Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Career Builder > Flight Schools and Training
Questions about careers in aviation - Time away from home >

Questions about careers in aviation - Time away from home

Notices
Flight Schools and Training Ratings, building hours, airmanship, CFI topics

Questions about careers in aviation - Time away from home

Old 02-03-2009, 12:30 PM
  #1  
Line Holder
Thread Starter
 
Razorback09's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2009
Posts: 31
Default Questions about careers in aviation - Time away from home

I am about to attend flight school at college and im very excited. I have, however, heard a lot about the demanding hours and time away from home that seem synonomous with the pilot job. Its very likely that i'll be married by the time i graduate so i was wondering if any of you had suggestions for pilot career paths that would allow me to spend a good amount of time at home (at nights after work of course). I am not set on getting in a big airline i would be very happy with other jobs. Thanks for your help. (I'm not sure if this is in the correct thread if not I apologize but I didn't see another one that fit)

Last edited by Razorback09; 02-03-2009 at 12:40 PM. Reason: Worded incorrectly
Razorback09 is offline  
Old 02-03-2009, 12:47 PM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Posts: 168
Default

Being a CFI. You get to come home at night and a day off every now and then. Try and get a job doining line work at your flight school so you are around all the time and they get to know you better. Then get your CFI there and hopefully they will hire you. Then you will have a steady stream of students from the college and will get plenty of hours in. Best of all you will be home every night.
RomeoSierra is offline  
Old 02-03-2009, 01:58 PM
  #3  
Line Holder
Thread Starter
 
Razorback09's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2009
Posts: 31
Smile

^ I've been seriously considering that. I know for sure that I'll be getting my CFI and the university I'm attending has an awesome deal where they will hire you as a senior and you can stay as long as you like. Any other ideas? If I flew for a small regional airline would the hours be as crazy as they would with a large airline? Also what kind of jobs could I get flying a float plane? (I'm going to come out of college with a Commercial license, CFI, Multi-engine rating, Instrument Rating, and Multi-Engine instructors rating and im planning to get a Seaplane rating also )
Razorback09 is offline  
Old 02-03-2009, 03:46 PM
  #4  
Prime Minister/Moderator
 
rickair7777's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,100
Default

Originally Posted by Razorback09 View Post
^ I've been seriously considering that. I know for sure that I'll be getting my CFI and the university I'm attending has an awesome deal where they will hire you as a senior and you can stay as long as you like. Any other ideas? If I flew for a small regional airline would the hours be as crazy as they would with a large airline? Also what kind of jobs could I get flying a float plane? (I'm going to come out of college with a Commercial license, CFI, Multi-engine rating, Instrument Rating, and Multi-Engine instructors rating and im planning to get a Seaplane rating also )
Freelance flight instructing would allow max flexibility and nights at home, and it's easy to get into. After you build a reputation and get into some advanced skills (MEI, GPS, Glass, Cirrus, etc) you can make an acceptable living at it. The downside is the risk, stress, and monotony. Light airplane general aviation is simply not as safe as most turbine jobs. A good pilot can control a lot of the risk, but if you do it long enough, you will have a near-miss or two...or maybe it won't be a miss

You could probably find a small turboprop regional with one base and few overnights. But in the long run the work environment and pay would wear you down.

Most large regionals have local trips (home every night)...the problem is that they usually go pretty senior. I would guess in the typical regional domicile you could fly all locals after 2-4 years as an FO or 8-10 as a captain.

After you get some experience, a corporate job might be ideal for you...if you get the right job, you might only do two trips a month. In some cases, the owner might let you fly home commercially and then return later to fly him home. If he knows he's going to be in Aspen for a week, it would be cheaper to fly you home than pay for your hotel and meals.
rickair7777 is offline  
Old 02-04-2009, 06:30 AM
  #5  
Flying Farmer
 
Ewfflyer's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Posts: 3,160
Default

You will have to make sacrifices regardless of which track in aviation you take. It's just one of the many things we do. Some of us are luckier than others, but it really just depends on the path that you are presented with and where you want to be in the end.

