dcramer16
Well-Known Member
First off, I loved working for AirNet. It was so far the best job I've had. The aircraft were top of the line, the pilots were great, and the pay was good too. So I'm worried that the jobs I have competitive times for still won't be as good as my job at AirNet (I'll explain in a minute). I had a day to search the job boards, and spent a good 10 hours looking though job postings and sending out resumes and I didn't find anything that was at all interesting. So I feel like I've hit the bottom of the darkest, deepest well of depression.
Here's my problem. I need something that is going to take me to the next level, and something I can afford. There are two problems, financial, and future.
Let me talk about the financial part of my problem. I was making about 38K/year here, and that was just barely enough for me to feed my wife and kids. I can't find anything near that range. So yes, the airlines are pretty much out of the question. I need something that has bases with a lower cost of living that pays at least this much. I can't afford anything less. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm being picky. Just with loans to pay back, and a family to support, I can't take anything less.
The other problem is finding something that is going to take me to the next level. Right now I sit at 2400TT and 800ME. During my day of searching all I found was either Part 135 that offered me Multi time for about 20K a year less that AirNet was paying me, single engine turbine time that paid about 10K a year less that AirNet, or jet/turbine time jobs that paid about what AirNet was paying me that already required you to have turbine time. This is where the depression set in. I really thought with my time and experience I could do better than a shady 135 operation.
So let me ask you, with my times, what kind of job should I expect. I need the pay to be at least what AirNet was paying. I also need something with a future. Is working for another 135 operation building ME time going to help me? Is working for another 135 operation building Caravan single engine turbine time going to help me? Are there actually jobs out there for a FO in a jet, that doesn't require jet time, that has reasonable upgrade times and that pays decent.
I am really really stuck. During the course of my career, I first did what I had to do to get 500TT. Then I did what I had to do to get 135 Minimums. Now what do I do? I am really stuck. It seems I don't quite have enough time to get some sort of a turbine job that pays decent (the only turbine jobs I could find that didn't require prior turbine time was the airlines). It also seems that as far as 135 jobs out there, the pay is much lower than what AirNet was paying. And before someone accuses me of being "anti-airline", if I could afford to "pay my dues" at an airline, I would have no problem with that. But right now I can just barely afford to live off my AirNet salary. Cut that in half, and I'm screwed.
So any advice would be greatly appriciated. I had high hopes of flying the Lears for AirNet. Now I don't know what the F I should do! What can I do to either work towards the next level, or get to the next level, while being able to afford to "exist" with my family?
I'm not looking for someone to "solve my problem". I'm also not looking for pity. I know (especially with the state of the economy) that there are pilots out there that are doing worse than me. Furloughs happen, and I am extremely grateful for my time at AirNet. I just really, honestly don't know where to go from here to keep my career on track. As I see it, my options so far are these:
1. Wait for call backs.
I can't afford to sit here unemployed for even a month
2. Get a 135 job and keep building my ME time for almost half the pay
Again, I was just making ends meet with my current salary
3. Go to the airlines to get my turbine/jet time
Can't afford it
4. Find a job that pays at least what I was making at AirNet, that has a future with turbine time.
Ideal, but so far, from what I have seen, unlikely
I'm not trying to sound whiny. Again, I'm sure there are alot of pilots out there that have it worse than me. I just don't know where to go from here. What is a smart decision? Again, my times are about 2400TT and 800ME, so any advice is appreicated. Even if all the advice you have to offer me is to stop bitching!
Thanks
Here's my problem. I need something that is going to take me to the next level, and something I can afford. There are two problems, financial, and future.
Let me talk about the financial part of my problem. I was making about 38K/year here, and that was just barely enough for me to feed my wife and kids. I can't find anything near that range. So yes, the airlines are pretty much out of the question. I need something that has bases with a lower cost of living that pays at least this much. I can't afford anything less. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm being picky. Just with loans to pay back, and a family to support, I can't take anything less.
The other problem is finding something that is going to take me to the next level. Right now I sit at 2400TT and 800ME. During my day of searching all I found was either Part 135 that offered me Multi time for about 20K a year less that AirNet was paying me, single engine turbine time that paid about 10K a year less that AirNet, or jet/turbine time jobs that paid about what AirNet was paying me that already required you to have turbine time. This is where the depression set in. I really thought with my time and experience I could do better than a shady 135 operation.
So let me ask you, with my times, what kind of job should I expect. I need the pay to be at least what AirNet was paying. I also need something with a future. Is working for another 135 operation building ME time going to help me? Is working for another 135 operation building Caravan single engine turbine time going to help me? Are there actually jobs out there for a FO in a jet, that doesn't require jet time, that has reasonable upgrade times and that pays decent.
I am really really stuck. During the course of my career, I first did what I had to do to get 500TT. Then I did what I had to do to get 135 Minimums. Now what do I do? I am really stuck. It seems I don't quite have enough time to get some sort of a turbine job that pays decent (the only turbine jobs I could find that didn't require prior turbine time was the airlines). It also seems that as far as 135 jobs out there, the pay is much lower than what AirNet was paying. And before someone accuses me of being "anti-airline", if I could afford to "pay my dues" at an airline, I would have no problem with that. But right now I can just barely afford to live off my AirNet salary. Cut that in half, and I'm screwed.
So any advice would be greatly appriciated. I had high hopes of flying the Lears for AirNet. Now I don't know what the F I should do! What can I do to either work towards the next level, or get to the next level, while being able to afford to "exist" with my family?
I'm not looking for someone to "solve my problem". I'm also not looking for pity. I know (especially with the state of the economy) that there are pilots out there that are doing worse than me. Furloughs happen, and I am extremely grateful for my time at AirNet. I just really, honestly don't know where to go from here to keep my career on track. As I see it, my options so far are these:
1. Wait for call backs.
I can't afford to sit here unemployed for even a month
2. Get a 135 job and keep building my ME time for almost half the pay
Again, I was just making ends meet with my current salary
3. Go to the airlines to get my turbine/jet time
Can't afford it
4. Find a job that pays at least what I was making at AirNet, that has a future with turbine time.
Ideal, but so far, from what I have seen, unlikely
I'm not trying to sound whiny. Again, I'm sure there are alot of pilots out there that have it worse than me. I just don't know where to go from here. What is a smart decision? Again, my times are about 2400TT and 800ME, so any advice is appreicated. Even if all the advice you have to offer me is to stop bitching!
Thanks