mrivc211
Well-Known Member
While I await a class date, I think more and more about the industry and about what some of my peers have said. As Doug and many others have said for years, don't throw all your eggs in one basket. I've always had this thought in the back of my mind, but going through my ratings and only in my early twenties, it didn't really sink in seriously until recently.
When I first started flying just a few years ago, my main concern was how long away I'd be from home. Now it's if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Money can only help the sacrifice so much. But when the money begins to dry up, things come to change real fast. And no, don't get the wrong idea......I"m not quitting. Hence, the title of the post, the best of both worlds.
Instead of deciding on a career change, I began to weigh out different things. This process began a few months ago. I looked at how the pay at the majors wasn't what it used to be. And from the looks of it, it ain't going back to the old days of a 5th year FO flying a 737 making $1xx,xxx's. Off the top of my head, I saw something like a United FO that had been around for 8 years still making something like $80,000 a year. Thats a lot of sacrifice and responsibility for only $80,000. Many years of training...yadda yadda yadda....you've all heard it before.
So I'll cut to the chase. Here are the two choices. Fly for a regional for a while, build up your PIC turbine time then try and make it into a cut throat major that only pays a little more, and live in who knows what domicile. My second option thats sounding more inticing is stay at Skywest, fly an RJ for about $50-60K a year. Have the base I want(I'm from california and we have a lot of cali bases here), have somewhat of a good seniority number in just about 5 years or so. Work 4 days a week and have 3 off. Heres the kicker that makes this all work. Having a side business that brings in not a ton of cash, but supplements my income just enough to where I"m satisfied.
I've been working on that side business for a few months now. Theres been a couple of different things lurking around in my head, both seem somewhat promising. My target is to make anywhere from $25-50,000/year in addition to what I make at SKYW. With it, I'd like to invest in real estate and set up rental properties. Sounds like a lot of work, but if you want to retire early, its what you've got to do. You've got to remember, SKYW doesn't offer a pension like a major would, so you've gotta make up for it in different ways.
This all seems optimistic, and my plan is not to tell everyone on the internet about what my life plan is. But what I am trying to do is hopefully better inform others out there that it might not be such a bad idea. Use your heads. You'll be surprised at what you can accomoplish if you think outside the box and don't listen to people for a change. So what is the best of both worlds for me? Being able to fly a plane, have a life, make decent money, and be home more often than a pilot should. The best of both worlds.
I hope that some of you will begin to weigh your options as well. Aviation is changing as we know it and adjustments have to be made. I'd like to hear some of your thoughts and ideas of sticking with a regional.
Now.......on with game 3 of the finals......go Lakers!
When I first started flying just a few years ago, my main concern was how long away I'd be from home. Now it's if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Money can only help the sacrifice so much. But when the money begins to dry up, things come to change real fast. And no, don't get the wrong idea......I"m not quitting. Hence, the title of the post, the best of both worlds.
Instead of deciding on a career change, I began to weigh out different things. This process began a few months ago. I looked at how the pay at the majors wasn't what it used to be. And from the looks of it, it ain't going back to the old days of a 5th year FO flying a 737 making $1xx,xxx's. Off the top of my head, I saw something like a United FO that had been around for 8 years still making something like $80,000 a year. Thats a lot of sacrifice and responsibility for only $80,000. Many years of training...yadda yadda yadda....you've all heard it before.
So I'll cut to the chase. Here are the two choices. Fly for a regional for a while, build up your PIC turbine time then try and make it into a cut throat major that only pays a little more, and live in who knows what domicile. My second option thats sounding more inticing is stay at Skywest, fly an RJ for about $50-60K a year. