Flysatnight

All very good advice and to be honest it's the direction I was already leaning. I've seen both my father and grandfather spend a few long nights to get the business where it is today but I think the hard work would beat spending most my life away from home. My wife and I are also thinking about starting a family and I couldn't imagine how hard it would be leaving the family and missing out on important life events while sitting in a crash pad somewhere. I like the idea about part time flight instruction which would be a great way to have some fun in the plane and remain current just in case.

Rnav

Do the pro and con list as someone mentioned. I did it on an overnight and kept the list with me. In the end no one here can change your value system to deem what you feel is more valuable to you. There are people on both sides of the aisle who will try to convince you theirs is the best choice. Flying or working a desk and being home and what is more important to you is what matters.

Just a thought, if you do go the business route to try and build the biggest , most successful business you can. With that becomes more money. Means you can go buy your own plane instead of flying someone else's!!! Now that is true freedom.

harrier1231

Last weekend, I flew a Pitts Special upside down and around and around. The moments I miss the crj are few. The people I actually cared about at the airline are still in my life. But now, I have made more friends locally that I can see when I want.

The step to leave is hard. I admit, there were tears for me. I mean all out sobbing and I don't cry easily. But after a week or so of normal, predictable life, I felt better. Now, I am actually getting used to my boss treating me with kindness and respect.

What you have to decide is to be happy regardless of your choice. That comes from you, not your job. Once you know you will be happy either way, you can make a less scary decision.

tom11011

My hunch is a pros and cons list would be basically the same list for just about everyone.

Flying for the airlines is a big deal. So you are going to need a "bigger deal" to make it worth it, probably being successfully self employed making very good money.

The one thing that will keep you going and make it possible for you to leave the career is the knowledge that you have logged x amount of hours and have x amount of experience which means you will be able to go back if you absolutely just have to. And you can go back!

In a perfect world, there would be part time airline pilots who could fly a few hours per month and then just walk away till next month.

bugy

Not so easy... many airlines (especially in asia actually as I know there, i was expat) asks you to have flown within the last 6 months on type and having a current OPC. Which means that changing airlines requires to be already in a current one.
Pilot's job is not like any others careers, like engineer for exemple where you can back years later.

tom11011

Maybe major airline but not regional. Some are hiring over the phone today.

flynavyj

Yeh, the options will be considerably limited when the time comes if you want to go back. I've been out for about 5 years and the only flying option I'd have going for me would be a return trip to the regionals...back to year one pay, living out of base, and commuting again...not to mention a $70k pay cut...yeh, that pretty much rules out getting back into the flying biz.

Rnav

+1, getting into a regional is easy. Get current and study. Regionals have proven time and again they just want a warm body. They just need(not that they actually care) a 1500hr warm body now...

I have a nagging feeling once the memory of buffalo fades and you see a google car driving down the street in 2017 with no driver people will be ok again with low time FO's. Out goes the 1500 rule and a pulse will be back in favor as the hiring requirement for regionals. So no, it isn't hard to get back into the game if you've left. Just stay current while your gone!

Pilotpip

I've been out for about 18 months. After 6 years of being a regional FO, commuting (sometimes 2 legs), reserve, no pay raises, and never being home I decided it was time. Found another job within aviation, but I'm home every night and the pay is significantly better with some pretty good upward mobility.

There are a couple things I miss, mainly some of the fun approaches into certain airports. I also miss the view but honestly, I like the view from a piper at 3000agl a lot more. I can afford to go flying for fun a couple hours a month and that satisfies the need to get in the air. I really can't say I miss the people because the ones I consider friends I still stay in touch with and see. In all honesty the people were one of my motivating factors for leaving.

Being home has made a huge improvement in my life. After a few months my wife admitted that I was a very different person the day before, and the day after I got home. She often avoided talking to me about anything because I was very agitated and wound up. I don't lose sleep the night before returning to work after a few days off, and I don't lose sleep worrying about financial security like I did as an FO. My overall health has improved, I've lost weight because I eat much better at home (always did) and I have the ability to exercise more frequently because I'm not spending my days off doing all the chores I couldn't do when sitting in a hotel room.

All in all, as the time away gets greater, the more I like the choice I made. It was a shock to the system initially but there are so many positives gained in my life that the one or two negatives are almost non-existent.

If you think you would enjoy the family business, I would dive in head-first and not look back.

OnCenterline

Go with your gut, but do realize this: if you leave by choice, be grateful for that. My previous company was shut down, and the fear that generated--not to mention some of the anger and other emotions--was quite frightening. If you are able to control your own destiny, that alone is a blessing, and has to make this much easier.

I agree that getting back into the regionals will likely not be hard, even in several years. The downside is that you will be starting over if you do so, but if you are in such a position that the pay is not a hindrance at that time, then that too is a blessing.

Good luck, no matter what you do...