On the bright side I did start three years out, saved a considerable nest egg in preparation by living below our means, networked so I have several contacts at FedEx, Delta, SWA, and corporate to seek advice/letters from. I have my ATP, Class 1, passport, resume, and all the little stuff done. The only thing that caught me off guard was orders six months earlier than planned and all the prep was done hoping the employment picture would be better by now. It did not help that, even though I had already planned to retire this summer, I then got the best non-flying staff tour orders I could hope for. Three years of paid vacation at the steep cost of being no longer current. Everyone knows the majors must hire or begin to shrink over the next 5-10 years. The key is finding something to bridge the gap without becoming one of those people chewed up by their strong desire to work in a weak industry. I am taking the plunge, retiring, willing to live on Mac-N-Cheese, and prepared to flex/move as needed to fly. Flying is not what I do for a living, it's what I live to do.