Hi everyone, First post on APC.

I told my story a few months ago on another board but this looks like a great place to learn a few things so I thought I'd introduce myself here as well. I'm after advice. I'm at the stage in my life where I've either got to give a professional flying career a shot, or hang it up and keep flying on 'hobby' status.

Here's some background: Age 31, 960TT, relatively-green CFI/CFII/MEI, fresh multi ratings but no time (26hrs), BS degree (engineering). Four years ago, I realized a life long dream as I saved enough to buy an airplane. I own a '66 Mooney, and have taken it from the tip of Baja to Fairbanks and to many points in between. No debt, financially secure (not rich, though). I started flying when I was a teenager, PPL at age 17, right on to instrument and commercial shortly thereafter.

I flew actively for a few years and then had a hiatus after college while I worked before buying the Mooney. I work in the computer chip business as an engineer and have climbed that ladder to its plateau. I make good money, but for the past several years I've felt the call to do what I love more than anything else - fly.

To that end, I got my CFI recently (but can only do a small amount of teaching as there is not enough business at my home airport to teach full time). Regardless of whether I make the full time jump I enjoy teaching and am glad I got my instructor tickets.

Looking forward, I don't have specific objective in aviation. No shiny-jet-syndrome, that is. That said.. working into something with decent pay and QOL after the initial dues paying is what I'm after. I imagine its what many of us are after. In terms of ideals, it would be nice to get on with a carrier like Hawaiian (I grew up in Hawaii, have family in the islands, and know a couple of pilots at HAL, and they have a pretty good career going), or failing that, to be able to be based on the west coast. Airline? Fractional? Corporate? I am a flexible man!

So the question is how to get there? It seems like the thing to do is get that magic 1000TPIC. To that end, some of the regionals look like a good stepping stones, though I'm *just* behind most of the hiring minimums, which are of course creeping up with the ATP rule coming. I've started sending out resumes but no bites yet.

Assuming I don't get a call quickly, the next issue becomes getting my 1500 hrs for the ATP, or even 135 ifr minimums, and of course that elusive multi-engine time (anyone in the SF Bay Area want to split a rental some time for some time-building?).

I batted around the idea of selling the Mooney (which I'll need to do anyway once I get that first full-time flying job), to buy a cheap twin to build time, and pray that nothing expensive breaks... but I suspect this could be biting off more than I can chew.

Any wisdom you can share for a guy in my shoes is appreciated!

Keep your day job and enjoy flying the Mooney. Flying for pleasure and flying for work are entirely different.

GF

Ideally, you get someone else to pay for your time building-cfi/skydivers/135 etc. flying. If not, at least try to fly an hour a week or so to continue building your time particularly ifr/imc conditions.

Both galaxy flyer and Rama speak quite a bit of wisdom with a only a few words. I'll be more wordy and have less wisdom.

If you do want to make a career switch and make flying your primary source of income, you need to do some research and choose a career objective early. Having an objective is not SJS, unless the objective is only to fly a jet and does not take into account pay and quality of life (QOL). Regardless of your goal, there are 2-3 things that will help you achieve it. Networking, flight time, and seniority (in the case of airlines and many fractionals). The first two should be self explanatory. Whatever your career goal is, you want to get there as quickly as possible, realizing this may take some financial sacrifices. Seniority depends on how quickly you get there (which can heavily depend on networking and flight time) and can make the difference between wide body captain, narrow body FO, or even possible furlough.

Of course, if you prefer being home to a hotel room over 200 nights a year, you should completely follow galaxy's advice.

Interesting. I was thinking of doing just the opposite of M20EPilot... Geting OUT of aviation, and becoming a firefighter...

M20E, I normally do not point out other users like this but "wrxpilot" is very similar to your situation. Same age, same background, same issues, he decided to fly with a regional and likes it after success in engineering, etc. You might want to dig up some of his posts, and when you get PM privileges use it to contact him. Just a suggestion. There are quite a few former pro engineers on the boards, it seems to be a personality type that goes with aviation, generally a bored engineer dreams of flying rather than vice-versa, but there are even a few airline guys here who do engineering as a side gig. It is very rare for one of them to trash the flying occupation. I am also an engineer about to transition to my first airline work.

Thanks all for the replies, especially for the reference, cubdriver.

I figured some folks would tell me to stay out/stay put. Sorry, I sat on the fence on that one for too long already (getting older in the process)! I know what I want to do, and I know I don't want to spend the rest of my working life in a cubicle. I also know myself well enough now to know that I do enjoy the lifestyle of going places for a few days and then home for a few. I think that could work out well with an airline schedule.

The way I see it, even if flying professionally is something I grow to loathe, I'll at least have given it a shot and will know that, and then go back to engineering. Better to try than to live a life where you look back and say "I really wish I would have ...".

cubdriver, its interesting that a lot of the folks here are ex-engineers. I've always thought of myself as a pilot/person with aviation interest first before an engineer, though the time I've put in as an engineer has without a doubt changed the way I think about things.

I will keep plugging away at the time building. Picked up my ATP written study book and will start on that as my next area of study. I'm going to try to knock another item off the bucket list here and do a transcon in the Mooney soon. I've flown from the west coast to Oshkosh a couple of times in the past 13 yrs, but never all the way west coast to east and back.

Put the Mooney up for sale asap. As soon as I got the airline job I put my plane up and it took a good amount of time before it sold, wish I just would have gotten rid of it before I was even hired. Keep your job now and bank as much money away as you can. The first few years are going to be quite a change financially from where you are now. Find either a person or a flight school that does twin time building and get at least 100 hours or so in it. I think The Aviator in Ft. Pierce, FL has a 10 grand 100 hour block special, or just negotiate for 75 hours since you already have 25. Start applying now to everyone, you might get lucky and get the interview and a job even without the ME time. I know you would prefer a job on the West Coast, but the sooner you can get into a 121 the better that way you are ahead of the 2013 ATP requirement. You can always apply to another 121 carrier based out West if you want too.

I'm one of those engineers turned pilots. I'm so much happier flying and I do some engineering on the side to supplement the paycheck. Keep in mind that training is not reflective of what it's like flying the line so don't decide during training that it's not for you. Get through IOE get on the line and then make the call. I say this because I have seen several people in this position quit during training and say its not for them.
Not that being said, do your best to live in base, it makes a HUGE difference! Sell the Mooney and go buy some block time somewhere and get it done. The first year pay was tough to swallow but there is rapid movement coming so it will be worth it in the grand scheme of things!

Perhaps aviation is more appealing to engineers since they know that if it get too bad they can always punch out and go back to the cubicle for more money. Regular pilots are stuck and that sense of helplessness and depression burns a hole into your gut over time.

SKyhigh