Flymeaway

If you were just starting out and hadn't already invested a bunch of time and money into aviation, I'd advise you the same as I advised all of my new flight students. Give it a try, and if you love it, go for it. If you don't love it, in the long run it probably won't be worth it.

For you though, having already dumped all of the time and effort in, I'd recommend getting a bridge job somewhere that will pay the bills and pick aviation back up as soon as you get the call. Even at the regional level (right now) it pays enough to be comfortable so long as you don't have 5 or 6 kids or something. Live below your means. Save not only for retirement, but for your kids' educations and some extra for the next time something like this happens. Buy your kids bunk beds, not that bigger house where they get their own rooms. Take your family to the zoo or a hike or a bike ride, not the $100 for 5 minutes sky diving simulator or the $125 per seat NFL game.

I'm not going to say that there aren't any office jobs out there that would be rewarding for you, but for me, comparing an office job to flying...well, it's hard to compare at all really. Your family will be happier going on a hike with a father/mother who enjoys their life and is focused on them than going to an NFL game with a father who is miserable worried about work the whole time.

GoJuice

This. This is what I’m living right now, trying to make the switch between careers. I work my tail off at my soul sucking corporate job and still pull in less than a 1st year regional FO. I’m not in the industry yet so take my opinion for what it’s worth. Pilots have it so unbelievably made. Sure, you deal with BS at times but at least you don’t have to commute to the same office, sit in the same cubicle, talk to the same people about the same thing every day. You don’t have to worry about kissing everyone’s a$$ now matter how much you dislike them because if you don’t, you won’t get the promotion you are applying for down the road.

You are living your dream job and you want to give it up and throw away all that work you put in to get there because things are getting tough? I’d give anything to be in your shoes right now. (Yes, id give anything to be a furloughed pilot)

Side note: Aviation isn’t the only industry facing furloughs when the economy tanks. My company just furloughed 20% of our workforce last week.

Wtaps

I am in my twenties. Just started at a regional and currently in IOE. I expect to be furloughed when the time comes. I don’t have any backup plan....

What are some areas of work that I can look at while waiting to be recalled?

Mcoov

How did you get your hours? Can you go back to where you were before?

Wtaps

I was a flight instructor. Moved across the country to my current job. If my flight school is hiring when this goes away they will probably take me back.

I can’t afford to just relocate again ....

njd1

This industry is all about timing. Some people get lucky and get in at the right time so they are able to weather the occasional storm, and some are forced to seek employment elsewhere.

I was someone who missed my original window for this career when the market turned in the early 90s so I went into tech. Had a great career in that industry working for others and then woke up at one point and realized I had enough knowledge to work for myself so that's what I do now, in addition to flying 121.

As someone who has worked 12-14 hour days (and I mean real work days where the work never stops) in tech I'll echo the earlier sentiment that as far as careers go, once you get to a 121 cockpit and become familiar with your responsibilities and aircraft, flying is a pretty easy gig. That's not to say you don't earn your money at times or that there isn't huge risk involved at all levels, but once you learn to manage things, it's incredibly easy to show up, fly a few legs, and be released from duty, free of all cares. I wish other businesses were like that. I remember in tech routinely waking up at 3AM (after going to bed at 1AM) and writing down a solution to a problem that plagued me that day. As a pilot on the road I sleep like a stone.

My advice to the OP is to bail out until it makes sense to return. Use the time wisely. Get a good job making real money, preferably doing something you find interesting, get a Masters, and give it all you have. Then, at some point in the future, when the market turns and the airlines are hiring again, consider coming back...if it makes financial sense at that point. Worked for me.

Turbosina

This right here. This post pretty much describes me exactly. With such a late entrance into 121 (I was a new hire at age 41), I'll likely never see the left seat of a widebody. But any seat upfront is still vastly preferable to Cubicle 1131-G-5.

HotDogSonicBoom

Yup. This is good advice. As a pilot it’s my second career and the work is many orders of magnitude better than my previous work (exploration industry). No late night emails, phone calls, or abuse to work three times more than most people to “keep the company afloat.”

Flying is good. It just sucks what is happening nkw

Grumpyaviator

If I get laid off I plan on using benefits to get an mba, also an AS in mechatronics, industrial robots. I think the administration will use this as a catalyst to bring manufacturing back. There are Covid plants that have sprung up short-notice and when it comes to shutting them down there will be pressure to shut down Asian plants instead.

Utah

Now might be a good time to go do some time in the military if that ever interested you.