I posted this earlier this year and had some really good post and PM. I am still so torn in making a come back to the industry. My last 121 flight was in 2004 on Saab 340 for Chicago Express (first officer). I left back then since the industry or at least my airline was very stagnant, I did not like staying in hotel for 3 or 4 nights a week but looking back I am not sure if this was due to me being 22, working a lot of weekends and maybe having my priorities wrong and just franly burnt out. I starting flying senior in high school and was dead set on being at a Major by 27. Probably got influenced by all my friends making big money in the real estate boom, going out on weekends having fun and honestly I did want to have a family and thought being gone would be too hard to make that work.

Now my situation is I am part owner in a construction company, I make mid six figures with a lot of nice perks and bonus that can vary each year from $0 to $200,000. Company paid country club, company paid car, all gas and food is paid throughout the year. Now I work my butt off, at the office at 7am-530pm and I am always working either by phone calls, emails or doing something at my home office. The plus side is I have a very flexible schedule in the sense I can take the kids to school if want, leave whenever I want if the family needs me, really unlimited vacation or sick time. I can leave on my own accord when I want but need to keep it in perspective for the company to still be successful, summer time I golf too much!

I have been told before to go back into flight instruction or some other form of part time flying. This would be not a bad idea, maybe my only choice. There is still something about airline flying that attracts me so much more than GA flying. Maybe I am nuts and maybe I just forgot how it really was since its almost 12 years ago. I do know the industry is better than its ever been since I have been in it.

I do have 4 kids, all under 9 years old. I have to be careful that this choice is not a selfish choice, to me to make up the salary on what I have now to what it will take in the airline business might be from 5-7 years, am I wrong to think that ( I know its based upon what airline you pick and timing is everything)?

Just really curious what others think, I am really sitting 50/50 on this move.