Right my flight time is not so current per say. And yes I agree those 6 years is all if everything goes right, picking the right regional and even getting a call from the major(s).

I have buddies that are still at regionals and only few that made it to the majors, granted the guys at the regionals are really content with their current life style and seniority.

Does your flight time put you in a position for a street captain at a regional? Not sure how a they would handle a candidate with no flight time over the last few years, but that would be ideal.

Let me extend a message of caution. I don't know why this happens, but so often we tend to romanticize and glamorize the unknown. That new job or new career path in our brains seems like an awesome and beautiful thing. For some reason, we only see amazingness and awesomeness at the new job. We tend to not see the real world crap that will come with that job. I do it and most people i know do it. Why that is, i do not know.

Then we finally arrive at that career or new job we have been salivating about and realize that it isn't quite what we thought it would be. It's work. There are pros AND cons to the job. There are tough times, ridiculous policies and knee jerk management decisions. You realize you are just a pawn. One of many. You realize that this shiny thing you wanted to be a part of is just another job with its many facets of good, bad and ugly.

You have painted a pretty rosy picture of your current life. It sounds pretty amazing and i can imagine it is difficult to walk away from. I would advise you to tread lightly, because you will have to pay your dues for a lot of years and deal with a lot of crap to get back to your current income status. You must weigh the lost opportunity costs.

Its a big decision and i am currently grappling with it as well. Nobody can make it for you and I hope you can make peace with the decision you ultimately make. Best of luck.

^^^THIS^^^^

Best post of the thread, hands down! A ton of wisdom
here, very well stated! A+

Appreciate the response. Its been a long time since I was at my regional and I do remember it turned into a job, dreading the start of a 4 or 5 day trip, was single with no kids at the time.

Again appreciate everyones feedback on both sides of the fence. hope this helps others on the fence too.

Also my 1,000 plus 121 time was in a Saab340, not sure I would be at all comfortable with a DEC, especially with my time off from the industry and going right into a jet.

If we were talking about a married person for 15 years and all of the sudden fantasizing about that new young secretary (pick your poison here), then it would be called LIMERENCE.

Then YOU have to make that fateful decision - and as SkyHigh would say - try to be as selfless as possible and look at the effects of the decision
for all of those who are a part of this journey.

This illustrates the point nicely.

If I were the OP, I’d definately stay at the 200k job at least for the foreseeable future. But, if I were you, I’d be starting my CFI rating tonight at a local school and plan to be instructing on the side side by August, full time by the fall. If you live in the right area, you can make 60k as a CFI, but it takes some work, and networking. Better money as an independent contractor, but less students and more work getting students. It will help that you’re in the aviation business already.

It has been seriously considered. Unfortunately, I live in Ohio and flying year round is difficult. I'm an 1 hr and 20 minutes from Ohio State and the same from Kent State so I do have some options for instructing, but thats a horrible commute on a CFI salary that may not be able to fly year round. Very little part 61 flying where I am so I would probably continue working my full time job or possibly drop to part time.

One thing I have going for me; my wife has a great job/career making $140K+ per year, she carries our health insurance, and I have her full support to get back in the plane.

Depends.

How are the finances?

Does the wife work, and is her career portable?

Can you relocate, possible more than once?

Will the family support you?


If you can manage the finances and family circumstances for the first few years, then it should pay off big time in the long run. But I wouldn't delay if you're going to do it.

Yeah you'd want a few hundred hours in the jet you're going to upgrade into first. But there are many regionals where you could start in the right seat and then upgrade any time as soon as you feel ready.