Yet another career change thread :)
 

Now I know I can't base my life on the on the input from an internet message board and should really follow my dreams, but hear me out. :)

I grew up in an aviation family, with a father who did some flight training back in the '50s and then went on to be a machinist for UAL at SFO for almost 40 years. I used to walk through the maintenance bases with him at SFO back when security was lax, and have always had a passion for aviation. Somehow back when I was considering college, I guess I was under the impression that the only way into the pilots seat was via the military. Had I known otherwise I may have done some things differently.

Long story short, I have a four year engineering degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and currently work as an engineer for Cisco Systems here in San Jose, CA. I'm 28, make a salary in the low six figures, live pretty comfortably, but I'm really looking for change. And before you jump all over me, six figures doesn't get you much out here...I could never dream of buying a single family home on my income alone unless I could make it elsewhere.

In March 2007 I started working on a PPL at a local flying club mainly as a hobby, and with the hopes that it could eventually turn into a career at some point. I'm starting to really think that I'd like to ramp up my training efforts and take stab at a flying career more than I had originally anticipated.

My main questions are the following:

-For someone who is a quick learner, and already has a four year degree under their belt, how long (best and worst case) could it take to get hired with a regional, move to a major commercial or cargo, and make a decent above average wage? Am I talking 5 years after I earn all my ratings...10? :) Remember also that I'm more than happy to leave CA, so an above average wage is relative to wherever I'd be moving to.

-How does the living situation work when entering this career? When you start work for a regional, do you pretty much have to pack up and move wherever they dictate, or is it usually doable while staying put? Are there desirable places to live which would give the most options for both regionals, and transitioning to a major? Generally is it a safe bet to locate near one of the major hub airports, like DFW for example?

-Aside from breaking into the majors, what other paths can be taken that are financially lucrative, and not a dead-end? Does flying for a corporate outfit work out pretty well, or is it on par with flying for a regional? What are the ups (no-pun intended) and downs of working for a cargo carrier vs working for a commercial airline?

Basically I've done my reading and understand the ****storm I'll be stepping into for a period of my life, making under 1/5 what I currently do. I'm just trying to figure out whether the light at the end of the tunnel is worth it, and which direction I'd want to head.

Thanks so much in advance for any guidance you can provide!
--James

In all honesty it would probably take at least 10 years or longer to match your current salary if at all. You could conceivably get a commercial within a year if you have a private and work hard-unless you quit working and fly full time, but I would not recommend that. Get a cfi and ready for the regionals within another year or so and then at least 5 years to move on.
Its a tough time in the business right now So many companies went t/u recently and more furloughs on the way even from the big guys. Also a lot of competition from unemployed high-time pilots. What really helps you get hired is a friend in the right place.

Alot depends on if your married, do you have kids? Can you sell your house?How much can you, or are you willing to sacrific for your career? I started around your age and made it to a major so I dont think your to old. However I lived like a gypse and my life up untill 35 was no different then when I was in college. While all of my friends where living like adults with houses, wives, kids, and ect I was living in a dumpy old crash pad being transfered every 6 months and could only afford a POS 1986 honda.

If money, and or security makes you happy dont work in aviation. If you have a passion for flying, make the leap.

this will be an interesting thread.......

Rama is probably right...unless your fairy god mother comes down and grants you a wish you would be looking at at least 10 years... if ever .....of reaching parity in todays dollars..... you would need left seat or many years in the right seat on average to get there... and remember we are talking todays dollars.

If you arent married and have some cash put aside.... maybe..but that would only be after some soul searching....seriously. This business is not for the faint of heart and over the next 3-10 years the market will be flooded with thousands of guys with alot more experience. Even for those AT the regionals already it will be a difficult move to "greener" pastures......Good luck.

If you have to do it for a year to see what it's like, then do it. It'll cost you a lot of money, but maybe it's something you have to try. I guess some people, myself included, just have an insatiable desire to know how it feels being the one on the other side of the closed door with all those gauges. However, I also think that with your UC engineering degree and the money you're making now, you'll probably realize that the glamour of airline piloting is mostly illusion and end up changing careers again.
And I'd say it's probably 15 years before the stats say you should be making 100k+ again. Could be shorter, but it's just a gamble that you have no control over.

What did that old gentleman on the dock, say to Forrest Gump, when he found out Forrest bought the shrimpin' boat?

What about flying in the military? Not sure of the age cutoff. You could go active duty or fly reserves and keep your current job. Being single has it's advantages in the big picture, achieving your goal because it will be a financial sacrifice at first.

