Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Pilot Lounge > Leaving the Career
Three months out and so far no regrets >

Three months out and so far no regrets

Notices
Leaving the Career Alternative careers for pilots

Three months out and so far no regrets

Old 06-18-2014, 09:37 PM
  #11  
Banned
 
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 461
Default

Don't worry about SadSack and the other nay sayers....

You won't look back.

Every night you're in your own bed... on the weekend, you'll think, I miss the flying, but not the bull$hit.
CrimsonEclipse is offline  
Old 06-19-2014, 06:58 PM
  #12  
New Hire
 
Joined APC: May 2010
Posts: 9
Default

I miss flying on Tuesdays when it's beautiful outside and I'm stuck in the office putting together a financial model for some chance circumstance that will probably never happen. Then there are times like tonight and I'm smoking a cigar and drinking a beer in the backyard knowing that my weekend starts on Thursday night that makes it all worth it. I miss the crews and the flight benefits and if I could do one trip a month I'd come back. You can keep the rest.

I think too many people on this forum try to persuade the flying or non-flying side that their lifestyle/career choice is best. Different things work for different people, so find what works for you. Maybe I will go back someday but for now this is working out just fine.
adam29011 is offline  
Old 06-20-2014, 02:27 PM
  #13  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Loon's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2014
Position: 737-Right
Posts: 781
Default

Originally Posted by harrier1231 View Post
Someone told me to mark my calendar and come back in two years to tell everyone how it's going since I left the airlines. It's on my calendar, but I figured I'd make an update.

So far, no regrets. I have been able to fly for fun a few times. Did my first aileron roll last weekend and have been flying with friends here and there. I miss the jet, but that was such a small part of the job.

What made me post this, though, was something that happened Friday. A former coworker at the airline posted a desperate plea for help. He is getting married this summer and wasn't able to bid the days off he needs. The company is of course doing nothing to help, and threatening him with missed assignments if he no shows. He started the process last year as a wedding takes a long time to plan and he wanted to make sure he could get the time off. The company assured him it would be fine. The company lied.

Counter: My boss emailed me Friday morning and asked me to go to lunch. I thought I was in trouble but turns out it was just a check in and see how things are going lunch. He seems worried I might leave and go back to flying. He has no idea how unlikely that is.

During lunch, he asked me when I last saw my dad. I mentioned it had been a while and he told me that now that I pay for my flights, and weekend flights are expensive, I should take some time off during the week to go see my family, as he believes these things are important and make a person perform better when they are happy. He also then told me I can come in later on days when I work out. Now, obviously pilots can't come in late, but it's more just the respectful treatment I am getting as a professional.

I have paid off my car, I am in my own home every night. I am slowly rebuilding friendships and creating new ones in a way life on the road never allowed. I have the same schedule every day, which seems to have had a profound impact on how I feel in general. I was not feeling well the other day and just went home. No drama. No begging or pleading or accusations of lying.

It remains to be seen how time has an impact, but as long as I keep hearing horror stories from those still in, I don't see myself forgetting what the life was like, or glorifying the day to day.

tl;dr: Very happy with my decision still. No regrets. Very happy with my life.
reading your post gives me hope
Loon is offline  
Old 06-20-2014, 02:30 PM
  #14  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Loon's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2014
Position: 737-Right
Posts: 781
Default

Originally Posted by Rnav View Post
Harrier was nice enough to post an update after someone previously asked her to. Yet we have people coming on raining on her parade. Good for her if she is happy. Just like others who fly for a living are happy so are people in other fields. If someone is interested in going to another field like law its good to know what its like. Not sure how who paid for her degree is relevant. Especially since she apparently paid for her own car and living expenses. Doesn't sound like a silver-spoon child to me. Exact opposite, sounds like someone who worked her butt off, kinda like some of you aviators did to get where you got.
The reason they are raining on her parade is because they are filled with envy.
Loon is offline  
Old 06-30-2014, 06:59 PM
  #15  
Gets EVERY weekend off
 
flynavyj's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: SIC
Posts: 1,367
Default

Glad to hear things are going well Harrier, and best of luck.

I've been out for over five years now, I'll be the first to say I miss it...at least parts of it. The crews were fantastic, the overnights were often fun, and the plane was a blast to fly. I've started to see the "swing" of things in the industry, specifically with my peers. One friend left for an overseas assignment before ever upgrading at the regionals...he now flies a 787 in Qatar...one friend was just picked up at Airways, plenty of old buddies are at Jet Blue and I'm sure I'll see a friend move from Compas to Delta within the next couple years. And GOOD FOR THEM! I'm all for seeing my friends move up in the world, they stuck it out and are reaping the rewards!

I called it quits and opened a different book, regrets are here and there but all in all I'm satisfied with my career choice and grateful I was able to participate in aviation when I did...something about captaining an airliner in your early 20's that I'll always remember.

Best of luck in the law field, and can't wait to hear back in a couple years!
flynavyj is offline  
Old 07-01-2014, 05:35 AM
  #16  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Hawker Driver's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Aug 2010
Position: Toilet warmer.
Posts: 337
Default

Originally Posted by flynavyj View Post
Glad to hear things are going well Harrier, and best of luck.

