I punched out and have no regrets.
 

If you're like me, and were getting physically angry every time you looked up and saw a jet flying over, don't be afraid to take the chance on getting out. You're worth more, especially if you're a disgruntled regional FO.

The industry never panned out how I hoped it would, and I was tired of being broke. The prospect of getting married this fall and starting a family while commuting put even more stress on me than I wanted. I had to make a change and was fortunate enough to find a position with a large simulator instruction provider.

I now see my "family" every night, work for a company where I feel I have a real chance at advancement. Many of my coworkers have been with the company for 20+ years. All of the managers worked their way up the ladder. It's a refreshing change of pace to be around people that are happy to be at work. Great benefits, and more than doubling my pay are only icing on the cake. For the first time in 6+ years I find myself geeking out over airplanes and am actually considering going flying for fun.

If you're not happy, don't wait. Get out. It was amazing when I was discussing the move with peers that I respect the only comment they would make was "I can't imagine not flying for a living". There's more to life than airplanes. If you're not happy, do what you need to do to be happy.

I've been flying professionally since 2007, I still love it. I still look up when jets or even (or especially!) when a small Citabria or Cessna single flys over. I've ridden the roller coaster of highs and lows, dealt with the idiocy, flown as a captain, started over as a turboprop FO. I left an engineering career for this even!

I have no regrets. I enjoy my time off a lot, but I usually have fun on my 4 days too, even as a lowly CRJ FO.

If you were so happy with your decision, why are you even back here justifying your move?

I hate threads like this. What point are you trying to prove? That you hated life at your airline job? Great. Go defend leaving it to your family. Not us. Since you are back here typing about it shows that you regret it a little bit. You are trying to find people who will relate to what you did so you can have some sort of closure that you made the right decision. Some of us (like myself) love flying and doingwhat they do. Dont de-motivate them.

Did you happen to check what forum this is?

Wish you the best, and for those caught in the Regional quagmire, I hope that this chapter ends soon and the career you hoped for comes to fruition..

I'm back here justifying my move because I flew with a number of people who were unhappy and thinking about getting out of the airplane. If that's not you, great. As I said in a different post: different strokes for different folks. It wasn't working for me but I know plenty of people that love it. Your mileage may vary.

What exactly did you expect to find in the "leaving the career" forum?

This section of the Forums was created to provide a venue for those who have left aviation (and those thinking of leaving) to share with the rest of us their perspective and insight. People leave for a variety of reasons, many of which involve personal and professional satisfaction. Each person is the best judge of what is in his best interests. I do not believe we are in a position to judge or criticize someone else for leaving, just as we are not in a position to judge someone for staying.

For what it's worth, I asked the OP to write about his story. Lambasting him is not appreciated nor is it a worthy endeavor. The OP was not justifying himself to us, not trying to gain sympathy, and not trying to discourage others. If anyone reads his post as anything but sharing his story, then I fear for your reading comprehension.

Read his post. Learn from it if you can. If you think there is nothing to learn, move on to the next thread. Move to another forum altogether because this forum is about alternatives to an aviation career.

Lastly, the OP made it clear that he would like to fly for fun now. I congratulate you, Pilotpip, for making the moves necessary to have a balanced and fulfilling life. Thanks for sharing your story.

Pilotpip,

I think you were at RAH? From the RAH guys I've talked to, it's definitely been a rough go there for the last 6 years. Good for you on making a change. Happiness is what's important. Congrats on renewing it.

Were you able to find a position where you live, or did you have to re-locate? Perhaps you'll make it back to the line after some time off. Regardless, good luck with your new position.

Some will use the forum for the purposes for which it was created.
Others will use it for exactly the reasons that wmuflyboy stated.
You have to take each person's responses and motivations into account.
"Lambasting" isn't appreciated, a worthy endeavor, or called for in many cases - whether it for someone who left the industry or someone who has stayed in the industry. Let's be clear on both points.

Best of luck to you in your new endeavor.

