To fly or not to fly???? for a living that is!
05-10-2008, 02:14 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: May 2008
Position: Hotel
Posts: 714
To fly or not to fly???? for a living that is!
I am currently sitting right side at a regional airline. One of the bottom feeders....but not THE bottom feeder. You can probably guess who.
Anyway, I have been stuck on the fence ever since I got hired about whether I want to make this my career or not. I did all my flight training part 61 just for fun. I thought I might make it a career, but I never did it for THAT reason. I majored in Accounting and worked as such for 2 years and didn't like it that much, really. The problem wasn't so much the job as it was the specific place that I worked and I think it put a semi-permanent bad taste in my mouth about the profession. I worked to get all my ducks in a row to quit the job, did so, and began flight instructing, built several hundred hours of dual (loved every bit of it, BTW), and finally got hired at the airline. I commute a 1000 miles to work and back every trip - which gets old. I am halfway up the list and get 14-15 days off a month, hold a decent line, etc. It could be much worse, admittedly.
The problem is that I don't like feeling like a pawn on someone elses chess board. Pilots have been debased to nothing but bus drivers. The way we are treated by and large is beneath me. Depsite the negaitves of the accounting gig, I felt like a professional and was treated accordingly. I crashpad with some AA mainline guys and they tell me they are telling their kids to stay away from this industry. Their domiciles get moved at the whim of the company, etc. And to top it all off, I cannot RELY on this job for my family's livelihood. The money will be decent in time, but the industry is so fickle, I'd hate to have to rely upon this frail field to but bread on the table and keep the lights on, etc. I hate having to reinterview for my job every year, and the whole seniority thing sucks. If I move to a new company, I am so jr again and life sucks again and I am at risk of furlough again. In accounting, I move to another company and my experience comes with me.
So many people majored in Aviation something, and I didn't. I have another skill that will never go out of demand and with which I can make money reliably, be at home every night, have every weekend off, every holiday off, be with my children (when I have them) every night and weekend. And, my goal would be to pay my dues to learn all I could learn, then open my own firm and build a small client base and make my own path. With the airline thing, I'll always be working for "The Man", hoping my cell phone won't ring on the last day of a trip, etc.
The problem is. I love to fly way more than doing taxes. I could buy my own airplane (Decathlon or something similar) within a couple years and fly pretty regularly without an SOP, GOM, or needing a clearance to scratch my ass, which would probably keep me satisfied as regards aviation. Airline flying is't a lot of fun, really. Kind of boring. Should I take the accounting route, I surely won't retire with 30,000 hours in the log book, but I maybe....just maybe would have led a better quality life along the way.
I know that a job is a job and the grass, more times than not, really isn't greener on the other side. But this industry sucks in a lot of ways and I am afraid it'll never be GREAT. Decent, maybe, but thats it.
Thoughts? I'd like to hear from guys who worked their way up through the regionals and have "arrived" so to speak at their final job. Was it worth it? Even now? If you could have done something else, would you have?
Anyway, I have been stuck on the fence ever since I got hired about whether I want to make this my career or not. I did all my flight training part 61 just for fun. I thought I might make it a career, but I never did it for THAT reason. I majored in Accounting and worked as such for 2 years and didn't like it that much, really. The problem wasn't so much the job as it was the specific place that I worked and I think it put a semi-permanent bad taste in my mouth about the profession. I worked to get all my ducks in a row to quit the job, did so, and began flight instructing, built several hundred hours of dual (loved every bit of it, BTW), and finally got hired at the airline. I commute a 1000 miles to work and back every trip - which gets old. I am halfway up the list and get 14-15 days off a month, hold a decent line, etc. It could be much worse, admittedly.
The problem is that I don't like feeling like a pawn on someone elses chess board. Pilots have been debased to nothing but bus drivers. The way we are treated by and large is beneath me. Depsite the negaitves of the accounting gig, I felt like a professional and was treated accordingly. I crashpad with some AA mainline guys and they tell me they are telling their kids to stay away from this industry. Their domiciles get moved at the whim of the company, etc. And to top it all off, I cannot RELY on this job for my family's livelihood. The money will be decent in time, but the industry is so fickle, I'd hate to have to rely upon this frail field to but bread on the table and keep the lights on, etc. I hate having to reinterview for my job every year, and the whole seniority thing sucks. If I move to a new company, I am so jr again and life sucks again and I am at risk of furlough again. In accounting, I move to another company and my experience comes with me.
