Airline pilot or MBA?
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shooter13 said:
You are exactly right. I flew for the Navy for ten yrs, joined a major in 1998 and just left that for a non-flying aviation related position with a large US company. With the pensions going away or gone, the crappy wages and the continuing brutal competition, the working conditions at the majors will continue to suck for a long time. I'm 39, so I decided to make the move while I still could. I'm earning 50K more a year than if I had stayed with the airlines and I can use that money to rent whatever I want. I was home for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas for the first time in 18 years. I have three children and a wife and I was not going to continue to be an ATM for the overtaxed, poorly managed industry with no pricing power. I loved flying airplanes for a living, but it isnt much of a living anymore. I'm earning my MBA and within 10 yrs I plan to buy my own bugsmasher. Just don't be so quick to fantasize about flying for the majors or anybody else. Life on the road gets old and in the end, it's just a job. Focus on spending the time you have with your family and close freinds. When all is said and done, that small group of people are the only ones that give a hoot about you anyway. So often, we live our lives telling ourselves that life will really start when we get that raise or get that new job or buy that new home. Our happiness depends on some future event that we have little control over. Realize that this is your life! Flying may be part of it, but it cant be all of it. And with the state of the industry, it will be difficult to have a long and rewarding career if the compensation is so poor that you can't afford to live comfortably. Just make sure you really understand what the career of a pilot entails before you run off and quit a good job. It is probably not all that you think it is. Good luck, fair winds and following seas.
Tom
bigcat
Well-Known Member
Airline Pilot vs. Corporate Job
I'm brand new to this forum. This is Great dialogue. Here's my story.
I am 40 yr old and spent over 10yrs in corporate america sitting at a desk.
Catherine and BrettinLJ have a great viewpoint, "heart vs. brain issue".
I live and work below an approach path to a major runway at an International Airport. I can not stand to be outside and not look up at the plane as it comes over head. I have the bug. Flying has been a wonderful experience from a recreational view point. On the other hand, I am frustrated with several yr.s of dealing with politics, reorganization every few months, long hours, being utilized outside your forte, and sacrificing your hard efforts for someone else's gain. The desk job comes with several good things, it's not all bad otherwise I would have departed long ago but I'm ready for a change.
After saying all that, my situation is a somewhat unique. My goal is to transition from my desk job to corporate jets within my company. I feel like I understand Tom's view point as well. I realize that sometimes we look beyond our own fences and think that the grass is greener on the other side. After my decade of changing experiences in the office, I too can say the office is not what it use to be either. It really all depends on what type of deal you get in that job and how it(the task required) changes as time and mangement changes in time.
As I said at this point in time, I am ready to roll the dice to an extent just to put myself in position to try walking in the other pasture. I would like to fly a jet (big or small) but if for some unforseen reason I don't make it. I will teach or ferry planes. I just want to fly. It's the passion for flying that draws me closer to that dream and the daily stress and depression from the desk work and politics that makes me want to flee from it. I prefer to fly for both a hobby and a job. Not particularly for the money but for the enjoyment of the job.
I know that I must be prudent in my decision making to find away to obtain all the ratings and the flight time required in a short period of time, but yet not leave the financial base that supports my family.
My thoughts is that you have to weigh the pros and cons of every situation and decide what's best for you in the interim and the long term. Hopefuly I will develop a plan that will get me there!
I appreciate all the various view points shared. I hope that one day I can report to you that my dream came through and see each of you relize your dreams come true as well. If you have any suggestions for me feel free to respond. Or you have seen someone go through a unique opportunity like this let me know.
Bigcat
I'm brand new to this forum. This is Great dialogue. Here's my story.
I am 40 yr old and spent over 10yrs in corporate america sitting at a desk.
Catherine and BrettinLJ have a great viewpoint, "heart vs. brain issue".
I live and work below an approach path to a major runway at an International Airport. I can not stand to be outside and not look up at the plane as it comes over head. I have the bug. Flying has been a wonderful experience from a recreational view point. On the other hand, I am frustrated with several yr.s of dealing with politics, reorganization every few months, long hours, being utilized outside your forte, and sacrificing your hard efforts for someone else's gain. The desk job comes with several good things, it's not all bad otherwise I would have departed long ago but I'm ready for a change.
After saying all that, my situation is a somewhat unique. My goal is to transition from my desk job to corporate jets within my company. I feel like I understand Tom's view point as well. I realize that sometimes we look beyond our own fences and think that the grass is greener on the other side. After my decade of changing experiences in the office, I too can say the office is not what it use to be either. It really all depends on what type of deal you get in that job and how it(the task required) changes as time and mangement changes in time.
As I said at this point in time, I am ready to roll the dice to an extent just to put myself in position to try walking in the other pasture. I would like to fly a jet (big or small) but if for some unforseen reason I don't make it. I will teach or ferry planes. I just want to fly. It's the passion for flying that draws me closer to that dream and the daily stress and depression from the desk work and politics that makes me want to flee from it. I prefer to fly for both a hobby and a job. Not particularly for the money but for the enjoyment of the job.
I know that I must be prudent in my decision making to find away to obtain all the ratings and the flight time required in a short period of time, but yet not leave the financial base that supports my family.
My thoughts is that you have to weigh the pros and cons of every situation and decide what's best for you in the interim and the long term. Hopefuly I will develop a plan that will get me there!
I appreciate all the various view points shared. I hope that one day I can report to you that my dream came through and see each of you relize your dreams come true as well. If you have any suggestions for me feel free to respond. Or you have seen someone go through a unique opportunity like this let me know.
Bigcat
SeanD
Well-Known Member
In the same style corporate boat as you Bigcat and I am so over it. I know what comes with being a pilot. I saw my father miss many holidays, birthdays, ect ect but he was happy and loved his job and always made it up to us one way or another. I know things are a lot different now in the industry then they were when he was flying but I have faith it will get better. Im excited to start my training next week. I have every intention of finishing it and becoming an airline pilot before I turn 40 = ) Good luck to you Big , see you at the finish line.
Cheers
Cheers
cessnajockey454
Well-Known Member
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They say the median salary for this positon is $151,841
That's probably a job for an MBA...and if you're the manager, maybe you could let yourself fly whenever you would like to...not when you have to.
What a great topic.
I'm planing on getting out of the military in a year and want to do nothing else but fly. I have to fly. Many of you know what that "have to" really means. As a commisioned officer in the Army, my flying days are close to over at my current rank and I just can't handle it. I find myself flying desks a lot more than helicopters and it sucks. That being said, my salary is more than comfortable now, and leaving that for a low-paying flying job will be tough. But I have to do it. My only real problem is what type of flying I should get in to? Stay with helicopters or fly fixed wing? I have a commercial ticket in both, and I'll have my airplane flight instructor in a few weeks. Part of me really wants to fly the road less traveled, but I'm not sure what that is or how to get there.
Anyway, I wish the best of luck to those of you out there following your dreams.
I'm planing on getting out of the military in a year and want to do nothing else but fly. I have to fly. Many of you know what that "have to" really means. As a commisioned officer in the Army, my flying days are close to over at my current rank and I just can't handle it. I find myself flying desks a lot more than helicopters and it sucks. That being said, my salary is more than comfortable now, and leaving that for a low-paying flying job will be tough. But I have to do it. My only real problem is what type of flying I should get in to? Stay with helicopters or fly fixed wing? I have a commercial ticket in both, and I'll have my airplane flight instructor in a few weeks. Part of me really wants to fly the road less traveled, but I'm not sure what that is or how to get there.
Anyway, I wish the best of luck to those of you out there following your dreams.
CheekyMarc
New Member
Im starting uni soon and like most of you i am also at a crossroads between MBA and BSC. as of right now i am enrolled in aviation but down the road i do want to manage an airline. I have to decide which order is best. Not easy
SibePilot311
New Member
ChinookDriver said:
Most of my AF peers over the years have had to make this decision. The guys who left at the end of their flying obligations mostly all went the major airline route. Mixed opinions 10-12 years later on how happy they are that they did it. You are probably familiar with the reasons.
