Originally Posted by Airfix

Panz,

Funny you should mention that. I'm turning 40 moving from a technical job - aerospace engineering - with pay the same as you to an airline job and my wife is a nurse (also a DAL FA). I went to the regionals 3 years ago and got furloughed a year and a half ago. For that year and a half I went back to my technical job and rebuilt my devastated finances. Here are my thoughts:-

1) Flying a plane beats a contract technical job any day (except for pay at the moment)
2) There is an amazing sense of achievement flying in difficult weather, pulling off great approaches and awesome landings.
3) Doing overnights in great locations (only a few at the regionals), with great crews can be a good fun. Even crappy locations with good crews are fun.
4) You'll be twice as old as the FA's and a good 15 years older than the captain usually. You can figure out how this affects things but lets say you'll get briefed on the latest pop culture!
5) The initial training at a regional is very intense and I categorize it as one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. However it gets very routine after a while and I'd say in general it is a whole lot easier than being an engineer 9-5.
6) As a pilot you are a commodity. In your technical career you may be used to people coming directly to you to help make large technical decisions. People will respect your opinion and act upon your advice in your technical field. Your skills and abilities can directly affect your pay and position. This never happens as a pilot. You are a bum on a seat, not any more or less capable than the next guy. It is luck if you make it to the majors before the next guy. This for me is the hardest thing about the career change, being out of control of your destiny.
7) The sights you see from the front seat are truely amazing.
8) Getting to the majors is all about PIC time. I went to where I thought I'd get PIC time ASAP. I was wrong and got furloughed. Go to a regional where you could see yourself retiring from. Preferably one that has a secure base close to where you live.
9) You will have the same conversations with different crews each month. You don't build up friendships like you do in an office environment. Your work friends could be scattered all over the country which makes it not so easy to pop out with the guys from work for a Friday beer.
10) You will appreciate your own bed at home.
11) If you are married seeing your wife after a 4 day trip becomes one of the highlights of the week (at least in my case).
12) I think NOW is as good a time as any to get into the industry. The majors are going to hire lots in 2012-2013 when the age 65 rule comes around. That gives you a couple of years to get regional experience and time it to get to the majors. Although going to Vegas and betting all on red could be a safer bet.
13) I don't think pilot wages will be changing much. They better not go down any more and are very unlikely to go up any more.
14) Be prepared for it all not to go to plan. My friends and I when we got hired in 2006/2007 all thought we would be captains by now or at a major. Everyone is still an FO at a regional and could be there for another 2 to 3 years.
15) The airline industry is unlike anything you have ever seen. The seniority system, the unions, the management, the volatility it is all f'd up. You will not understand this statement until you experience it. Even with my wife being a FA for DAZL I didn't undertsand it until I lived it.

16) This is the biggest single piece of advice I can give you. Do not burn bridges at your current career. Keep the contacts and make sure everyone knows that you are able to do some contract work on the road. I don't care what type of contract work it is, just make sure you have something to suppliment your income. I made twice as much contracting for a few hours every couple of months than while I was a year 1 full time regional FO. It gives you something to do on those crappy overnights.

Finally - Go for it. You only live 1 time. Follow your dreams. You'll never get another chance to fly. If it sucks you can always go back to your original career (unlikemost in this industry) and carry on where you left off at 90K. At least you wont regret not trying.

Airfix,

p.s. Who knows, one day we could be one of the first space tourism pilots - you won't ever get that flying a desk!