leaving FAA ATC for airlines

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09-20-2017, 06:47 PM

#11

NYC Pilot

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: Jun 2016

Position: A350 CA

Posts: 295

Quote:

Originally Posted by scubaash

Solid thoughts, thank you. It seems you have some good time in the industry to be flying heavies with the majors...can I ask what you're dissatisfied with at the majors to regret not going ATC? Surely at this point in the airlines you are making more than a max FAA salary with good time off away from the job? What don't you like that would have been different in ATC? Just trying to play devil's advocate to help the decision, appreciate your feedback.

The airline piloting stuff is great if you REALLY love flying and can't imagine doing anything else. For normal pilots, the glory wears off with time as we get older. I would have picked ATC with the FAA due to job stability and pension. Not to mention a normal lifestyle. One day you may have kids and the wife will want you to be around for life events. Not so easy as a pilot. With ATC, you have it very good. You are still in aviation but get to go home everyday. You interact with some of the smartest people around, your coworkers. Controllers seem to be a great group of humans. Just think hard about leaving all that is all that I'm saying. The airline pilot career will always be there when you retire from ATC and trust me 14 years of it will be plenty assuming you retire from the FAA at age 51. I can't emphasize it enough, don't quit ATC if you are good at it and think you will make it to retirement. If you think otherwise, then only you would know as I don't live in your shoes.