Originally Posted by OldSF3Dude

In 2004 I left Mesaba to go back to school for a 2nd masters. After 6 years flying at the airlines I had enough. Contract negotiations, furloughs, displacements, etc. Basically no light at the end of the tunnel. I liked flying and the people I worked with, but couldn't justify staying with the airlines financially. Life always seemed like one step forward and two steps back. My wife made more money than me and it made no sense to move. I was sick of commuting.


ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a back-up career!!! Aviation is way too fickle. Some guys never get hired. Some that do are forced out. Some are like me and like being pilots but are not willing to sell their soul or their family life to do it. Many have no other job skills and are stuck with it no matter what crap the airlines deal them.

In short, get your grad degree. Have a back-up career and have independence. Never rely on the airlines to feed your family. View flying as a second job or a hobby. If you get hired at a regional you're going to make side-job wages for the first few years. View it as a side-job. Maybe it works out and your passion turns into a career, but don't put all your eggs in that basket.

That's my new philosophy, anyway. It's much less frustrating to think in these terms.