(Soon to be) Retired ATC to regional
01-26-2012, 07:16 PM
#1
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jan 2012
Posts: 1
(Soon to be) Retired ATC to regional
Here's my story. I am a controller at a fairly decent sized approach control in the mid atlantic coast. I have been working airplanes for 36 years. I have an ATP, FCC restricted radio telephone operators permit. I have 2325 hours. I am pilot in command Cessna 421, about 500 hours. I have SIC Type Rating in a King Air 350, 545 hrs in the plane, have not flown it since 2007 when our company got rid of it. I have SIC Type Rating in a Citation 750, with about 250 hours. I go to Flight Safety for recurrent training every year in the 421 since 1999. I have a 4 year degree. I don't fly alot, but I can definitely keep the airplane right side up. What do you guys think out there about my chances are of getting hired by a regional are? I can handle the wages because I will have a great pension from the FAA. I know it will not be layovers in Miami or Los Angeles for 36 hours, or making $300,000.00. I understand that and it does not bother me. I am 54 now and it doesn't faze me that the captain will probably considerably younger than me.
01-26-2012, 08:09 PM
#2
What’s it doing now?
Joined APC: Mar 2011
Position: 190CA
Posts: 726
You have a single pilot gig in a nice plane where you dont have to work all the time and you have a government pension to fill in the gaps and only 11 years where you could work in 121.
why do you want a regional to hire you?
why do you want a regional to hire you?
01-26-2012, 09:10 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: Former XJ, Corporate HS-125
Posts: 153
Don't Do It
Straight shooter...
Don't ruin your retirement torturing yourself at a regional airline. If you want to fly, fly for fun. Find someone with a 421, or something that you have experience in. Demand a base salary for being "available". Maybe you'll only fly a couple times a month, but your pension should cover the rest. Don't commit yourself to the stress the regional game can bring when you're looking to enjoy retirement.
To answer your question, your chances are good...but again, why would you want to?
It shouldn't faze you that your Capt. will be half your age or less... How about commuting to the worst domicile in the system to stay in your crashpad you're paying $250-$350/month for 6 days at a time? You're 54, a realist would say it'll be 5-6 years to upgrade anywhere you end up; minimum. Is it worth 25-35ishK a year to submit yourself to 15-21 days per month of regional airline hell?
I'm young and dumb, but wouldn't wish this life on anyone who is looking to retire and enjoy the finer things in life. Just my .02...
Don't ruin your retirement torturing yourself at a regional airline. If you want to fly, fly for fun. Find someone with a 421, or something that you have experience in. Demand a base salary for being "available". Maybe you'll only fly a couple times a month, but your pension should cover the rest. Don't commit yourself to the stress the regional game can bring when you're looking to enjoy retirement.
To answer your question, your chances are good...but again, why would you want to?
It shouldn't faze you that your Capt. will be half your age or less... How about commuting to the worst domicile in the system to stay in your crashpad you're paying $250-$350/month for 6 days at a time? You're 54, a realist would say it'll be 5-6 years to upgrade anywhere you end up; minimum. Is it worth 25-35ishK a year to submit yourself to 15-21 days per month of regional airline hell?
I'm young and dumb, but wouldn't wish this life on anyone who is looking to retire and enjoy the finer things in life. Just my .02...
01-26-2012, 09:16 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Posts: 492
Wow man, we had a guy who was a controller for 30 years come to Trans States. HATED EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF IT! He was so happy to finally quit and start his own gig down south.
Seriously, don't ruin your view of the aviation world by coming to a regional!
Seriously, don't ruin your view of the aviation world by coming to a regional!
01-26-2012, 09:45 PM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,282
What's your home life like? As others mentioned, it really is no picnic.. You will not have another holiday at home.. you will miss birthdays and anniversaries... you will be spending a minimum of 5 days a week in a crashpad...you will be flying 5 leg 13 hour days..
I think you have good experience and could get hired no problem... but you would only enjoy it for the first 4 months, then the honeymoon would be over. But anyway, to each his own.. You can always try it out then quit if ya don't like it. I think buying a little experimental would be way more enjoyable, or as others mentioned being a contract pilot or part timer at a charter gig.
Keep us posted!
I think you have good experience and could get hired no problem... but you would only enjoy it for the first 4 months, then the honeymoon would be over. But anyway, to each his own.. You can always try it out then quit if ya don't like it. I think buying a little experimental would be way more enjoyable, or as others mentioned being a contract pilot or part timer at a charter gig.
Keep us posted!
01-26-2012, 10:02 PM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: CRJ FO
Posts: 306
I feel like it's a logical fallacy to assume without knowing anything about the guy that coming to work for a regional will "ruin" his retirement. He's had a 30+ year career where he was able to make good money and come home everyday. Now he's facing mandatory retirement, and maybe he thinks he'll miss the grind or the stress or whatever. Maybe sitting on a beach with a beer isn't his idea of a good time. It's not what most of us would want but he wasn't asking how we feel about our career, he was asking if he could get hired. Perhaps spending 20 days a month in a crashpad on reserve isn't a deal breaker to him. It sucks for a lot of us with wives or girlfriends or children at home, but maybe he's divorced, maybe he never had kids, or maybe they're grown and gone. We think that this is an undesirable job for someone in their retirement years but that's only because it's our life, we live it every day, and we're looking forward to the day when we don't have to do it anymore. I not saying I disagree with you guys saying, oh don't subject yourself to this, all I'm saying is that wasn't was he was asking.
