Attorney to Airline Pilot
 

I am a "recovering lawyer" currently working towards my commercial pilot license. Once I get my licenses and build my hours, my goal is to catch on with a regional and eventually jump to a major.

I have read almost all of the interview and career advice threats on this site (which are very helpful), but I am curious as to whether anyone has any thoughts on whether being a lawyer will be viewed negatively by an airline. I know regionals are desperate these days, so I guess I am thinking more long-term, and whether my background as a lawyer would give a blue-chip airline any pause in bringing me on as a pilot.

To give you a little more background, I was a corporate / M&A lawyer (partner at major law firm), so I wasn't suing airlines or engaging in any other hijinx that would be objectionable on their face.

Any advice or thoughts would be welcome and appreciated.

You would hardly be the first to make this move, press on! Just be ready for all the doctor/lawyer pilot cracks... [Though that subject is essentially confined to General Aviation and the omnipotence syndrome] That said, I've flown with doctors and lawyers who made fine pilots. Welcome to APC and good luck.

There are certainly also a lot of airline pilots, especially during the "lost decade", who went the opposite way as you: left flying to become attorneys. I know three personally; one United furloughee, one AA furloughee, and one who just got his JD and decided to come back to flying when market conditions in aviation improved later.

Any other recovering attorneys?
 

It’s been a few years since this post was active, but I am curious how many attorneys turned pro pilots are out there. Is there an online group of them somewhere? I’d like to talk to a few and hear their experiences.

As background, I’ve been a pilot since 2004 (I had a few years where I didn’t fly at all, but am actively flying now), but after a successful law career, am considering options. I picked up my commercial last year, and am working on the CFI ratings this year. I’m at about 900 TT, 200 ME, 650 cross-country so far, and currently fly a Cheyenne I.

There's a few of them at every airline. Doctors too, although they tend to practice medicine on the side on a part time contract basis.

When times are good, various professionals flock to the airlines, military officers flow back and forth freely at will due to federal legal protections. When times are bad, some of them go back to what they were doing before.

Good idea to maintain the ability to go back if you ever need to.

I left a 10 year law firm job to flight instruct full time. Need 9 more hours to get to ratp mins. Ready to start slinging applications to regionals.

Hi, I am new here, and I can't post a new thread by myself.

But I will piggyback on this thread, as I am in similar situation here. Hit the age of 40 not long ago, working as mechanical designer but feel hitting the wall with that. And wanted to trying flying.

Did guys here saved enough on their own to cover PPL?

Lots of careers changers become pilots. Anecdotally, I would say most saved to pay for private. But every situation is different. Research everything and make sure you're on stable financial ground before jumping in; loans or not.

Well first of all you’ll be able to represent yourself when dealing with the FAA….:D
Seriously your background would be very welcome at various Union Comittee’s when you get to the 121 world.