I've been out for over five years now, I'll be the first to say I miss it...at least parts of it. The crews were fantastic, the overnights were often fun, and the plane was a blast to fly. I've started to see the "swing" of things in the industry, specifically with my peers. One friend left for an overseas assignment before ever upgrading at the regionals...he now flies a 787 in Qatar...one friend was just picked up at Airways, plenty of old buddies are at Jet Blue and I'm sure I'll see a friend move from Compas to Delta within the next couple years. And GOOD FOR THEM! I'm all for seeing my friends move up in the world, they stuck it out and are reaping the rewards!

I called it quits and opened a different book, regrets are here and there but all in all I'm satisfied with my career choice and grateful I was able to participate in aviation when I did...something about captaining an airliner in your early 20's that I'll always remember.

Best of luck in the law field, and can't wait to hear back in a couple years!
Now that is a honest post!!!
Hawker Driver is offline  
Old 07-02-2014, 12:34 PM
  #17  
Gets Weekends Off
 
SONORA PASS's Avatar
 
Joined APC: May 2010
Position: Left - Dodge Caravan
Posts: 357
Default

Originally Posted by harrier1231 View Post
Someone told me to mark my calendar and come back in two years to tell everyone how it's going since I left the airlines. It's on my calendar, but I figured I'd make an update.

So far, no regrets. I have been able to fly for fun a few times. Did my first aileron roll last weekend and have been flying with friends here and there. I miss the jet, but that was such a small part of the job.

What made me post this, though, was something that happened Friday. A former coworker at the airline posted a desperate plea for help. He is getting married this summer and wasn't able to bid the days off he needs. The company is of course doing nothing to help, and threatening him with missed assignments if he no shows. He started the process last year as a wedding takes a long time to plan and he wanted to make sure he could get the time off. The company assured him it would be fine. The company lied.

Counter: My boss emailed me Friday morning and asked me to go to lunch. I thought I was in trouble but turns out it was just a check in and see how things are going lunch. He seems worried I might leave and go back to flying. He has no idea how unlikely that is.

During lunch, he asked me when I last saw my dad. I mentioned it had been a while and he told me that now that I pay for my flights, and weekend flights are expensive, I should take some time off during the week to go see my family, as he believes these things are important and make a person perform better when they are happy. He also then told me I can come in later on days when I work out. Now, obviously pilots can't come in late, but it's more just the respectful treatment I am getting as a professional.

I have paid off my car, I am in my own home every night. I am slowly rebuilding friendships and creating new ones in a way life on the road never allowed. I have the same schedule every day, which seems to have had a profound impact on how I feel in general. I was not feeling well the other day and just went home. No drama. No begging or pleading or accusations of lying.

It remains to be seen how time has an impact, but as long as I keep hearing horror stories from those still in, I don't see myself forgetting what the life was like, or glorifying the day to day.

tl;dr: Very happy with my decision still. No regrets. Very happy with my life.
Harrier,

Thanks for the update!

Life is full of trade offs, and flying 121 is no exception. Often the cost of doing something we enjoy, means we miss out on something else. Your post did a great job of highlighting some of those things.

When I left the military it was a trade off. More time with my family and friends in places I chose to be, yet it meant giving up afterburners, low levels, ACM, carrier landings, and flying something I had always dreamed off. I will be the first to admit that when a fighter flies over I still try to look up and see (the C-6 and C-7 did not enjoy 8 G's), but I am glad I got out when I did.

A fellow squadron pilot told me you will have to leave this job sooner or later, and the timing of that decision might make a big difference in your life. It was a trade off, that I elected to take, and do not regret.

For those of us that read this section of the APC Forum we each need to evaluate the trade off and determine what the best option is.

Thanks again for the update, glad you are doing well!

All the best,

SP
SONORA PASS is offline  
Old 07-02-2014, 12:51 PM
  #18  
Banned
 
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Position: 7th green
Posts: 4,378
Default

While I'm REALLY glad to be out of the passenger biz, the flying bug still bit me. So after 6 months of golf, I'm back in the cargo world. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE flying freight. Boxes don't Biatch.

P.S. Uniform is blue jeans and golf shirt. Gotta love that.
Packrat is offline  
Old 07-02-2014, 04:36 PM
  #19  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Posts: 516
Default

Bosses in the corporate world aren't nice without a reason. When he needs you to work until midnight three nights in a row, or says you MUST come in during your vacation to finish a project, then that's when the payback comes.

It's like the the tech companies who offer free food, haircuts, and video games at their offices. The point is to keep the employee physically at the office as much as possible, so that work becomes their life. So glad to be out of that world.

Left in the opposite direction- the only regret I have about becoming a pilot so far is that I should have done it ten years ago.
morerightrudder is offline  
Old 07-03-2014, 03:25 PM
  #20  
Gets Weekends Off
 
AxialFlow's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2009
Posts: 519
Default

Originally Posted by satpak77 View Post
With all due respect, you seem to seek validation and a desire to "show us" how "you made it" outside of aviation (however "made it" is being defined).

Questions, I request you answer

1. Who funded your aviation training/school
2. Who funded your college BA/BS degree
3. Who funded your law school

Looking forward to your reply
Satpak...why do you care? "Show" who? Those interested in leaving the industry? Or maybe those who are questioning whether or not to make that choice? I wouldn't think somebody who is secure in their career choice as a pilot would have no reason to even bother checking this page. So what brings you here?
AxialFlow is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices