To those being furloughed...
 

I'm on my way out for my first furlough of the career. I know there are more than a few of us out there, so I was wondering what everyone is planning on doing. Looking for a new long term job? Going back to your old one? Getting out altogether? Would you take the callback if it came?

I'm kinda looking for ideas to go after and figured that all these ideas could combine in one thread to help everyone out.


Personally, I think I'm headed back to my old CFI job to keep paying the bills until I find a new 135 gig.

Oh, and more trips to the bar.

Been there done that.... enjoy the time off. Especially since if you are a first year fo and commuter you probably can have equal pay for the cost of living on unemployment.

Drink more, I found being wasted took the pain away of being furloughed. Eventually try to find a job.

I've been out about three months now, start looking for a job sooner rather than later. I'm just now getting phone interviews and interviews for jobs I applied to months ago. I read somewhere to expect to be unemployed for a month for each 10k you expect to make. So I guess the more you want to transition to the longer you have to wait. I hope you have some money saved up because unemployment isn't very much. As for whether I'll take a recall it will just depend on what I end up doing in the mean time and how much I like it.

blueskies, hadn't seen you on here in a while, have you found other work yet? And are you still hanging out in B-Nashville?

I'm also curious as to what people are doing. For now I'm heading back to the CFI job, only part time though; even they don't have a lot of work. But I'll keep current until full time work opens or I find some other flying. I'm not 100% on going back when the recall happens, I'm really hoping something else better comes my way before that happens.

Depending on your finances, you might consider taking some time off to travel or whatever. I kind of regret jumping right into the job market the day after I got out of the navy...there are not many times in a professional life when your time is your own.

At least with a furlough you know you will most likley get your old job back if you wait long enough.

I'm going to collect unemployment and enjoy the time off and wait for the call back. If something comes up and it's a good opportunity I will take it.

I figure on using spending more time with my g/f and family. The job takes us away from them a ton, I wanna spend sometime being at home everyday, possibly working some non aviation jobs to pay the bills. After a few weeks resume actively searching again. There's so much more to life than just one's career. Besides I'm already a poor FO, QOL can't get much worse!

Thinking about going into Aviation Law, after 3 yrs of school (which is looking like how long it's going to take for the airlines to get back on their feet anyway) you can get a job making $50,000 then after about 1 1/2 to 2 years be on your way to making $100,000 (average) a year. Seems a little better than getting out of school and being below the povertly level for 7 yrs after graduating. Then once making a nice chunk of change you can buy you own plane and fly wherever you want. Sounds good to me!:D

^ You make it sound so easy!

I was furloughed July1st, it took several months, and just got hired at Mesaba. Luckily they were hiring, but looks like it is hard to get an interview right now with so many guys searching for jobs. Back to the 121 training for the second time in a year. My advise is to get a wife that makes decent money, cause this career does not pay enough starting off. I wish I had another degree to fall back on other then aviation. The medical field is the way to go right now.

Law might pay off in the end, but I dont see it right away. This is the SAME logic people over at TSA used. " oh first year sucks, but upgrade is quick and Ill get my time and get out...." Where are those guys now? On the street of back in the right seat.

I was planning on collecting unemployment....until I was denied of course...

Now I'm back on the chase for another flying gig...

I've got one interview lined up and am really happy about it! Hope it works!

Flying C402s single-pilot in the Carib. :)

Why were you denied unemployment??

You were furloughed and denied unemployment??? You are giving this old legal aid lawyer a gigantic heartburn.

Please PM me with the details of what happened, including the State where you applied, date when you applied, date of denial, and the reason for denial.

Jealous.

Any openings? :)

I was also denied when i applied since they said i didn't make enough money in FL last year. But once they contacted the state my airline is based out of, and got my pay from there, i was approved. Just got my first check a few days ago.

+111111111111111
hook a brotha up!

...was it the drinking, or your new job at GoJet?

Cape Air Pilot Opportunities

Lots of growth this year in all markets, too. :)

If there EVER was flame bait, that would be it.... ;)

Not a Cape fan I take it? :D

I was furloughed from LX in Switzerland in 2003. It was nice being furloughed for about 2 weeks. After that the reality of it set in.

Now I work for AWAC and hope I can keep my job there!! Hopefully the economy doesn't completely go down the toilet or we'll all be selling pencils and apples on sidewalks.

no no no.... I was referring to the GoJet comment....

I have been furloughed for almost a month now. My old job was hiring so I went back. It's not a great job, but it pays a little better than the airline and it allows me to make connections in the corporate/charter world. For now I plan on working this job until I either find something else, or get a re-call. If I can hold out until the spring I might be able to get a flying job here in town. But I don't want to go to long without flying so I might go back to some part time instructing.

With all the furloughs going on and a dearth of jobs, I thought I would comment on this issue that several pilots have talked to me about. If you have been furloughed, you are generally eligible for unemployment benefits. If you are denied, you need to look at the reason and also take note of the appeal deadline. The most common reason for denial (for pilots who just started working) is that you did not work the required number of hours of "covered employment." You will need to work with the airline and the unemployment office to figure out exactly what constitutes covered employment and that you did indeed work enough of it.

If you have an interview lined up, you should pursue unemployment anyway because you might not start your new job for several more weeks. Unemployment is precisely for those weeks that you are in between jobs. Be very careful of this new job, however, because if you quit that one, your status is no longer "furlough," but a "voluntary quit." And VQs are extremely difficult to be eligible for unemployment.

Many of you have contacted me for help and I am glad to hear that things have worked out for the most part. It is the ones who have been denied that concern me. You ought not just roll over and die. PM me and I'll see if I can help in your appeal. Unemployment may not be much, but it's better than nothing.

Just curious, how much exactly is unemployment for a typical first or second year FO?

I'm in the process of filing and I heard that its $400 not sure exactly just a rumor, I know some guys that are sitting home collecting so I guess its ok.

Varies from state to state. Also depends on how much you made in the prior year.

I'm getting $740 a month in FL. So it's basically like what you'd make at a part time job.
But i'm in the process of seeing if i can get my old CFI job back. Because the job hunt is not working. I applied to about 10 different stupid places, non flying, and no call backs. I'm guessing it's because my last job was an airline pilot and that i got laid off that makes them wonder... I'm thinking maybe it'd be better to just lie and tell them i'm still a student.:rolleyes: