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Old 11-19-2022, 05:10 AM
  #3  
Enrico Pollazzo
On Reserve
 
Joined APC: Aug 2022
Position: B737 FO
Posts: 13
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Originally Posted by fcknglideslope View Post
Don't know if this is the right place for this, but I appreciate the advice regardless:

33 yr old, married, 1 kid (infant). I've been a cop for 10 years now, recently promoted to a supervisor rank. I have 10 more years to retirement and a half pension, but the stress, constant overtime and tour flip flops has me looking for an out. I've been out on paternity leave for a few months trying to finish up my commercial/cfi and possibly make a career out of flying.

My #1 priority has always been family life, its part of the reason I hate police work, wish I knew then what I know now. Being told when you're leaving to go home that you're doing a double shift now, never making plans on days off because ordered overtime always seems to magically appear last minute, 9 hour shifts frequently turn into 12 hour shifts when something bad happens near the end. It gets tiring. Are there units where things like this don't happen? Sure. Is there an aviation unit in the department that could satisfy my lust for flying? Yes. Am I guaranteed either? Hell no, especially the aviation unit, you might as well be playing the lotto.

But anyway, the one thing holding me back from finally leaving is the time on the road aspect. I know it is basically unavoidable in an airline pilots career. But I feel like I may be overdoing it by assuming its all doom and gloom for the family. My wife is more than used to my horrible schedule, and does her best to work around it and not let it interfere with our lives too much. But for the most part I am home every night, and at least I am only a few miles away if I get stuck.

I am fairly well off since having socked away a lot during my servitude to the department. I still get a pension if I leave now, but it will be 1/4 of my pay and wont start paying out for another 10 years. Plus, I got my health bennies for life now having worked a decade, it locks it in. I have thought of just instructing as living, but from what I see my CFI do I don't know if that's viable for me for the long term. It would give me a lot of time home though, which is what I want.

What is your advice in my case? Am I trading one set of handcuffs for another?
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