While he is bitter, he makes sense. This guy is 28 and owns a sucessful business. He owns a $200k+ plane.

He'd be making the MISTAKE OF HIS LIFE if he left that all behind, IMO.

Yeah he would...At first I was going to replay my go www.allatps.com broken record...Then I read his post more carefully...

Stay where you are.

-LAFF

This is a special case in my opinion. If i was in his position with my own business thats obviously successful since he could afford his own plane, no matter what the make and model, i dont think i would go to the airlines and leave what i made for myself behind.

It would be a much different situation even at 28 if you were just breakin into a first career. I dont care what skyhigh or anyone else says, but this isnt a bad career choice. Its got potential to be an upper middle class blue collar job if things fall into place, and i think theres so much opportunity for it to.

Bottom line if you feel passionately about it and you are in a position to handle go for it, but you would be leaving behind something much more stable and probably more lucrative to take a calculated risk.

If you really want to try your luck at the regionals go for it. I just find it kind of stupid that you want to stay and make your career at the bottom. Most pilots pay their dues and go forward, but it seems like you want to stay there. I would say go ahead, if your main goal was to reach the airlines, but to stay there at colgan, no! If you do try it make shure you leave someone in charge of your business, it seems like you love your wife and hometime more than aviation, and thats nice but its not enough to succeed. In my opinion go for it go for the airlines, from what I see women dont want there husbands home all the time. They want to have time for themselves then see you every 4 days it keeps things exciting:D

I hope your wife/girlfriend didn't tell you that or you may have a surprise waiting for you if you come home early from a trip:D

I am not advising you to quit your current job. For 99% of people in your situation that would be foolish. For 1%, it is a better life - I'm in the 1%.

At 28, I owned my own business, made enough to fly plenty on the weekends in a plane I had 50% share in, and was home every night, albeit very late most of the time.

But I was miserable. Absolutely miserable. And it was bad enough that it was even affecting my wife and our marriage. She'll tell you that if I hadn't changed careers, we probably wouldn't be married anymore.

For me, the pay cut and the nights away were a tradeoff I and my family were willing to make. My wife supported me 110% even though it meant huge sacrifices for her. I am home more now than I was when I was the owner, and I'm far less stressed and in general a much more pleasant person :p, but I'm out of town if something urgent comes up.

If you aren't okay with being out of town, you need to rethink your plan. It won't work long-term doing out and backs. Really, it won't. Best of luck.

Freightpuppy, you and I are like apples and oranges to this guy. Because we are female, there is no denying that we were given certain breaks and what not......breaks that this person may never see.
I would say that at your age, stick with your business. Fly for fun, not for a living. Just my two cents.....would you like change?

regionals
 

OK guys I'm another who has been reading all the posts for some time.
I too am considering a possible second career at a regional. Although my case is slightly different in that I am retired law enforcement, you know 25 and out. Relatively young but not 28! So I'll jump in and ask if all of you young puppies would mind riding with a folically challenged ex-cop? The pay end for myself is not an issue.:) Sooo tell me your thoughts!

I, personally, would have no problem with it. As long as by "folically challenged" you mean bald and not some other crazy disorder where you shed like a dog. Because then I may have an issue.

And as long as you don't sell those of us out who still need to make a living on regional pay just because you don't care about the money. The shedding thing is important too, that would be gross and makes it harder to pick up girls.