How about this. We are the same age so you can have my seat for one year. You can drive a boeing around and test the waters and I'll take your job and see what it's like to be home every night. Deal??

Sounds like fun. Maybe we would both find out that there are things about both that we like and dislike!

From experience, I can say this: it might not be as easy as you think to get back into management after you've been "living the dream" for a few years.

For those that earn their way to an enjoyable flying job, I'm sure it would be very difficult to go back to a management job. What I meant is that it is easier for someone who is unemployed but has management experience to get a management job than for an experienced unemployed pilot to find a flying job. Managers can switch companies and GAIN seniority, better pay, and better benefits instead of losing them...

That is not what I meant.

That is what I meant. I suggest you talk to people who have attempted to "reverse" their career change to see just how "easy" it was. Maybe your specific industry or professional relationships will make it a piece of cake to jump right back in where you left. But I somehow doubt it will be that easy after you've been away for a few years.

Southbound,
After 20 years in this crazy industry, and about to start over if I choose to or I am able, that is by far the best post I have read.

To all the people that say get a different job in a better industry and just fly for fun:

If you did that, your net pay/savings would be less than your first years as a regional F/O. To fly a plane that isn't too much a risk to your life for an hour will cost you about 135 - 145 dollars. Forget about ownership, Planes cost wayyy too much to buy let alone park/maintain/FUEL... Like everything else in today’s bushed up economy, it's out of reach unless you were born with a trust fund, or your Daddy is a CEO.

650 bux a month even if you rented and only flew for 1 hour a week! And it's only gonna get more expensive.


So if you are middle class (aka poor) and you want or like to fly, doing it for a living is pretty much the only option these days.

I'd say get the ratings on your own if you don't already have them(pay as you go, no god damn loans), you already have a degree (I hear this doesn't matter much anymore)... I'd go try it out for a few years and see if you like it. You can always get another job somewhere else if you don't like it. Life is too short to not try as much as you can. It can't be much worse than wasting away and getting fat under flourescent lights with no windows all while kissing the right peoples asses / appeasing the powers that were born into their fortune.

IMO our whole career structure is a scam. Ever since the average person started going to college, everyone is sort of a PFJ (If they had to pay for college that is...).

Johnson48. Thanks....I think. How are you starting over??

Thanks for all the advice guys. I will probably continue to instruct until the end of March. Right now, I have almost 950 tt with almost 200 multi. If I stick it out until March, I should have 1300-1500 tt with 500-600 multi (all PIC).

If I want a corporate or cargo job after that (so I won't be as poor), would I be able to enter a regional as a DE captain after gaining 500-1000 turbine PIC time? Or is my only route through the FO side of the regionals?

In the past no good regional has hired direct entry captains. With 500-1000 TPIC you would be qualified to work at many majors if they are hiring at that time.