To the OP, I have heard stories of age discrimination at regionals, but then I've been in classes at two different regionals with multiple people in their late 40s, so who really knows how accurate those stories have been. I think with your experience you meet the mins of basically every regional I could think of. It's no secret that this isn't the most desirable of areas in the industry, but you seem to understand the downsides. Fair warning, it might not end up being all that you hope it is, but then again, that's life. My only bit of advice: It's great that you have your FAA pension to get you by. Not all of us have that. Don't accept subpar money (I mean, it's honestly all subpar, but you know what I mean). If you get on someplace, don't accept the borderline legal reserve assignments. I shouldn't presume to think you might do this, but don't treat it like airline pilot summer camp.
In all honesty, I've got a TOL for ZDC and sometime soon I'm going to be faced with the decision to take my chances in the cockpit or leave this career and go sit in a dark room for 28 years. I think that if I were to do that then I might very well be in your shoes when I'm 56 (though maybe not because I'm getting it out of my system now). If you come to my regional, I'd be glad to fly with you (especially if we're in your TRACON's airspace and you know the guy on the scope and can subsequently get us priority handling).
To the OP, I have heard stories of age discrimination at regionals, but then I've been in classes at two different regionals with multiple people in their late 40s, so who really knows how accurate those stories have been. I think with your experience you meet the mins of basically every regional I could think of. It's no secret that this isn't the most desirable of areas in the industry, but you seem to understand the downsides. Fair warning, it might not end up being all that you hope it is, but then again, that's life. My only bit of advice: It's great that you have your FAA pension to get you by. Not all of us have that. Don't accept subpar money (I mean, it's honestly all subpar, but you know what I mean). If you get on someplace, don't accept the borderline legal reserve assignments. I shouldn't presume to think you might do this, but don't treat it like airline pilot summer camp.
In all honesty, I've got a TOL for ZDC and sometime soon I'm going to be faced with the decision to take my chances in the cockpit or leave this career and go sit in a dark room for 28 years. I think that if I were to do that then I might very well be in your shoes when I'm 56 (though maybe not because I'm getting it out of my system now). If you come to my regional, I'd be glad to fly with you (especially if we're in your TRACON's airspace and you know the guy on the scope and can subsequently get us priority handling).
01-26-2012, 10:22 PM
#7
Kerbal Rocket Surgeon
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: DTW 717A
Posts: 1,099
Since you're already rich and obviously don't care about money or QOL - if you're just looking for some flying to scare the sh*t out of you and possibly endanger your life just a tad - i highly recommend turboprop work at Piedmont! Just pretend not to be so old and wise, go in there like a dumb young kid and you'll see some cool stuff.
01-27-2012, 12:18 AM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Posts: 781
DO IT!!!!!!!!
Still got 11 years left in the game. Your resume will get you hired at every regional that is currently hiring. Just by reading your post, it seems that you have done your homework and is looking to take it to the next level.
Do yourself a huge favor and get with a carrier that's home based. I'm sure you will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from the other end; many of us would appreciate the stories and suggestions.
Best part is, you can tell the company to shove it anytime you want. Maybe you will call it quits after 6 months or 6 years. But you should experience it! Maybe you'll finally understand why sometimes we whine to atc. :P
There won't be enough qualified applicants in the near future. It's not like you will be holding back a 22 year old pimple faced newbie that dreams of flying 777 by 30 years old. Have a little fun, then really retire.
Lastly, some airlines will give you lifetime's worth of travel benefit when you retire with them after certain years of service. Maybe that's your game plan lol.
Still got 11 years left in the game. Your resume will get you hired at every regional that is currently hiring. Just by reading your post, it seems that you have done your homework and is looking to take it to the next level.
Do yourself a huge favor and get with a carrier that's home based. I'm sure you will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from the other end; many of us would appreciate the stories and suggestions.
Best part is, you can tell the company to shove it anytime you want. Maybe you will call it quits after 6 months or 6 years. But you should experience it! Maybe you'll finally understand why sometimes we whine to atc. :P
There won't be enough qualified applicants in the near future. It's not like you will be holding back a 22 year old pimple faced newbie that dreams of flying 777 by 30 years old. Have a little fun, then really retire.
Lastly, some airlines will give you lifetime's worth of travel benefit when you retire with them after certain years of service. Maybe that's your game plan lol.
01-27-2012, 02:24 AM
#10
Gets ALL Days Off
Joined APC: Mar 2007
Position: Sit down comedian.
Posts: 958
What is the difference between working at a "fairly decent sized approach control" and working at "approach control"...... besides a giant ego?
This industry has reached a new low when people are retiring from their other careers to fly RJs for pennies because they think it might be fun to try for a while. I am going to throw up.
This industry has reached a new low when people are retiring from their other careers to fly RJs for pennies because they think it might be fun to try for a while. I am going to throw up.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
