career change
 

well, i've been reading all the corporate threads on what people say, but i guess i'm still crazy. i'm a 40 yr old guy who got his private at 18, flew for a couple of years, and then life took over. now 20 years later, i'm foaming at the mouth to fly for a living. i've got an asset management business that can yield a large amount of income, but i'm losing the passion to focus on what i have to do to make the income. i find myself at mercury aviation sitting in my car watching for hours all the corporate jets come in and leave. i picture myself sitting in the cockpit and flying the jet myself. i had a breakdown the other morning, (wife was giving the what for), and i decided to actually call one of these flight schools i look at everyday in my magazines. i want to go to flight school so bad and get certifications so that i can fly for hire i cant stand it. don't want the airlines, but like the corporate world. i am fortunate enough to know pilots in the airlines world and corporate world, so i know some of the ins and outs. after reading some of the threads on this site, it sounds scary that i even want to make a change. i've been around airplanes my whole life in some form or another, and it's in my blood. the flight school im looking at is flight safety academy in vero beach, and that makes it easier for me to talk my wife into the change due to the location. my friends in the business i have talked with have all been encouraging wisdom, and these friends have years of experience in the field. i guess the biggest thing that freaks me out is changing at 40 and starting over. i have come to the conclusion that making a ton of money doesn't really make me happy. doing what i love does. any suggestions and wisdom is much appreciated.

gtnbzy:

Although this may be the wrong board to post this message...(see Flight Training Board)...I am 44 years old and plan on getting my PPL this summer. Afterwards, I plan on attending ATP Flight School either in ATL, STU, JAX or DFW. I'm looking to either get on with a regional or as a box hauler somewhere.

You are going to get alot of advice telling you to stay where you are and not attempt to go for your dream. If this is something that you have decided that this is what you want to do, then do it. Finances are important. With the above statement, finances doesn't seem to be a problem for you. For me and my ex-wife, (we are getting back together) earning money isn't an issue. She has 2 Master's degrees and I have a B.S., so the earning potential is there.

I say, put your best foot forward and go for it. Make sure you do ALL the research. Choose wisely. Also, there are a number of guys of this forum that will give you geniune advise.

Best wishes & blue skies.


atp

thanks for advice
 

appreciate the advice. i'm sure that i will hear all kinds of goodies on here. didn't know where to start with that question, and what board, but i guess i can scoot on over to the other board as well. i just booked a date to do my 1st class medical in two weeks. the ball is rolling.

I just checked with a doctor here in Naples, FL and plan on doing my 1st class medical the first week of June.

[quote]

"You are going to get alot of advice telling you to stay where you are and not attempt to go for your dream."

You can say that again...Just like anything else take what you hear with a grain of salt. Ultimately your gut will tell you what's right, and at the end of the day that is all that is important.

That being said, it sounds like you may be able to open some interesting doors as a business owner. You have probably made numerous contacts, and may be able to ferret out corporate flying opportunities through one or more of them. As a business owner, could you not incorporate flying into your business? (My dream is to set up golf "meetings" somewhere I'm not and have to fly my Meridian to get there :).

Find a mentor, or two. I have three - two airline and one fractional. One couldn't be happier, one can't wait for his wife to finish med school so he can quit and stay home, and the third was a former Indy guy that got on at B6 and is now quite happy (I think, he just finished training). You get great insight through varying perspectives [usually]. Plus it's good to have friends that can walk in a resume for you, if you so choose.

Fly, as much as you can. The only way for doors to open is to stay immersed in it. Try to have some grand adventures along the way. You sound like you've done this already to an extent. Even if you don't end up achieving your dream, I doubt you'll regret the flying.

Clear skies,
RoW

Don't forget a barf bag
 

My suggestion, take your asset mgt income, buy an airplane, and enjoy!!
After you've got reaquanited with flying, buy a two seat Pitts, get good at it and take the wife for a "spin". :eek: See if she gives you any (further) grief. ;)

gtnbzy,

Don't do it!!!!! Buy your own corporate airplane and hire me to teach you in it. But dont leave the asset management biz if its doing you right.

Change
 

Sometimes the desire for this kind of irrational change at such an age could be indicative of dissatisfaction in other areas of your life. Making such a drastic move would most likely destroy other parts of your life as a result. Maybe you should consider what those areas are and address them directly. It makes no sense at all to leave a career that pays well and provides so much. Aviation is best as a hobby. Buy the ratings and get a Bonanza or something. You have already made your big choices in life. To start over at 40 would be a disaster. If you have kids it would be totally irresponsible as well.

SkyHigh

I often agree with Skyhigh, and maybe that is because we have both "been there."

I think you should go get your ratings because you feel very strongly about it and that's wonderful. Work hard and learn as much as you can.

HOWEVER.....

Before you dump your current career, try REAL HARD to think out of the box and see how you can use what you already have (as far as your business and talents) and how you can incorporate flying into it.

I have absolutely NO IDEA what your business is, but it sounds like an incredibly good business where the corporation can buy a nice plane and you can fly to all of your assets....talk about a perfect world! You get to fly, your business makes money based on your traveling, and then there's tax writeoffs galore.

You don't have to start off with small potatoes (ie: a small single engine plane, think as big as you want...hell, buy a small jet, just be smart and hire a good pilot to help you out til you have experience so you don't kill yourself).

Believe me, I sit around all day racking my brain trying to put myself in an opportunity like the one you seem to have. My problem is that I am a professional pilot who is trying to have a family life at the same time. Doesn't work too well. But here you are are a business professional who can ALSO have a professional flying life and STILL keep your current life.

The grass isn't always greener, and with the proper planning and priorities you can set yourself up with one hell of a flight department and YOU can control your pay and your schedule. This is something you will NEVER be able to do flying for someone.

Think about it and good luck!

Funny, I think I'm the anti-you. I'm thinking of leaving the low paid flying job for something, preferably in personal finance, so that I can finally make some headway to having a good QOL and money to save for retirement. That said, I don't necessary think you should not do this, but....

I would not drop everything, move your family, and attend one of the high dollar pilot factories. There are plenty of options for you to get your ratings quickly, but with less expense and you shouldn't have to move or give up your decent income stream. Get the commercial and then with your contacts you should be able to drum up some ideas for flying on the side so you can get a feel for what it's really like before you do a complete 180 with your life.

I'm hesistant to quit flying, because it's really all I know. I'm not particularly satisfied with it right now, but I still have visions of a reasonable future in aviation that may or may not pan out. I really only seriously consider getting out because I have an automatic ticket (as much as they get anyway) back in (furlough recall). I strongly suggest you leave yourself a "back in" (or if you can put the biz on autopilot and keep that going while you go full time into flying all the better).


Good luck.