858flyer

APC Members,

I am looking for insights and experiences of airline pilots who also have a family. I know the airline business is 365/24/7, so holidays, birthdays, special events etc. will be moved or missed, especially as a junior pilot. I am considering a career switch to flying for the airlines, and family life is probably one of my biggest concerns aside from job security.

I am 29, have a bachelor's degree in Marine Engineering and have been working in a cubicle for the past 7 years. It has allowed me to buy a house in San Diego, save a lot of money and be home almost every night, however, I am completely apathetic about what I do at work. I started taking flying lessons for fun and I am currently working on XC's, so PPL isn't that far away. I have heard from a number of sources that regionals are hiring again and I am wondering if it's worth the investment to make the switch. I know the first years are going to be tough financially, however my wife is a well paid ICU RN and I have enough saved to get myself through most of the ratings. I would continue to work and fly on the side through a Part 61 school.

My biggest concern would be that once I land a job with a regional airline, I would be gone all the time. How many days in a row should I expect to be gone as a new FO with a regional? Does it get any better with seniority? Is it possible to have a family life and work as a Regional/Major airline? Ultimately, I wonder if it's worth trading time with family to have a job that I enjoy.

satpak77

Observations:

You currently make good money and have great family life. You do not like "your job."

With the airline (or professional pilot job in general) job, you may like it (but that is yet to be seen) and WILL be gone a lot, and WILL NOT make any decent amount of money (???) probably sub-50K for the first 5-7 years. My buddy at a 121 airline, has been on the road EVERY Christmas, period, since hire about 6 or 7 years ago.

You have to look at "what is important" and if you have a family, its not just you anymore. Maybe the job is not "fulfilling" but try volunteer work, church activities, school substitute teaching, etc stuff to find some reward outside of work.

Good Luck

rickair7777

Only you can make the call. You have a big advantage in that your wife has one of the few high-paying jobs which are readily portable...I've told plenty of young pilots to stay single unless they can find a doctor or specialty nurse.

You might be at a "sweet spot", regionals are already having trouble filling classes. By the time you get there the majors should have ramped up hiring noticeably so you should move up relatively quickly (compared to the last decade).

Get on with Skywest on the EMB120 and you can drive to LAX or PSP. Your seniority should move up pretty quickly, right now you can get weekends and holidays off after a year or less. Then you could camp out until you upgrade at a relative seniority that works for you, and the majors should call shortly after. You could easily stay in SOCAL up until you get hired at a major and then maybe only a few years before you can make your way back west.

LAX may also end up as a junior base for Compass.

But don't waste any time if you're going to do it, the cost/payoff equation only gets worse as you get older.

LNL76

I say follow your dream! You don't want to end up a bitter old man wondering, "what if?".

PerfInit

The only way to really find out if the career is for you is to try it out. I grew up in an airline family. I knew what I was getting myself into. I gave it a shot for 14 years. After some life changing events, and what I believe was "divine intervention", I now do something completely different- for the sake of putting my family first. I look at it as a huge chapter in my life, with fond memories. However, the memories I am making now are even more important. Being away from home for over half the year, you will miss ALOT of family events. It is a matter of priorities and life choices. My health, and being with my loved ones matter the most to me.

V/R

TheFly

Only you can decide. Before I made the return to aviation, my wife & talked about it and she supported me 100% in the move. It is a sacrifice, especially with children. A lot of this will depend on how you manage your time away from home and while you're at home. I recommend, when you are home, be home & when you are on the road, stay connected. The time that you have together with your family, make it count, go hiking, take photos, etc., things that won't drive you into debt, but will create fond memories. While we're on the topic of money, unless your wife has a good job or you have a side business, your resources will be quite strained for a number of years. If you and your family can agree to work through the difficulties of the life of a professional aviator. I've been truly blessed with a very supportive wife that keeps our children happy, even when they miss their father.

I hope this helps.

satpak77

All I can say is, sure follow your dream etc etc but if you have kids, make sure the wife and kids are aware (as much as they can be) of what your new career entails. I have two kids, thank God for his blessings and my wife's (due to our financial situation) not having to work, she is stay at home, full time, soccer mom, bakes cupcakes with them, takes them to school, etc, my kids are awesome little guys. Top grades, well behaved, dad comes home and they want to hang out with dad. BUT ! We have ONE chance to raise kids once they are born. ONE. 18 years and in reality only 12, as age 1 month thru 12 is when you really "program them" and 12, 13, and later, whatever happened before 13, they are retaining it. Just my opinion. And your kids are forever, a job is not.

Like someone said, You don't want to end up a bitter old man wondering, "what if?".

For what its worth bro...

gr8vu

I'll add to Satpak great comments...I have 7 kids from preK to college. My wife has her teaching degree but we've been blessed to allow her to stay home with the kids all my 20+ military career. I've seen all types of situations where families try to avoid moving to provide stability for their families and others who move every 2 years or so. In either case I can point to friends with really screwed up kids. So there is no magic formula.

As I work to get hired by a major airline, I am looking forward to having better quality time with my family. For me this means, when I am not at work I am not tied to a blackberry or short notice requests from my boss or reacting to some world event two continents away. I plan to live in base to lower my actual days away from home especially in the first 3-5 years. I will probably miss alot of holidays but we're used to that and make up for it at other times.

There is one thing I know for sure. Enjoy your kids when they are young. I have no greater joy than coming home to leg hugs from my 4 and 5 year old. As satpak stated after 12/13 all bets are off when the teenage funk hits. They usually come back around after 23 but its never the same. You do only get one shot and even if you do an outstanding job your kids may still fail to reach the potential you see in them. All part of the responsiblity of being a parent.

Money is just one factor in the whole equation--good luck figuring it all out.

HeavyDriver

I work for a Supplemental 121 Airline. I am away a minimum 18 days and can be away from home up to 36 days....BUT...I get OFF a minimum of 10 days in a row that can also turn into a 20 day OFF block...and once a year I bid my schedule OFF days with vacation for an 8 week OFF schedule...I don't commute, my airline lets me live anywhere and they commercial out to where an airplane will be. It's hard...BUT...no matter where I am in the world FaceTime keeps me in touch with the family everyday, plus I have a video security system through out my house and watch what the family is up to. They know I could be watching anytime and sometimes I catch them waving at a camera....I'm upgrading the system for two way communication at this time.

Follow your dreams, but make certain your family understands the sacrifices. If your chasing money you will be very disappointed with the airline world. The moral of the industry is horrible and you will fly with people that are all doom and gloom...and those try very hard to bring you into their same frame of thinking. You will learn every pilot is an expert in the subject conversation you have, and if your not good dealing with type A personalities it's an intimidating work environment.

I've been flying for over 30 years...Make good money. Still married to a great women and still in love...All my kids are normal and in the Navy. The youngest just got his Wings. Some will blame their airline for their family problems, but those problems were already there. I don't regret any decision Or career path I chose....Good luck with what you decide.

dhc8fo

PM me when you get enough posts.