rickair7777

Sure. Joined the mil to fly, flunked the vision test after I was far enough along to have an incurred a scholarship payback so did other things mil for a few years. Got out, did white collar jobs for a few more years. Did GA on the side, eventually decided to bag the job and do the career track. Trained at an FBO and a couple schools (one local, one chain). Regionals then major from there.

When I pulled the trigger I had a then GF (now wife), told her what I was doing and asked if she wanted to go along for the ride. So it wasn't like I pulled the financial rug out from under a family. The *plan* was that we'd move around as needed until I got settled at the career job but we had some family circumstances so I ended up doing some commuting.

I also stayed in the reserves the whole time, which was convenient after 9/11 and in 2009 when the airline industry had downturns... my skillset was high demand so I spent as much time on AD as I wanted (and then some). Between that and the wife's job I never had to eat ramen or sleep in a van.

Not as a hard a decision for me because family didn't hang in the balance.

cornerpocket

Thanks! It's always interesting to see what choices people make under their circumstances at a given point in time.

VegasChris

The 2-3 million more in lifetime earnings is the difference of working from age 50-65 as a pilot making about 250k a year. The fire career is over at age 52 for me (that gives me 25 years credit in the pension system- should give me about 70k a year in pension without touching my other investments)

I guess it comes down to a few questions:

1. Do I want to work as a pilot for longer than I would if I continue the fire career? (firefighter lifespan is significantly less due to cancer and heart problems caused by lack of sleep- most of our guys are dying early into retirement)

2. Can I deal with the salary hit for the first few years along with the work/schedule conditions that are bad early in the airline career? (getting thru training, probation, and rookie time at the fire dept sucked too)

3. Do I want to risk the stability of local government job where I have awesome conditions right now for the unstable yet cyclical conditions of the airlines?

4. Finally what can I do to mitigate not losing my current career to try out the new one‐ The answer to this is burn my vacation and sick time, and possibly get an unpaid leave and burn through some retirement (or home equity) to make it work.

I committed to doing the regionals for at least a year when I borrowed money (student loan) for the 141 instrument training. I have 50k in student loans left‐ which is conviently one year salary at the regionals.

I should be able to make it a year with vacation/sick/trading shifts to do both jobs for a year. It won't be ideal, but I think its worth it to figure out if I really want to leave what I already have.

I guess worst case is do it, hate it, get 121 SIC multi turbine time and type rating. Remove the restriction on the atp cert, retire from fire dept around age 50 and fly 91 or 135 at that time

Rama

Not a bad plan, but being junior at a regional is far different than being senior at a major/LLC. It takes a while to experience the good life.
Good Luck whatever you decide.

Bahamasflyer

I love flying GA as a 121 guy. Its analogous to going back and playing college football with your alma mater teammates after being knee deep in the NFL for a few years.

DontLookDown

1. Yes, you do want to work longer as a pilot. The fact of the matter is pilots love what they do. That’s why these geezers keep flying until regulations literally pry their crusty bodies out of the seat (and then they still consider finding a GA job). Firefighters never usually stop working after they hit their retirement anyways. These days people can realistically live to be in their 90s…. 40 years is too long to be retired without getting bored. Everyone seems to at least find a part time gig or they volunteer somewhere.

2) Yes, again. Ten years ago regionals paid 1/3 of what they do now. Nowadays, anyone who has kept their expenses reasonable can live off of a new FO salary (likely around 55-60K based off my research). If you have PTO from other job or a spouse that works you’re extra good.

3) Airlines practically are government jobs. We saw how quickly the government poured money in during Covid. The government has historically stepped in to relieve airlines who can’t keep their balance sheet green

4) I wouldn’t try to do both careers at once. You’ll get burnt out and be distracted. Try to cut costs if anything

rickair7777

If by "historically" you mean "last year", then yes.

Before that, furlough was always a possibility, and usually a probability somewhere in your career.

Mergers & acquisitions were common in the last 20 years, although you probably still had a job or at least a number and recall rights.

Before that airline liquidation was a common end game.

I think the big four are too big to fail, unless there was a severe, sustained economic downturn (ie not covid).

I wouldn't assume government support as part of your airline career planning.


That's majors... with regionals anything's possible at any time. Three or four just up and shut down last year.

Excargodog

I’m not at all sure that this administration wouldn’t allow one to fail - just to show their anti-capitalist bonafides to the Socialist wing of the party. The “progressive” caucus after all boasts 95 of the Dem House majority’s 220 members.


Yep, and the impending demise of the single class 50 seaters and potential new hire shortages are going to make the already ‘iffy’ regional life even more chancy. Get in, get hours, get out. Do not plan a career there.

PotatoChip

As someone with two decades in this career and been through two furloughs, I think you are either grossly misinformed or terribly naive.

dera

Some TWA guys who were furloughed for 13 years might disagree with him.