As a CFI, you'll be local based, unless you do a lot of specialty work where it could take you across the country.

Charter operators hauling freight will have nightly runs. Some companies you get the same thing every night, so you'll end up in the same place all the time at least.

Most airlines, as a start you'll get the worst routes/schedules based on seniority.

As far as getting married, you're young, and just getting started. I thought the same thing when I was headed into college.(Not saying you shouldn't, but things happen, people change, needs change)
Ewfflyer is offline  
Old 02-04-2009, 08:55 AM
  #6  
Line Holder
Thread Starter
 
Razorback09's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2009
Posts: 31
Default

Originally Posted by Ewfflyer View Post
You will have to make sacrifices regardless of which track in aviation you take. It's just one of the many things we do. Some of us are luckier than others, but it really just depends on the path that you are presented with and where you want to be in the end.

As a CFI, you'll be local based, unless you do a lot of specialty work where it could take you across the country.

Charter operators hauling freight will have nightly runs. Some companies you get the same thing every night, so you'll end up in the same place all the time at least.

Most airlines, as a start you'll get the worst routes/schedules based on seniority.

As far as getting married, you're young, and just getting started. I thought the same thing when I was headed into college.(Not saying you shouldn't, but things happen, people change, needs change)
^ True my career choices are going to be vastly different depending on whether I have a family or not. If I don't it wont be an issue, but I was just making sure there was a way I could work with it if i did in fact get a family early on out of college. I'm willing to make sacrifices but if I have a family the idea of being totally gone 20 days a month isn't appealing to me. Like i said this is all speculation I may go bachelor for a long time . What about flying bush planes? I realize that would mean relocation to Alaska, Canada, or some such place but it would have a more regular schedule would it not?
Razorback09 is offline  
Old 02-04-2009, 10:51 AM
  #7  
Prime Minister/Moderator
 
rickair7777's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,100
Default

Originally Posted by Razorback09 View Post
What about flying bush planes? I realize that would mean relocation to Alaska, Canada, or some such place but it would have a more regular schedule would it not?
Very cool flying, but I'm not sure I would recommend it to a family man. That kind of flying is about as risky as it gets in the US...and they do not usually take low-timers anyway.
rickair7777 is offline  
Old 02-04-2009, 02:08 PM
  #8  
Line Holder
Thread Starter
 
Razorback09's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2009
Posts: 31
Default

Originally Posted by rickair7777 View Post
Very cool flying, but I'm not sure I would recommend it to a family man. That kind of flying is about as risky as it gets in the US...and they do not usually take low-timers anyway.
Oh ok thanks I realized the risk factor but I was kindof in the dark as to the hour preferences. And oh man do I know about the stress factor involved in teaching! I've given guitar lessons to have a form of income through high school and It's very stressfull but in a strange way I love it. Well I'm not sure what I'll end up doing but I'm glad to see that there are careers flying that would allow me to have a home life also. I just dont think the airlines are for me . But I'm sure I want to fly so this is good to hear.
Razorback09 is offline  
Old 02-04-2009, 02:57 PM
  #9  
Gets Weekends Off
 
ufgatorpilot's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2009
Posts: 341
Default

I know that at Allegiant they don't have many overnights. There must be some other airlines that are the same way so you could look into doing that as well.
ufgatorpilot is offline  
Old 02-04-2009, 04:10 PM
  #10  
Prime Minister/Moderator
 
rickair7777's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,100
Default

Originally Posted by ufgatorpilot View Post
I know that at Allegiant they don't have many overnights. There must be some other airlines that are the same way so you could look into doing that as well.
That's true, but they are about the only major that can make that claim due to their unique business model.
rickair7777 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
skiermws
Flight Schools and Training
4
01-08-2009 09:03 AM
SkyHigh
Leaving the Career
143
11-17-2008 09:31 PM
aileronjam
Hiring News
17
11-11-2008 09:27 PM
bigstupidjerk
Money Talk
5
10-06-2008 12:36 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices