tnkrdrvr

Perfect^^^^^^^^^^^^

ninerdriver

If you see the writing on the wall, then there you go.

Those who don't see it as a useless fight will keep fighting. The rest will quit.

VegasChris

The writing on the wall is clear. Every job I was qualified for prior to about 15 March is now hiring guys that would have been considered over-qualified. Most places are just not hiring at all. Very few are flight training and even fewer want trips to the Canyon. Skydiving is something people do with extra money- and no one is spending right now. Some 9f the guys lucky enough to get hired have been furloughed by shutdowns and others are planning for the inevitable that is coming on Oct 1. I get it.

I am not looking at what I am doing as quitting. I am at the bottom of the career ladder in this field. I am going to step off of the ladder for a bit. When there is a rung to step on to start climbing again I will return, but for now I have someplace else to go where I can make a living and can afford to wait this one out.

Some of the older guys in here have mentioned getting a master's degree while we can't fly. What does holding a master's degree do in the aviation world? What should it be in? I am fortunate enough to have free tuition for some degree programs and I am considering doing it, but I enjoy the extra time I am getting with my family right now. I am just trying to do the cost/benefit analysis of a masters degree on top of the two Bachelors degrees I already have. All while homeschooling one kid and being daddy daycare for the other one when my wife is at work.

Cyio

The Masters degree could be in anything really, STEM will probably weigh a little heavier but at that point I dont think it matters too much. All it does really is tell the computer to score you a notch higher than those without it. In the long run, I dont think it will matter much given your current position. If you were a competitive RJ CA when hiring starts and needed to get on with Delta, it may be the thing that sets you apart and allows you to fill a spot that an equally qualified pilot without the masters could have had.

Get the degree if you want it and it can help your non-aviation career and count it as another notch in your belt for the flying career, should you ever decide to have one.

Hedley

The guy who was in charge of hiring at United once told me that having a masters degree doesn’t really add that many points to you application. An associates degree has a couple of points, a bachelors has big points, and the masters just adds a few more. He didn’t think that the few points that it could add was worth the effort. A graduate degree could be a tremendous help outside of aviation though. Stepping away and doing something else that could be continued after aviation picks up could be a big win for you in the long run. Also, if your wife has a good job, don’t underestimate the value of having a parent at home taking care of the kids instead of them spending much of their childhood at daycare. The kids will be better off.

jumppilot

This reply is meant for everyone on this thread, but replying to yours.

History has shown us people who stick out the bad times are rewarded.

I had just earned my CFI in August 2001 - I was hired by a major in 2007.

People who stuck with flying during the 2008 recession were my First Officers in the years that followed.

Stick it out. A lot of people are going to get shaken out of aviation. It’ll make it all that much better for those who remain.

rickair7777

The better jobs all give extra credit for a masters (they don't really care much about multiple bachelors to my knowledge, one is enough). I would not pursue a masters at the expense of aviation career progression (TPIC, 121 instructor jobs, etc), but if you're in a career holding pattern anyway might as well make good use of the time.

If time and money are issues, get an online masters in whatever is cheapest and easiest, probably some fuzzy aviation-management thing.

If you can invest more money and time, consider something which help with outside employment should that be necessary. MBA, or even something technical if you have the background/aptitude.

rickair7777

Union plumbing is very cyclical with the economy (construction). Those guys like to make fun of turd-chasers, but the turd-chasers always have work (especially with fewer young people willing to sully their precious manicured fingers with that sort of activity).

My neighbor is my plumber, has been for years, and I don't live in the low-rent district. But he lived here long before I did...

rickair7777

This is true. Obviously the flight time helps, but I suspect that airline employers also prefer people with a track-record of sticking it out in the hard times.

ninerdriver

FWIW, if you intend to climb back on the ladder when there's a rung to grab, then that's not quitting.