Plan B....

JDean3204

JDean3204

Well-Known Member
So last semester I was told to write a plan B, a contingency plan in case I was not able to fly for a living anymore. That honestly scared me and made me think, I have spent a lot of money and energy on this career so far and hope that will not happen. However, if it does, what will I do?? I took a few days to really think about it since all I have ever wanted to do was fly for a living.

I honestly think I would go into business with my dad, we would use our VA loans and start a fitness club (either franchise or maybe our own brand..). I have always enjoyed working out and living healthy, so being able to help others do the same would be a rewarding career. I did a ton of research and found a veteran in Texas who now owns five different 24 hour fitness clubs, it was a very good example of turning something you love and turning it into a decent income. I am contemplating getting a degree in Health and Fitness just in case, but money is an issue at this point in my life. I am hoping to get my personal trainer certs sometime in the next few years after finishing flight training.

So what would you do if you were told to kick rocks? Looking forward to hear this, and knowing some of you I should get the popcorn ready for this one :)
 
JDean3204 said:
So last semester I was told to write a plan B, a contingency plan in case I was not able to fly for a living anymore. That honestly scared me and made me think, I have spent a lot of money and energy on this career so far and hope that will not happen. However, if it does, what will I do?? I took a few days to really think about it since all I have ever wanted to do was fly for a living.

I honestly think I would go into business with my dad, we would use our VA loans and start a fitness club (either franchise or maybe our own brand..). I have always enjoyed working out and living healthy, so being able to help others do the same would be a rewarding career. I did a ton of research and found a veteran in Texas who now owns five different 24 hour fitness clubs, it was a very good example of turning something you love and turning it into a decent income. I am contemplating getting a degree in Health and Fitness just in case, but money is an issue at this point in my life. I am hoping to get my personal trainer certs sometime in the next few years after finishing flight training.

So what would you do if you were told to kick rocks? Looking forward to hear this, and knowing some of you I should get the popcorn ready for this one :)
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Dispatcher was my plan B, work up to SOC mngr and eventually DO.
 
Plan A, B, and C....to fly a JET!







Seriously though, anything else aviation related. ATC, dispatcher, airport ops. Hell, even a flight attendant ha!
 
Eh... If I do something else, I'll open up my own business again. I owned one for several years before aviation and I've been sitting on a few ideas. I also dabble in real estate from time to time. I think I would be good at selling people houses. I have friends in the private security contracting industry as well, so I've given that thought before. Just not sure if I like the idea of "getting shot at" as a job description.
 
I would go to school to be a diesel mechanic. From there I would either want to go work on ships, or work on the slope.
 
Gigolo. Only other thing I am really good at besides flying. lol Maybe a dog trainer or a piano player at a bar somewheres or own a model shop with model building classes or furniture refinishing or teach surfing, water aerobics and swimming or have a food truck and cook, or dance instructor or babysitter. I really don't have too many other skills I guess.:(
 
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Not exactly a Plan B, but a good supplement. My buddy was a night time bridge tender. Flew during the day, rarely had overnights and then went to the bridge. It was open on demand, so he'd sleep with the VHF volume maxed out to wake him when someone would want the bridge opened.
 
Right now the only thing I have to fall on is my real estate but I'm only looking at about 2 million in sales right now and that would be hard to live off of. I think I would take a month of unemployment to think about it. Maybe something at Boeing.
 
I would buy and sell stuff. I once bought 25 nice generators from a speculator who planned to sell them to people for a premium as hurricanes approached. No hurricanes materialized and he was stuck holding a truck full of generators he couldn't sell for a profit. I offered him a low price for all he had and surprisingly, he took it. I made out because I had time to wait it out. I could do stuff like that or restore cars, build stuff or any number of things as a Plan B but would find it hard to go to an 8 to 5 schedule working five days a week. No thank you.
 
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The funny thing about this is that most semi-senior (+50% in category) airline pilots have a second career. If you get to even a comfortable spot as a senior mainline FO then you will have both the time and money to open at least 5 24 hr fitness franchises. Nice profit margins, low overhead with a pretty predictable income stream. I would keep this business plan in your back pocket.
 
Airport ops again if I wasn't too old for the schedule.

I'm with Doug though. My reluctant plan b of atc has worked out nicely for me. I'll also readily admit I've been ridiculously fortunate up to now.

Plan C for post retirement is whatever secures interline and flight benefits and can be done part time.
 
Male Stripper.

Kidding aside, my degree is in business administration, so I suppose I could fall back on some cubicle dwelling yes man 9-5 job while trying to figure out a plan c.
 
crazyjaydawg said:
The funny thing about this is that most semi-senior (+50% in category) airline pilots have a second career. If you get to even a comfortable spot as a senior mainline FO then you will have both the time and money to open at least 5 24 hr fitness franchises. Nice profit margins, low overhead with a pretty predictable income stream. I would keep this business plan in your back pocket.
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That is honestly the plan, I do not want to think too far ahead right now though. I would like to have my own brand, my uncle lives in the UK and it took him 15 years to build his personal fitness business up to the point where he could quit his job at the Royal Mail. I wouldn't want to quit flying, but definitely have a good side business being able to help others achieve their personal goals!
 
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