It's impossible to put a time line on an aviation career. This business is so dynamic. Last year, when oil was still trading around $50/barrel, everyone thought we were entering another golden age in airline hiring. Look at the situation now. Also, right after 9/11 people thought it would be years before anyone would hire again and that a low-time pilot wouldn't have a chance with all the experienced people on the street. Well, regionals were hiring 2 years after 9/11 and thousands of low-time pilots have been hired by them since.

I'm a new hire at Delta. It took me 20 years to get this far. Why? Because of a recession in the early 90s, a temporary career change as a result of that, then 9/11. However, in my Delta class was a guy who had just turned 25, learned to fly after 9/11, was lucky enough to get hired at a regional with quick upgrades and will retire #1 at Delta. Just as I would have never thought back in 1987 when I started this career that it would have taken me this long to get where I am, I'm sure my classmate would never have thought back in 2002 that he'd be working for a major in 2008. It's all about timing.

Also keep in mind that I have many friends still at my old regional that have been there 8+ years, not for lack of trying to get out. A 4-year degree and some PIC time is not an automatic ticket to the majors.

It depends on the regional. Many of the bigger ones allow you to commute because they operate schedules that are similar to the majors and have domiciles in large cities. Some of the smaller ones, like Colgan and Great Lakes, may have domiciles in smaller cities (ie. Roanoke, VA) and/or may fly nothing but day trips. This would make commuting virtually impossible.

Living in base certainly has its advantages. One thing to consider at the regional level, though, is that your flying is always going to done at the customer's whim, which means that bases come and go much more frequently than at the major level. It would not be unheard of for a regional to open a domicile in a large city only to have it get shut down a year or so later because its part of the flying has shifted to another part of the country.

The other thing too is that living in a hub city that's not yours can also bring its own difficulties as you are competing with tons of others commuting to and from work.

Some corporate jobs are great, some are not. It's impossible to answer. I'm sure the pilots for Cisco are pretty happy but that's because they work for a large, successful company. But what if you end up at a small company with a single Citation II? There's no job security there. Some are careers, others are stepping stones. I also think that corporate flying takes a specific mindset that not everyone has. I did a little bit of corporate flying and it just isn't for me. You, on the other hand, may love it.

A popular option these days is Netjets. I've had several friends from my regional go there as a career.

Cargo is hit and miss. I flew freight for a while building time and enjoyed it. However, I'd only go to UPS or Fedex, simply because these are stable companies, fly their own work and have schedules that somewhat resemble an airline schedule (albeit on the back side of the clock). Most of the other cargo companies basically do charter work. In other words, they are vendors. If the customers cancels the contract, you have the potential to get hosed, so to speak. Also, many have schedules that have you on the road for weeks at a time. Some like this, not me.

The financial expectations many have getting into this business are no longer there. At the current rate, it will probably be 10 years, if not more, for me to crack $100,000. I certainly did not expect this when I started down this path. But I'm personally okay with that. Having done other things outside this field, for me this is still the best job I have ever had. So my house is a little smaller than I originally had hoped, I drive a Honda instead of a Lexus and I rent a boat instead of buy one. But career wise, I wouldn't change one thing.

Good luck with your decision.

You really are in an enviable position. You have worked hard and are always going to be very marketable with an engineering degree, though it too has its cycles. If flying is truly your passion, then you know what to do. Don't let anyone stop you from pursuing your goals and it isn't about the timeline to your ultimate "goal" job, its enjoying the ride.
I went through college on an ROTC scholarship back in the seventies without any strong yearning to be a pilot. My exposure to the Air Force fixed that. After graduation, I had almost a year until UPT and worked as an engineer for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. I hated it! It was static and the workplace social and political entanglements were BS. It was cool to be at the Cape and I was able to do and see some neat things, but the thought of 40 years of that was nauseating. Luckily, I went to pilot training and enjoyed the Air Force and reluctantly separated and was hired at a major. I am now in my second merger, one strike, one bankruptcy, paycuts, concessions yadda yadda. I still love what I do. And that is what it is all about My only other advice would be to consider medical school. After serving as a rescue pilot in the Air Force, I had the addiction to the drama and purpose of altering a life threatening situation to a positive outcome. Working in an ER would fill that purpose and reward you personally. Whatever you choose to do, it is your life, go for it and don't look back!

CHoices
 

If you are married and have children then I would say that your ship has sailed in regards to aviation. Let it go and forget it.

Outside of that last Saturday on the NBC nightly news the oil situation was described as an "Industry Killer". No one can say exactly what will happen however it seems like an awfully bad time to be considering this profession.

In any case you are facing huge obstacles and long odds. I would consider working until you are financially independent and then consider a career change into aviation.

SkyHigh