Once out for even six months your value as a pilot quickly drops to near zero. Try to get back in and you will be over qualified for a regional and far from competitive for a major. My two bits is that if you voluntarily leave you had better prepare yourself for it to be a permanent change.

Circumstances might be different in the future but it seems to me that with every passing year minimums to make it into one of the good jobs is rapidly inflating while entry into the regionals is dropping. You could get stuck in the middle and become effectively unemployable as a pilot for anyone.

Coming changes in hiring minimums I believe will serve as a catalyst for the advent of cadet programs here in the USA. I watched as my own regional passed up very qualified applicants for brand new indentured servants with a few hundred hours. They make for better passive employees then experienced middle aged guys.

Skyhigh