I was one of the few guys in my group who stayed to retirement. I had a decision to make a couple of years ago, when I left flying command.....throw away any upward mobility and go back to another flying job (not in line with their concepts of development) or go to a staff. I elected to go staff, more for family obligations unrelated to this topic.
What I found as I have been going through the job-hunting phase, is that I would have a really hard time if all I had ever done was make houses get bigger and smaller. The fact that I have done a lot of unique non-flying things over the years (and surprisingly all have been rewarding in their own rights) showed my versatility to do a variety of things.
In the end, I'm expecting to work for the FAA (which keeps me involved in aviation every day) and fly a bugsmasher on the side. I'm sure a lot of guys on the list will disagree, but I've talked to too many guys who lament their inability to do anything BUT fly because as some have had changes in their professional goals, they no longer have the resume to support the change. I always felt like you do now, but the monday morning quarterback in me says I am glad I was forced out of the cockpit a few times. Just something to think on.
Thanks for your take on things, sibepilot. I see your point and its something I struggle with. I have the opportunity now to get a masters for free in my current job, and am going to pursue it. I'd feel a lot better going out there with a good fallback plan and a MS from a respected university fits the bill.
Even if I wanted to stay in, my family obligations prevent me from doing so. Way too many months and years away from home already. I couldn't in good conscious subject me or my wife to yet another deployment. Flying or not... the military just isn't for me anymore.
I don't know how it is in the AF (probably the same) but staff work just suuuuuuccckkkssss. The staff work I've done so far has sucked my will to live at times. Long thankless hours worked while I watched helicopters fly out my window.
At any rate, after my Masters I have been thinking about sticking with helicopters in the civilian world. I know this is a jet forum, but I was wondering if anyone out there knew people who have made the switch and what their experiences were.
Even if I wanted to stay in, my family obligations prevent me from doing so. Way too many months and years away from home already. I couldn't in good conscious subject me or my wife to yet another deployment. Flying or not... the military just isn't for me anymore.
I don't know how it is in the AF (probably the same) but staff work just suuuuuuccckkkssss. The staff work I've done so far has sucked my will to live at times. Long thankless hours worked while I watched helicopters fly out my window.
At any rate, after my Masters I have been thinking about sticking with helicopters in the civilian world. I know this is a jet forum, but I was wondering if anyone out there knew people who have made the switch and what their experiences were.
SibePilot311
New Member
What masters program? I did the same thing with Ops Research, and I know the Army sends a bunch of people for that. My staff experiences have varied...mostly determined by the people I worked with/for and whether the current leadership was full of boneheads or not. That has varied even in the same assignment.
As for the rotary/fixed wing thing, I used to fly with a bunch of Army WOs who liked to get qualified in our Lear but never followed up in their post-military lives to see how much it helped. I have seen a bunch of good helo jobs, especially if you are open to continued government service. Lots of stuff with the Dept of the Interior that looks really fun, and you at least continue to make a livable wage and have some security. If you haven't spent some time browsing the OPM site, I highly encourage it.
As for the rotary/fixed wing thing, I used to fly with a bunch of Army WOs who liked to get qualified in our Lear but never followed up in their post-military lives to see how much it helped. I have seen a bunch of good helo jobs, especially if you are open to continued government service. Lots of stuff with the Dept of the Interior that looks really fun, and you at least continue to make a livable wage and have some security. If you haven't spent some time browsing the OPM site, I highly encourage it.
I'm an ROTC instructor now, so the school offers free tuition. Damn fine perk, I know.
Yeah... the quality of staff work is really dependant on who you work for and the climate of your organization. Where I was in the 101st it was full speed, non-stop, all the time. Burn-out was nearly inevitable.
Will check out the site you recommended... thanks!
Yeah... the quality of staff work is really dependant on who you work for and the climate of your organization. Where I was in the 101st it was full speed, non-stop, all the time. Burn-out was nearly inevitable.
Will check out the site you recommended... thanks!