The aftermath of COVID-19
 

With all the fear and sadness about what this virus is doing to the world lets start a discussion on the possible rebound if this fizzles out in the next couple of months.

I could potentially see this creating an even deeper cut in the lack of qualified pilots in the future. Just like the airlines reducing capacity and freezing hiring I've seen flight schools (especially China and India contracts) already suffering or closing up. All the mandatory retirements are still coming and we will recover from this. This going to create one hell of a bubble when the world economy gets going again. Unless its an early buyout I'd say most will ride it out until 65 and not retire early now.

I'd like to keep this thread about the "positive what ifs" since so many threads are just about the "OMG we're gonna die" and politics.

Lets hear it!

Honestly, thank you. I personally see a bigger opportunity down the road. Events like this are almost necessary to weed out those younger guys who can't stomach the uncertainty that can come along with this career. Everything is a cycle.

Hopefully if timed right with a trump re-election markets will rebound 30% in weeks.

Maybe you should aggressively invest in stocks and profit off the inevitable gains

I don’t think that’s what he was saying at all. What a sh*tty attitude to have. You honestly think that people should be “weeded” out because of the impending economic and physical hardships are causing worry? If you’ve been through a furlough then good for you, you’re a real trooper, we should all admire you for it. On the other hand, I don’t see how that makes it ok to think everyone else should endure the same. We should all be hoping this works out and doing the best we can to help our peers. Something something In Unity blah blah.

This went from positive to negative faster than expected.

Personally I have been looking at things through a three month window instead of a three day lurch like the news outlets do. It’s been keeping the blood pressure down.

Hopefully NOT.

Honestly, this is like 9/11 as far as public fear of flying. That alone will likely depress air travel for a couple of years after this ends.
In addition, tanking the world's economy isn't going to help.
Things could easily be fugly for the next several years.

What you are seeing now is the attempt to slow the virus, so as to not overrun the US healthcare system. Once that settles, and the rate of new cases becomes linear, everything will come roaring back. Fall is going to be nuts with everything being postponed till then, and the election.

I'm not wishing anything bad on them but I've talked to several that really do think it's sunshine and rainbows and only goes up with little financial planning for things like this. The expense to train for this plus sacrifices are difficult enough, especially when wages at one point were less than $22,000 a year at the entry level in the not so distant past. This certainly isn't for the faint of heart. I'm not rooting for people to exit the industry but it's usually inevitable as one has to put food on the table and take care of their family. No doubt, some will exit and return and some will find they prefer a little more stability even if it means less earnings. Every profession will have bumps but the bumps in this industry are more like cliffs at times.