Paradigm Shift
 

Pilotpip and I use to go round after round here on APC about the shortcomings of the profession years ago. Now after trying it he has a new perspective on the matter. Perhaps others here should pay heed? It seems to me that the more adamant the opponent the closer they are to acknowledging that all is not right with the profession.

Skyhigh

Skyhigh,

I'm still not in agreement with you. I'm at a different point in my life than I was then and decided it was time for a change. It's not for everyone but there are many out there for whom it's their calling. I'm still in the industry, just in a different capacity. My experience is why I landed where I did and I'm happy about that. There is life outside the airlines if you want to stay in aviation without the "joys" of the airline industry.

I like this
 

Family and kids can turn this dream job into a nightmare.

Skyhigh

I dunno Sky......last month I credited 134 hrs and was home for 20 DAYS! Yes I lucked out and live in base but it's not all bad

Pilotpip is just sharing his experience, thats all. I've been there too when I was stuck as an fo at XJT for 5.5 years. The thought of going to work made me sick. Friends or family would ask me a simple question about aviation and I'd fly off the handle. I was disgruntled and frustrated by the lack of a career. I really wasn't happy at all and was trying to leave the industry as well. My perspective changed once I upgraded and I've been fortunate enough to leave the regionals but I definitely feel for pip and know exactly where he's coming from. Good luck man.

Your new job is treating you well. :)


Happy to hear you were able to upgrade and move on. Congrats. :)

Thanks johnso29. I have 33 years left. Hopefully it all works out!

Guys, I do'nt understand why to need to justify that you love the job too...especially here. Did you feel attacked ?
Plus, it is weird for a pilot in activity being on this forum "leaving the career".

it's like your unconscious telling you something else.

Pilotpip just tells his story, why not ? What's wrong with that ? and what's wrong to start a thread in good subject part ?

:confused:

he just tells his story...what's wrong with that, in this section ?

Do you also think it weird that an inactive pilot would be in any other forum besides 'Leaving the Career'?

Not uncommon
 

It is not uncommon for a pilot to experience a few stretches in their career of aviation nirvana. I have been there too. Then something changes, the company merges, schedules are moved, bases get closed, wife gets pregnant and the mirage is broken. Then we struggle for the next ten years trying to find the sweet spot again.

A career is a long time. A lot can and will happen. Most of it not all that good.

Skyhigh

The focus
 

The focus should not be on "hey I found a sweet spot so everything is great" but rather "what am I going to do when the rug gets pulled out from under me at 45 with no other job skills"?

In business failure is common but with every failure comes the seeds for success. As we get older our experience serves to strengthen our position. In aviation our outcome is largely in the hands of fate. The older we get the less secure we become because our lives are less flexible and there is less time to recover from a loss.

It is an uncomfortable situation to be in. I have watched as many of my former co-workers who have chosen to remain in aviation have had to compromise their lives more and more just to remain employed. All the while earning less than the year before.

Skyhigh

Yes I do.
Except if this "inactive" pilot is a wannabe or a furloughed pilot, which makes sense.

I am not doctor or lawyer, am I in such forums ? not even a single second.

But I will not criticise. I may think that, but I keep for myself. I don't care much.

I just replied this, because, why some hate these topics and waste time to read and tell it ?

I need to understand ? what's wrong to start such topic in the right section ?

or maybe it's better to start a topic "hey how to become a pilot" in the "leaving career section ? :D

Then you should start your own forum and keep each subforum (if you have such) very stove-piped so that there can be no switching back and forth between forums. It doesn't sound very interesting but if it is what you are interested in then I think you should go for it.

Otherwise - on APC - you will have inactive pilots and ones whom have left the career across the spectrum just as you will have active pilots reading and commenting in the 'Leaving the Career' forum.

Just follow the TOS.

Where'd ya go?

It's funny you said you would fly off the handle when talking about work and how you felt sick everytime you had to go in, I felt EXACTLY the same!

We all hope it works out. :D I'm curious as to where you escaped to as well. Hopefully somewhere that let's you be on the West Coast. :)

Wow. That escalated quickly. Things really got out of hand...

