Bog
New Member
Jeremy: great idea to share what you're feeling. You sir, are NOT alone in those feelings.
When I decided to change careers in 1998 and go into professional flying, I was 27 and hopelessly single. I was starting to feel like I'd never get married, so I figured "why not?" I had no-one to leave behind, I was single & free.
I went through ATP's program in San Diego, answered the phones in JAX, instructed in San Antonio, got hired by Mesa/Air Midwest, and proceeded to bounce around 5 more states over 4+ years. A few months after upgrading, I got bounced outta PHX and went to Nashville. Shortly after getting there, I started dating my now-wife. When she and I met, I had officially given up on ever getting married. She changed that.
7 months before we got married, I changed jobs. The new schedule is 8 days on, 6 days off. Engaged, but not married, it didn't bother me at all being gone for those stretches. That changed as soon as I hit the road after the wedding. Perhaps I still need to get used to the idea that I'm "leaving my wife behind." Perhaps something inside of me really does want to be home 24/7. At this point, I wonder how I'm going to feel when we start having children. Can I really do this for 30 more years? We'll need the Magic 8 Ball for that.
For the last few months, I've been open to a new line of employment. If I can find a job that will allow us to pay the mortgage, eat, and put a few dollars into savings, I'd leave the cockpit. I have one "iron in the fire" for a job like that, and am waiting for the company to start hiring. Perhaps I'll peruse the classifieds to see what's out there. I realize, though, that once I leave the flight deck, it'll be hard to get hired back.
I can't tell you what'll work for you. If you can find a well-enough paying instructor job, that'd keep you home at night. Perhaps a good corporate or charter pilot gig would work. It's a tough call, whatever you choose. I wish you all the best in figuring that one out, because it won't be easy.
-Bog
When I decided to change careers in 1998 and go into professional flying, I was 27 and hopelessly single. I was starting to feel like I'd never get married, so I figured "why not?" I had no-one to leave behind, I was single & free.
I went through ATP's program in San Diego, answered the phones in JAX, instructed in San Antonio, got hired by Mesa/Air Midwest, and proceeded to bounce around 5 more states over 4+ years. A few months after upgrading, I got bounced outta PHX and went to Nashville. Shortly after getting there, I started dating my now-wife. When she and I met, I had officially given up on ever getting married. She changed that.
7 months before we got married, I changed jobs. The new schedule is 8 days on, 6 days off. Engaged, but not married, it didn't bother me at all being gone for those stretches. That changed as soon as I hit the road after the wedding. Perhaps I still need to get used to the idea that I'm "leaving my wife behind." Perhaps something inside of me really does want to be home 24/7. At this point, I wonder how I'm going to feel when we start having children. Can I really do this for 30 more years? We'll need the Magic 8 Ball for that.
For the last few months, I've been open to a new line of employment. If I can find a job that will allow us to pay the mortgage, eat, and put a few dollars into savings, I'd leave the cockpit. I have one "iron in the fire" for a job like that, and am waiting for the company to start hiring. Perhaps I'll peruse the classifieds to see what's out there. I realize, though, that once I leave the flight deck, it'll be hard to get hired back.
I can't tell you what'll work for you. If you can find a well-enough paying instructor job, that'd keep you home at night. Perhaps a good corporate or charter pilot gig would work. It's a tough call, whatever you choose. I wish you all the best in figuring that one out, because it won't be easy.
-Bog