So many people majored in Aviation something, and I didn't. I have another skill that will never go out of demand and with which I can make money reliably, be at home every night, have every weekend off, every holiday off, be with my children (when I have them) every night and weekend. And, my goal would be to pay my dues to learn all I could learn, then open my own firm and build a small client base and make my own path. With the airline thing, I'll always be working for "The Man", hoping my cell phone won't ring on the last day of a trip, etc.
The problem is. I love to fly way more than doing taxes. I could buy my own airplane (Decathlon or something similar) within a couple years and fly pretty regularly without an SOP, GOM, or needing a clearance to scratch my ass, which would probably keep me satisfied as regards aviation. Airline flying is't a lot of fun, really. Kind of boring. Should I take the accounting route, I surely won't retire with 30,000 hours in the log book, but I maybe....just maybe would have led a better quality life along the way.
I know that a job is a job and the grass, more times than not, really isn't greener on the other side. But this industry sucks in a lot of ways and I am afraid it'll never be GREAT. Decent, maybe, but thats it.
Thoughts? I'd like to hear from guys who worked their way up through the regionals and have "arrived" so to speak at their final job. Was it worth it? Even now? If you could have done something else, would you have?
05-10-2008, 02:36 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: the correct seat
Posts: 1,422
Hey there, I'm not flying professionally yet, but it seems as if your mind is made up. You're not too excited about 121, but you love instructing, and you've got skills in another field. The best bet for you seems to go back to accounting, and fly on the side- become a flight instructor. You've raised some valid concerns about the industry and it doesn't seem as though you're as bitter as those who are already stuck in the 121 world with no other skills to fall back on. If you love instructing, there's no shame in going back to it. I actually prefer to fly with instructors who do it because they want to, and not just to build hours.
05-10-2008, 02:44 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Spartan
Posts: 3,652
I made it and think it's worth it. I'm single with no kids, however. The job doesn't change much along the way. While the pay and QOL definitely improve, there are still things that suck especially when you're junior. It is what it is.
How close to CA upgrade are you? I'd hold out till then. It's a different world from the left seat and I enjoyed the job much more than when I was a commuter FO(even at 'the' bottom feeder)... You could also do accounting on the side. Start by soliciting some of your co-workers for work if you wish.
How close to CA upgrade are you? I'd hold out till then. It's a different world from the left seat and I enjoyed the job much more than when I was a commuter FO(even at 'the' bottom feeder)... You could also do accounting on the side. Start by soliciting some of your co-workers for work if you wish.
05-11-2008, 10:44 AM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: 767 FO
Posts: 836
Originally Posted by Slice
How close to CA upgrade are you? I'd hold out till then. It's a different world from the left seat and I enjoyed the job much more than when I was a commuter FO(even at 'the' bottom feeder)... You could also do accounting on the side. Start by soliciting some of your co-workers for work if you wish.
Also, if you are burned out with 121 flying there is plenty of other jobs out there from fractionals to part 91 that could make you happy. The catch is that you'll need that ME PIC time.
If you didn't like accouning the first time around, what makes you think you'll enjoy it this time? Again I agree with Slice in that you can start part time and see if the buisiness world is really calling you back.
I wouldn't jump ship just yet, but get that resume ready and start the search for when you are sure.
05-11-2008, 11:23 AM
#5
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Quit or not to quit
If you are this disenchanted after only a few years at a regional just wait till you are 40 and downgraded or furloughed. It is true that accounting is a valued profession however your skills and value to the industry will decay over time. Eventually you could become trapped in aviation and become another angry captain.
I was an airline pilot who also wondered if the grass was greener on the other side. I was laid off 5 years ago and took a chance on plan "B" and now couldn't be happier with my new situation. However there is a price for everything and I do miss flying everyday.
Life is about choices. There is no perfect answer. You just have to find the one that is slightly better than the rest. It is impossible to live life without any regrets or consequences. Every day that we get older our options in life get smaller.
The opportunity cost is the opportunity lost. Everyday you are stuck in a situation that you are not happy with is another day lost on working towards a place where you will be satisfied.
SkyHigh
I was an airline pilot who also wondered if the grass was greener on the other side. I was laid off 5 years ago and took a chance on plan "B" and now couldn't be happier with my new situation. However there is a price for everything and I do miss flying everyday.
Life is about choices. There is no perfect answer. You just have to find the one that is slightly better than the rest. It is impossible to live life without any regrets or consequences. Every day that we get older our options in life get smaller.
The opportunity cost is the opportunity lost. Everyday you are stuck in a situation that you are not happy with is another day lost on working towards a place where you will be satisfied.
SkyHigh
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