Creating a replacement income as an airline pilot is easier than you think, especially if you are willing to create the opportunity yourself rather than looking for it to come from someone else. My "productivity time" on short call and commuting worked miracles for my backup plan.

We are treated like easily replaced hourly labor so often that too many in the profession actually believe it. Set the specific aviation skill set aside, for a moment and realize what the average pilot brings to the world outside of the cockpit.

1. Above average intelligence.
2. Bachelor degree as a minimum often in technical fields.
3. The ability to make critical decisions under pressure.
4. Leadership skills for running a team of 5-15 people.
5. Willingness to work long hours to achieve a goal.
6. Above average hand/eye coordination.
7. Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently.
8. Confidence to safely operate complex multimillion dollar equipment.
9. Demonstrated the self discipline necessary to work with little direct supervision.
10. Looks good in the process of doing all of the above.

This is a recipe for success in many career fields and businesses. Our aviation specific stick and rudder skills are only part of the equation. I must confess, I've already started the backup plan, which is why I would quit rather than be forced to move to a current base. I've taken my own advice over the last several years and used savings, income and time off to create a backup plan of business and investments outside of this industry. It took half of the items from the list above to exceed my airline pay. They were 2, 4, 5 and married to 7 & 10 in my case.

It isn't that hard to build a backup plan outside of this career. This is my third of four six figure jobs. The first had nothing to do with aviation, the second one did and third one certainly does, the fourth one I created myself outside of aviation. Too many in this career sell themselves short on what they are capable of doing, so they never try something else.