Thanks for illustrating why industry or not, I have not only avoided this forum for quite a while I seriously questioned even posting this.

This used to be a great place for information. It's really sad to see it become what it has.

Don't let those guys get to you. If you've found something that works and makes you feel content, then that's all that matters. I'm sure you know that already or you wouldn't have made the jump. Thanks for starting this thread, I certainly appreciate it because I like reading positive stories and I'm glad you have no regrets. Life's too short to always be chasing the carrot at the end of a stick.

Joey and johnso29: I left XJT for vx. It's been a pleasant change and being based out west is soooo nice!

I'd like to thank Pilotpip and OCCP for sharing their feelings and perspectives. I'm not really sure what was so inflammatory. There can be interesting nuggets to pass along to prospective and current professional pilots to read about those who have left a flying career for something else.

I LOVE when guys use this line! I know we're all thinking of Ron Burgundy. :D

That's great news! I know you were a branded refugee, & were really wanting to get back to the west coast. VX is perfect for you. Congrats again. Have you caught yourself sleep commuting to IAH or ORD yet? You wake up in airport at a UAL gate waiting for a IAH flight? :D


Absolutely. Pilotpip put his thoughts in the proper forum, & I too thank him for sharing. Being an airline pilot isn't for everyone. It doesn't always work out the way everyone wants or plans. It's nice to know the options that exist outside of the 121 line grunt world.

+1, That was my point actually, I mean, I am not against opinions, but there is a manner to say them...anyway...congrats :)

People should be thankful the Op posted his story. Although he is no longer dragging a rollaboard the reality is he is still involved in aviation. There are many jobs where you can still stay involved in aviation. Not sure why some chose to put negative juvenile responses.

My opinion, just because people leave 121 flying doesn't mean they don't care about the job. I still do care about what happens in the 121 world. Plenty of friends left doing the job. Until pilots figure out in their heads that its important to get the public and non-flying folks on their side good luck improving the industry nothing will change. Or people can just leave flying and let ALPA and pilots fend for themselves...

Thanks for sharing pilotpip. Best of luck with the new move, it's great to hear good news once in a while!.

-nisx

Best of luck!

It's been about 2 years since I looked at this forum. I haven't been flying at all, and my last professional flight was about 3 years ago; Calabar, Nigeria to Lagos in a CRJ-900ER.

I'm amazed how much I don't miss this stuff, but a cursory glance looks like there might be some bottom feeder hiring. There must be some job that I can get my feet wet in flying again, with a potential goal to complete my EU/UK ATP.

I hold an FAA and Nigerian ATP(L).

United, Spirit, jetblue, Us airways and Delta in 2014. Its not just the bottom feeders

Thanks for sharing, and good luck. Sounds like you made the right decision for you.

The airlines other than bottom feeders need to hire a 1000 or more pilots combine a year in order for anyone to declare any type of success in this industry. I say don't hold your breath!

I retired from UPS 2 1/2 yrs ago and do not look back. It was a great career. I don't miss the flying but I sometimes does miss some of the great folks I flew with. The layovers were a lot of fun, too. Yea, UPS was a pain in the butt when we first started, but when you think about it aren't all new startup airlines a pain. But with the forming of the IPA it turned out to be one hell of a job. Never thought I would go from a Commuter Airlines, taking home $100 a week, to a International 767 driver making over a quarter of a million a year. Be safe out there my friends and fellow pilots, retirement is worth it.

One thing I really attach to my "success" in this business that you have control over is to hold off on the marriage an family as long as possible. Even having been hired by a major at a young age, I was well into my thirties before the pay was comfortable to live on as a single person, let alone a couple or family. Was it (or in other's cases, is it...) easy, absolutely not. It's definitely a sacrifice I made then that I credit my success with today, both personally and professionally. The downside, I am in my fifties with children aged between 6 and 11 while my FO's who are the same age have children in or out of college.
Would I do it again? Positively. In the end, the struggle made me a better person and far wiser parent, FWIW.