A Sign?
 

Hello, long time lurker, first time poster.

I, like most people on here love aviation. I have been around it my whole life. My Dad flew for Com Air in the mid 80's, several corporate gigs, and Citation Shares, however he recently lost his medical. I took a different route and became a cop. I'm currently a detective with a large agency in Central Florida. I have recently been contemplating a career change because I realize lately that being a cop was always my second choice, but the aviation thing just didnt happen for one reason or another. I read a lot of negative posts on here about aviation and I see what happened to my dad ( he was 50 when he lost his medical) but I still feel I want to pursue this. Then this happened:

The other day at work I was out driving around when a call of a disturbance at a motel came over the radio. I was right across the street so I went. This motel is kind of seedy and a lot of people actually live there. When I go into the lobby I am greeted by an elderly guy, probably in his late sixties bleeding from a cut over his eye. He says his room mate hit him with a golf club. Back up arrives and we go to his room. As we were walking the guy said "I cant believe I'm living like this, I used to be an airline pilot." I look at him like he's crazy but I did'nt say anything. We get to the room and go in. The first thing I see are three or four dusty, dingy looking airline uniforms (four stripes) hanging up near the door. There was also a couple of captains hats on the shelf above. Then the guy's crazy crack head room mate comes at us, so one of the other deputies slams him. After the dust settled I asked the guy who he flew for and he said Eastern, People's Express, and "a few others". He said his retirement got screwed so he didnt have anything now. He said now he drives a taxi. I looked around the room and saw a little display of pictures, i.d badges, and other memoriabilia the guy was keeping around.

Needless to say that kind of put a damper on my day. I really felt bad for the guy. Does any one know if that happened to a lot of guys that worked for those airlines? I dont know who else he flew for. He said he last flew in the early nineties.

Sad story. I'll bet there are plenty of guys like that. Now you know why pilots are so defensive of their pay and working conditions and why scabs are considered the scum of the earth.

RP127, mismanagement of one's money occurs in all professions. Don’t let it put a damper on your dreams. I however will tell you that from what I’ve read, switching careers to become an airline pilot at an older age can be difficult. Everyone has to make sacrifices and pay their dues, something that is to some extent easier when your young and have no family (mouth’s to feed). There are many rich guy’s who end up homeless in their old age because they spent their money carelessly. That’s what IRA’s and 401K’s are for. This should not annihilate you aviation dreams, it should only inform you on what happens if you don’t save money for retirement, in my opinion one should never depend on pensions. You should step away from everything and really analyze what you want, and if you really want to become an airline pilot go for it. :)

That's a pretty sad story, and made sadder because it's so ubiquitous these days. When I was still practicing law, 90% of my clients were pretty much down and out like this guy. It broke my heart to hear about despair twenty times a day. We do not know this guy's whole story however. I am sure he had many other problems or just ran into a spate of bad luck or like many people, made some wrong choices. Do not use him as a standard. If you want to change your career and be an airline pilot, I say you go for it. You have read the many different posts here on the pro and cons. Make an informed decision and do what is best for you and your family. Such an opportunity comes around only once.

Thanks favila. I'm still in the planning stage and I'm really looking at all the angles. I'm 32 married and no kids plus I'm already vested in the retirement system in my current career. I'm slowly working on my ratings and keeping an eye on things, but I know I'll have to jump in and go full time pretty quick if I'm going to do it.

It’s good to see that you are already working on you aviation career. I wish you the best and hope you reach one of the coveted airline positions. Goodluck :D

RP127, where at in C. Fla are you? Most of the departments there have aviation units. I used to know a lot of the Brevard County guys and did some of thier flight instruction.

Orlando area. We have an aviation unit, 3 Jet Rangers and a 206 (which we never use). I've thought about that too although flying helicopters in circles for hours really does'nt interest me that much. I did some time as a spotter in the helicopter. You do some routine patrols and sometimes get to chase bad guys, but most of the time its going in circles over a perimeter at a crime scene. I know, airline flying can be boring too.