drJake

Hello all,

Sorry for starting a new thread about this. I know it's been discussed before. I just want some specific feedback on my current situation.

I'm married with three kids. I currently have a good job in the construction industry as a project manager. My current salary is just below the 6 figure mark.

I have a CFII but no MEI. I have about 1135 TT with about 58 multi. I also have a BS degree in aviation with professional pilot emphasis. I got most of my ratings back in 06 - 08 before the market crash, increased mandatory retirement age, and ATP rule change. I have a first class medical, but it's a special issuance because of an episode of afib a few years back.

I work a ton of hours and the daily commute sucks. I do some part time independent flight instruction now, and would love to make the transition to fly full time. I plan on working at a high flight time school for a few months until reaching 1500 hours and applying at a regional.

I gave my job notice and will stay here until October, but after reading some of the forums, I'm getting cold feet.

Is it realistic in the current aviation market to expect a good quality of life and pay soon after starting at a regional? I'm very worried about making my family suffer for my career change. Things seem to be moving fast in the industry and pay seems to be increasing.

Would it be possible/realistic to think that I could make it to a major like Frontier, Spirit, or Southwest with in 3 - 4 years?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

bnkangle

If you're making close to 6 figures, expect that to decrease to about 1/4-1/3 for first year regional pay. Can you and your family live on that?

Going to an LCC in 3-4 years possible? sure. Realistic? No. There are plenty of regional CAs with thousands of hours of turbine time who can't get on at an LCC.

PerfInit

"Yolo", you only live once. Follow your dream if that is what you want to do. No guarantees of the "golden ring" of the majors unfortunately...

hindsight2020

"YOLO"...with three kids and a non-working spouse. Solid.

galaxy flyer

If they are accustomed to you being home, not commuting 3-5 days a month (live in base), missing family events, they WILL suffer. A working pilot's life isn't easy. Embrace it.

GF

drJake

Thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention that my wife does work. I'm thinking about applying to AMF. They have a starting salary of $44k and you'll be home every night. I'm hoping to upgrade to the 1900 or sa227 which will increase pay to $57k. They also have a guaranteed interview program with Allegiant in 3 years. Does this plan sound realistic or am I up in the night?

rickair7777

Hold on here...

You mentioned AFIB. Some (major) airlines might still reject you for that sort of thing.

More importantly, what's your long-term prognosis? If the cause was identified and corrected, fine. But if the underlying issue is still there it's probably not going to get better with age. You need to carefully consider your long-term financial prospects if you medical out down the road...I suppose if you can get right back into your current career in your current pay range, then you don't have too much to lose. Something to consider.

Also...stay the heck away from allegiant. They are the only major pax airline in the US which I would recomend avoiding.

HeWhoRazethAll

Your situation reminds me of a close friend. He was a crane operator and at 33, decided he wanted to pursue his dream of being an airline pilot. He only had a private pilot license and like 200 hours 3 years ago. Wife and two kids, both under 6.

He is currently flying for skywest. He just switched bases and is back on reserve, and he is [I]genuinely happy.[I] I would chalk this up to the fact that his wife is amazing, has a good attitude, works hard (she does work from home). His family knew what it was gonna be like. He sat them down and sat they were going to have some tough, thin years ahead.

He probably took a $50,000 pay cut in order to do this, but he has no regrets. Some things he did right: go straight to a regional ASAP. Live close to (or preferably in base). His commute is very easy, even drive-able if he really needs to.

Yes, your family will suffer if they aren't used to you being gone.

I would do more research into AMF. Guaranteed interview does not = job, especially without prior 121 time/jet time (contrary to what some believe, Allegiant doesn't just hire every guy with a pulse and ATP). Home every night is not EXACTLY right. From what I understand some guy's are only home in the day if they are out-stationed.

If it was all it's cracked up to be, I wouldn't be flying with former AMF at my regional carrier ALL THE TIME.

My two cents: get to a regional, you are already hireable. Skywest, Compass, PSA, Horizon...3 years to an LCC is not the rule, but it's not the exception to the rule either. I know several guys who spent less than 2 years at regionals. They hustled, went to job fairs...etc. One of them is at Delta.

I'm in danger of rambling, and I just wanna say, I'm no expert; but I think knowing a friend in a similar family situation warranted a rendering of my opinion.

Sliceback

You're not too old. The question is do you want to live the life it takes to pursue the career? Cut in pay, commuting, crash pad, reserve, etc.

You say you've got the local commuter to go to? To me that appears that you're trying to figure the easiest way out which might not be the best way to set yourself up for the last 23-25 years of your career. Right now 'wholly owned' seemed to have a guaranteed opportunity to flow in 8-9 (?) years if you don't get a desirable job with another company sooner.

There's no way around making your family suffer in the short term. How does going from close to $100,000, for a gross of maybe $400,000 over the next four year NOT great change when your pay might only be $215,000 over four years? That change HAS to hurt.

It's the balancing act, if you get hired by a major at 42, which is a reasonable possibility with 6000 ish hrs total time, you'll be about $240,000 in the hole vs staying at your current job. Year 1-2 at the major will net about what you're making now. Year 3 you'll start recouping the lost income. Net income, minus opportunity cost of lost income over time, should probably equal out about year 10. At that point you'll have about 12-13 years of recouping the time value of lost money. Net earnings an increase of perhaps $1.3 million by the time you retire? Odds of getting with of the higher paying companies? Based on current size and retirements it's probably in the 70% range.

Years ago I flew with a new hire. I asked what he'd done before - American Eagle, before that finish carpenter." He loved airplanes and said he'd constantly be looking at them flying overhead as he worked on nice houses near the airport. His wife knew he loved flying. Three kids(?). They agreed upon a timeline, and financial plan, to give flying a try. Sold his business, truck, tools, and 'black book' and used that as his cash fund. He moved to Florida and went to a puppy mill for a year. Said he only saw his kids a couple of times that year. Tough year. Then got a commuter job(after a short CFI stint??? I don't recall) near home. Obvious making less money. A couple of years later he got hired. He's got the seniority to be a Captain now and has to be nearing retirement. It worked for him. But there's probably many who it hasn't worked for. But some of that is timing as the industry has never had the total number, or total percentage, of retirements like it is currently starting to have. Contrast that to the last decade and the turmoil that roiled the industry. The perfect time would have been to have switched six to eight years ago but it's still not too late.

Good luck with the decision.