You know how many people I know that left the industry 20yrs ago and still haven't gone back? I'm one of them.

I'm 52 now...senior IT manager/engineer...yes, would love to go back into aviation...but they won't pay what I need to get by. Which is $120K+/yr with kids in college, mortgage yada yada.

Maybe in 6-7 yrs..I'll go fly for Silver Air and think about working retirement plan...or maybe I'm laid off or fired..then have no choice...haha

That would be awesome to fly for something like Silver out of Tampa, home every night likely. Even at lower pay, I loved aviation/flying. But the pay, crazy schedule, terrible operations etc..you all know the story, hard to go back.

Did I mention the pay sucks in aviation starting out?

Many people would be willing to leave their careers if the airlines understood lifestyle, respect of people and pilots/crew time/lives etc. At the right price!! Or as an alternative to their career they are in.