What is your plan B?
 

To kick off the new forum - tell us what you're doing, if anything, as a plan B to the flying gig.

The amazing thing about pilots is the depth of experience not only flying - but doing a wide range of other jobs. If your jet is parked tomorrow and you have to leave aviation what would you do for work?

I fly for a charter opp but also work as a full time firefighter. We work 2 24hr shift a week and get a ton of time off. Even with the two full time jobs still have a good amount of time off. Firefighting is a great job and it paid my way through flight training. If anybody looking for a good plan B and are not afraid to get dirty from time to time. I would recommend it. I don't plan on stopping the flying carear however it would be a decent job say if my company ever went south.

Since i'm one of the people that opened his big mouth about this new forum getting started, I should tell you about me. I was at Raytheon Travel Air in it's hey day back in 2000. Then, they merged with Flight Options where I spent the next 6 years. The lifestyle was 8 days on, seven off. Sounds great and everything, but it drove me nuts personally. The 7 off was great, and could not be beat. On my 7th day off, i'd start getting ancy, and miserable around the house. To me, it was stressful having to throw a suitcase together and pack for an 8 day trip twice per month. I couldn't stand the TSA, today you take your shoes off, next week you don't have to kind of mentality or lack of standardization.

Hotels? No thanks. As "great" as NJA is, there has to be some guys that deep down inside feel the same way I did/do. "but we stay at the Ritz Carlton". Didn't matter to me. I couldn't stand the lifestyle of getting to the hotels and if your thirsty, you are afraid to drink the tap water out of the nasty bathroom sink. Either that, or have to spend at least 1.50 (3.00 in hpn) for a coke. Me, I like to go to my own fridge, and get something to drink. it's the little things like this I didn't like anymore. Don't forget trying to find a hotel restaraunt that will warm up your crew meal that you dragged across the country that your dying to eat. "sorry, we can't be responsible for food borne ilness" I kid you not.

The wx....couldn't stand TS's anymore. Call me a pu$$y, but i'm an alive pu$$y. To me, man made machines shouldn't be dodging mother nature like that. The statistics are there. Oh yeah, freezing rain sucks too!

The good.....In order to spare myself of being called militant, extremist, or negative, There are some things I miss about it. The 7 off is one. The other is the people I worked with were great professionals. I miss jogging in the park on San francisco bay one day, and the next running along the ocean in KACK. I miss the early morning departures where you take off with a quarter mile vis an 500 overcast and penetrate the clouds and now it's sunny.

I don't miss how bad my timing was in this industry. I still fly contract on occasion. I'm now a sim/ground instructor at a large part 142 facility. some of my days are only two hours long(sim week). some are only 8 hours long (ground week). Yet we are still small enough where were not working the graveyard shifts. i'm excited about getting my masters degree, and maybe pursuing law school like my wife did.

More to come!

As of right now, the line up for back up plans outside of the cockpit are...

Dispatching
ATC (whic time is running out on)
FAA lacky
The business side of our business

Cant really see myself that doesnt have something to do with aviation...just the way it is

My plan B .......... go to work for one of the big sim training outfits, like SimCom or FSI. Reasonable pay and bennies, home every night, still involved in the fun technical aspects of aviation, but no travelling. I like flying, but I hate travelling..... all the hotels look alike after awhile, and none of them look as good as my own home and my own bed.

I made enough money to retire on in real estate over the past few years... I fly because I love it, but I don't have to do it and have considered getting out twice so far seriously.

My wife is my plan b. (or is it C,D, or E from outer space now?)

I'll stay home with the kid and let her earn the bread for a while. I think i'd like to be an FSI instructor too though.

Farming............not too many pilots say that one I'm sure. Working a Part 91 gig, 15 miles from where I grew up. I still help out a ton when it's needed. It is definately a viable option as I get more settled into life and once my wife gets out of school.......again.

PS. No I'm not a hick/redneck/etc.. It's a grain farm, no animals besides some dogs. I also believe it's given me a very strong work-ethic and drive to always improve my skills in all apsects of my life.

That's way cool... I've often thought of just getting away from flying and getting farm somewhere in South Dakota! Problem is it's just a fantacy as I know little about it.. I can ride a horse and shoot a gun, and my outdoor rancher skills end there! A dream of mine though. BTW... agree with the work thing, another reason I'm not retiring early!

Plan "B"
 

Seems to me that a good plan "B" is usually right under your nose. Most of us use to do something before flying. Some of us may come from a family business or have a trade already. Plan "B" does not have to be complicated or all that glamorous. Fancy college degrees and new certifications may lead to a better life however the answer may be closer than you think.

As for myself in past furloughs I would build a house to keep from going stir crazy while waiting for the next flying gig. When looking back at my finical history I realized to my shock that I did better during the times when I was laid off than when I was actually working full time as a pilot.

When my time came I took a leap of faith and built houses full time as real estate investments. My job is not glamorous and I actually work at times but I am home, am the master of my own destiny and make as much as I had hoped to as a pilot. I believe in my future again and am happy to be able to provide the life for my wife and children that they deserve.

My plan "B" is now reaching its conclusion and I am considering the next step.


Skyhigh