TiredSoul

Most pilots I know have some sort of side gig going on.
Real estate, jewelry stores, charter boats, Bed ‘n Breakfast is what I’ve heard in just the last month.
After training and getting through your probationary year no reason why you can’t start something up on the side supplement income kinda thing.
My problem is that everything I’d be interested in I’m not good at.

rickair7777

Massage parlors?

JetBlueNewb

100% Agree. Since coming to this forum I've seen tons of complaining. Human nature I guess. Meanwhile those of us at the bottom of the pile look up thinking about how much we'd love to be at the top and how thankful we'll be when we get there. We'll probably complain too... haha

Thankfully there's a lot of good folks (rickair included) that are here helping each other out as well.

CozyDriver

Interesting thread, so rather than start my own I'll just jump on to this one. I'm a few years past the OP on this decision - 49 years old, up until next month, I've spent 25 years in IT consulting, with the last 4 years in a big 4 accounting firm, living beneath my means, and positioning myself to fly for a living in any capacity, which is a goal I've sidelined since I got my PPL at age 21. I spent a lot of my discretionary income on my own airplane, which I use for my own personal and business travel and with which I have accumulated 1500 hours flying all over the US, along with commercial, instrument and multi ratings. Now I want to fly for a living. "A living" means I need to gross about $50K per year at a flying job (I have a few other sidelines to help make up the really extreme pay cut of going from an established career to starting at the bottom in professional aviation). I intend to work a flying job as long as possible; I'd say I have at least another 11 -12 years in me judging by how I handle various sketchy trips at my current age (flown my own plane on 13 hour nonstop legs coast to coast, ferried a Duchess last month from SLC to the east coast with no functioning heater at high altitude, etc.) I can load and unload 75 lb boxes, I have all the mins and then some for the regionals and a local FedEx/UPS Ameriflight-owned outfit, also some 135 operators who I know are hiring. I have a decent number of contacts in aviation, (instructors, DPEs, line pilots at majors, etc.) and get along well with all of them. My biggest obstacle is not knowing what I'm going to like for a professional flying job. Yeah, I could go to a 135 operator a half hour drive away and fly right seat in bizjets for them on call 24/7, with a 2-year commitment for the type rating. Sounds plausible. But I could also do what's probably closest to the single pilot IFR I do now, which is to fly for a freight company hauling boxes in Caravans right away (or BE-99s when I accumulate another 50h multi time, which gives me more base options and a slight bit more pay with said company). Might also be cool to fly for a corporate flight department or a private individual part 91, I have a friend who does that and really enjoys it (because she has found the perfect family to fly for). I could also go to Republic or Endeavor and have a whole career in a regional, but having spent plenty of time in the back of an RJ, I'm not sure I'd want to constantly fly those pax around :-O

I have yet to make my first dollar flying for a living - I swear I'll find a way to frame it when it happens - but I know I want to do it, and understand the tradeoffs of starting at the bottom when most guys my age are making 3-4x the $$, etc. I just don't want to make the mistake of committing to a job that in 12 months I want to get out of because I didn't envision it correctly. I don't have the luxury of TIME, I waste a year doing something I don't like, that's 1/12 of my remaining career time. If I was my 21 year old self, and wasted a year going down a wrong path, that's only 1/40th of my career time blown.

Obviously I just have to go and start somewhere...but in my shoes, to those of you with the benefit of hindsight, I ask - what would you do in my shoes, and why? Thanks in advance for any and all advice, comments, and questions.

galaxy flyer

If you own a plane that flies 13-hour non-stops, why are you looking to work flying?

Seriously, if a 135 will give a type rating, which would also give you an ATP, take it unless it’s a worthless old Citation rating. It’ll give you entrance to lots of fun flying, you’ll learn a lot and might, in today’s environment, get you a captain’s seat in a Gulfstream/Global.

GF

dhc8guru

Personally, I don't think its wise to take up a flying career regardless of age. Even in the 1989 when I started flying, it was a far and expensive goal and it took me forever to get to a commuter (2001). I made $47k a year to start and ended at $43k due to the airline claiming bankruptcy. Three years flying for a commuter and I had enough. Through it all away and went to work as a mechanic.
I look at my wife (whom I met after leaving flying)who spent four years in medical school and then four years in (paid)residency and now makes $600k a year. She had $250k in school loans that she paid off in about a year and a half. Now that is well spent time and money on a career.
Not spending $150k+ on training to be a pilot and then another "XX" years flight instructing or whatever you need to do to build time for a $50k a year job. I don't know that there is a solution to the problem with pilot shortages.
Even if the airlines started paying a $100k a year, would that really be enough? I know a guy who makes $80k a year doing cable tv and internet installation. Not exactly a high skilled job for what it pays.
Everyone has there price and you will see lots of guys like me looking to come back to the profession when they feel the salaries are where they need to be.
I am going to start getting proficient again in preparation for when its right for me.
If the airlines are really hurting that bad, they will start paying outrageous salaries to attract pilots and they just aren't quite there.

For the new guys, at least be thankful that pay for training, $10k a year salaries and the constant battles for hoping to find a job are behind us for now.

JetBlueNewb

FAPA Spambot, do you even read things before you hit Ctrl+V ? If all you're doing is re-posting nearly the same thing to get people to come to your website and sign-up then you should be an advertiser and stop filling up forums with your posts which are generic and don't really contribute to the discussion. I'm sure the webmaster here won't mind making some ad revenue by putting a "FAPA 4 Life!" banner add on the top of the page.

Bucknut

It is the only career that if you get laid off and furloughed you will have to start over again!!!!