if you're a pilot.
You HAVE to have a supportive wife. If they want you home every night...good luck.
If they have to have absolute structure....good luck.
If they realize each week, or month, will be different you're golden.
There's good and bad with any job. Focus on the bad and you'll hate it. Focus on the good and you'll love it.
Kids realize you're gone...and some days have all day for them. They adjust...unless someone focuses on "again? You weren't here last time either."
Overall you get more free time with your kids.
Divorce Rates by Profession - Lex Fridman Blog
Pilot ranks about #470 of 511 professions. Which means it's one of the low risk professions associated with divorce.
Pilot divorce rate about 60% of the midpoint of the list.
Much better odds of not getting divorced if you're a pilot.
You HAVE to have a supportive wife. If they want you home every night...good luck.
If they have to have absolute structure....good luck.
If they realize each week, or month, will be different you're golden.
There's good and bad with any job. Focus on the bad and you'll hate it. Focus on the good and you'll love it.
Kids realize you're gone...and some days have all day for them. They adjust...unless someone focuses on "again? You weren't here last time either."
Overall you get more free time with your kids.
Last edited by Sliceback; 12-26-2015 at 02:31 PM. Reason: Which means it's.... added sentence
12-26-2015, 02:18 PM
#25
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: Q400, B-737
Posts: 324
This is the worst part of the job.
She has to be a special woman, and even then there are times when it's tough. We're not interested in kids; I'm deeply impressed by those who can make that work successfully. It blows up so often.
I think most potential spouses are still influenced by the echos of the "good old days", the general public doesn't comprehend how tough this lifestyle can be, so that transition often doesn't work.
It can be done, you need to choose wisely though, (and have a bit of luck on your side.)
She has to be a special woman, and even then there are times when it's tough. We're not interested in kids; I'm deeply impressed by those who can make that work successfully. It blows up so often.
I think most potential spouses are still influenced by the echos of the "good old days", the general public doesn't comprehend how tough this lifestyle can be, so that transition often doesn't work.
It can be done, you need to choose wisely though, (and have a bit of luck on your side.)
12-26-2015, 02:33 PM
#26
Banned
Joined APC: Sep 2015
Posts: 519
I guess I am lucky then, my wife is the one who wants to do it. She's excited about the idea. She'd MUCH rather be with me than have me commute for very long.
As for the costs... Well, it depends. I am paying about $1300 a month now for rent and all utilities for 1850 sq ft. If I buy a $70K motor home, I quit wasting $1025 in rent, pay instead $720 a month towards ownership, and parking costs around $400-450 a month, everything included. So I will keep my costs about the same, but not giving it all away to a landlord somewhere. Plus, the cost of "packing up and moving" to a new base is simply a tank of diesel, and about 30 minutes of work. Try doing THAT when going from apartment to apartment in different cities!
As for the costs... Well, it depends. I am paying about $1300 a month now for rent and all utilities for 1850 sq ft. If I buy a $70K motor home, I quit wasting $1025 in rent, pay instead $720 a month towards ownership, and parking costs around $400-450 a month, everything included. So I will keep my costs about the same, but not giving it all away to a landlord somewhere. Plus, the cost of "packing up and moving" to a new base is simply a tank of diesel, and about 30 minutes of work. Try doing THAT when going from apartment to apartment in different cities!
Originally Posted by RedGuy
That would work being single. Good luck talking most women into it.
BTW You'll probably spend just about as much on lot rent and propane as if you just got a decent apartment.
BTW You'll probably spend just about as much on lot rent and propane as if you just got a decent apartment.
12-26-2015, 02:36 PM
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2015
Position: Captain
Posts: 132
An even bigger concern than being away is $$$. Being home but broke will pi$$ your spouse off more than being gone? Commuting AND being broke is also common.
12-26-2015, 02:47 PM
#28
Layover Master
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: Seated
Posts: 4,310
Originally Posted by cptmel98
The pilot life isn't that bad unless you make it so.
You've never been a pilot. You ask us how it is, and then you TELL us how it is??
I'm not so sure why you even asked. From what I can tell, you only want to hear the good to back up your dreams and discard the bad as guys who just did it wrong... Good luck.
12-26-2015, 02:50 PM
#29
Layover Master
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: Seated
Posts: 4,310
Originally Posted by cptmel98
I like that. Some people make it a little bit too difficult. It does suck at times, but it is also a really amazing job.
Oh, and see spelling and grammar corrections in red.
12-26-2015, 02:53 PM
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2010
Posts: 248
Families are much more fun to make than maintain.
Your family must be onboard if you want to make it work. I have a wife and 1 kid. Luckily, my wife has a flexible schedule so when I get stuck working weekends we can still have family time mid-week. Given that, if I had to sleep with her every night it probably wouldn't work. I do miss my kid after a few days away, but modern technology helps.
Your family must be onboard if you want to make it work. I have a wife and 1 kid. Luckily, my wife has a flexible schedule so when I get stuck working weekends we can still have family time mid-week. Given that, if I had to sleep with her every night it probably wouldn't work. I do miss my kid after a few days away, but modern technology helps.
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