What would it take to bring you back?
 

I noticed from a few other threads there are people out of the airline industry doing something else (some aviation, some non-aviation) but won't come back to the airlines under current conditions.

A quick questionnaire for those of you on the outside looking in.

1.) Describe your aviation experience (time, type, hours, etc..)

2.) What are you doing now? Does it pay well? How much if you are willing to share? Compare and Contrast your quality of life.

3.) What would it take to bring you back to the airlines?

1.) ATP, former regional airline captain. Left in 2000. 4,900 hours of which 2500 are turboprop.

2.) After working in corporate America in a few IT Departments, I went off on my own and started a small technology company and now have 4 employees. My company installs VOIP phone systems and sells/manages Dell and HP storage and virtualization solutions. I do own my own airplane (C177RG) which I fly on business occasionally.

3.) I don't think I could ever come back, especially under current conditions. Although the money is/was bad, my main problem working for the airlines was living out of a suitcase in hotels. Kind of felt like I was so unproductive and wasting away.

If there was an airline where I could fly 2 days per month, that would be my ideal airline- A part time airline pilot.

Save for December and January I fly about 25 hours a month. That's pretty part time for me. 2 days a month would be hard pressed but over the summer I only flew once in one month. Intentionally bidding reserve at an airline with some descent reserve rules. Allows me to work a second job and slowly developing a plan for my own business.

I'm talking about flying 2 days per month then forgetting all about the airlines until the next month, no reserve, no phone calls, no nothing. That would be the ideal flying for me.

I took a LTLOA from peeknuckle back in October of 2012. Since then, I have became a personal trainer and make more than what I did as an FO. Quality of life...? Well instead of commuting states away, I walk 15 minutes to work now. Overall, better quality of life. However I miss flying like crazy! I haven't been up in the air since I took my LTLOA. I have around 3000 hrs and almost 2000 is turboprop. Finally, a thread I can respond too!!

Trying to get into Surfair but no luck yet.

I guess I didn't answer your question fully. To bring me back I would have to have better pay and be home based. That's about it...

I now collect Buffalo sperm at a Quarter a herd. I make more money and got my self respect back!:D

1.) Describe your aviation experience:
ATP 5500 total time. 4000 hrs Part 121 & 135, 800 part 137 the rest was initial training and work as CFII


2.) What are you doing now?
Flying Part 137, Yes it pays well (6 figures) I only work 7 months out of the year...they are busy months but quality of life is light years ahead of the crap sandwich at regional airlines

3.) What would it take to bring you back to the airlines?
6 figure income. National seniority system. New law requiring all airlines to operate every airframe their ticketed passengers fly on ..... So what I'm really saying is I'm not planning to ever fly 121 again. Never say never...but definitely not in my plan

It would take 50k starting to go back. Its just wrong what airlines pay.