Aviationluver

If you had to choose working a descent regional job, corporate job or job with a major or running your own non-aviation business...what would you choose and what factors would sway your decision?

I've always wanted to be a pro pilot since I was a child. However, I've done the regionals once and didn't like it at all. I've never done cargo or corporate.

I was thinking of starting my own non-aviation business. My thinking is that I MIGHT make more money than being a pro pilot. With the extra money I make, I could buy my own plane and fly on my own time to where I want. No passengers. No flight attendants.

The question is, how much more money would be worth it? For example, if you start a business and are making $200K a year, would that be better than flying for a major and making $150K a year?

Of course running my own business would lead to other headaches. Also, I wouldn't be able to fly for free around the world anymore. Also, I would miss some of the unique things that only pro pilots see. On the other hand, I would be able to sleep in my own bed and wouldn't have to worry about jumpseating, TSA, delays, etc.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

rickair7777

Most majors would pay you over $200K eventually.

The only other way to make that kind of money and have a flexible schedule with lots of time off would be...own your own business.

But in both cases there are dues to be paid, and with the business you would eventually have to develop it to the point where it could largely run itself.

There are risks either way. With a business you could adjust and regroup, even start all over if needed. With aviation, if you have the slightest career hiccup you go to the "B List" forever, and then have to hope they get desperate enough to call you.

But if you want to fly, then fly.

JohnBurke

There's a lot more to life than flying for a regional airline, and there's a lot more to do in the aviation world than that, too. Or a major airline. These are not your only options.

The only person who can determine if you should pursue a business option is you.

USMCFLYR

The bolded is in direct contrast to most of the small business owners I know. They work their butts off, are constantly 'on call' if you will, and have very little time off.

Small business ownership can give you a lot of perks and provide for a wonderful life. A failed small business can put you into debt for many, many years.

There are risks to either path you chose to take.
Line up your options, make the best decision you can for you (and others if involved), and take the step.

60av8tor

I believe this is very accurate. I spent some time doing contract work for several small business owners. It was very low-key, like flying family members. On numerous occasions one of them would sit in front and conversation would often end up about their business, how they began, lessons learned, previous failures, etc. Granted, these were not corporate CEOs, but very successful small-business owners. I really enjoyed these discussions as they were mostly very intelligent, highly personable individuals who worked very hard for the success they had achieved.

Almost unanimously, a common thread I heard, when I asked why they believed the failure rate for small business is so high, was as quoted above. They all mentioned how hard they worked in the beginning - for years - 14 hour days, every day. They also mentioned how much they learned throughout this period as they were forced to be hands on in all areas of their business. The idea of owning your own business is extremely attractive in many ways. The true reality is years of hard, all-consuming work to get to where these folks were - flying around "checking" on things, buying other properties, expanding their market, etc.

It was also eye opening to see how much of their life was their business - this part never changes; actually increases. I'm convinced this is a discriminator, as well, with most successful people in corporate America - are you willing to live your work? I know that I am not - constant meetings, phone calls, issues, etc. I like my time to enjoy my life outside of my profession - family, hobbies, travel, etc. This is one appeal of aviation to me. At least in some of the upper-tier jobs, one can make white-collar money from a blue-collar job.

JohnBurke

My brother owns two businesses. During the early years of the first (say, the first 20 or so) he frequently slept on the property, and had a cot in his office. There has never come a time when it was his personal cash cow, enabling him to go do something else while everyone else does all the work. Both businesses are very successful, and he employs a number of highly qualified professionals at both.

I work several jobs. One of them is for a very successful employer who does none of the flying, despite his qualification to do so. I know the amount of office work he does, however. In recent years, he's purchased a very nice truck and a corvette he picked off the line, for racing. I complimented him on the truck when it was new. "Thanks," he said. "You bought it for me." I appreciated his comment, which recognized the hand I'd had in doing the work for his company. The truth is, however, that the part time work he gave me paid six figures, and it took a lot of effort on his part. The only person who needed to do the thanking was me. The work and the flying I did was very demanding, some say "high risk," but the risk he took financially and the amount of work that he did was more than mine, and he was juggling nearly a dozen of us, plus field maintenance, plus politics, plus other things. When I went to bed at the end of the day, I was free of the job. I don't think he was ever free of the job, and I've never been with him when he isn't fielding calls.

Not my idea of a good time.

rickair7777

If your goal is to own a business that provides income and flexibility, you have to aim for that from the get-go. Ultimately it has to be a big enough business, in a suitable industry, such that it can subsidize a white-collar professional management/sales team while still returning a profit/income for the owner. More than one manager is important, it provides checks and balances and avoids having the business "single point safe" on one key employee.

You need to choose your industry and business model based on your goals, not necessarily what you're good at or know about.

If you get to that point, you need only participate enough to keep your SA up and be prepared to step in if needed.

As I mentioned, there will be lengthy dues paying, and risks (as in anything worth doing). But it can be done, I have several friends who have and also a friend who specializes in running startups for other people...he works hard, gets things going, cashes out (usually at the IPO, a large part of his compensation is always shares), then takes a year or two off before moving on to the next one.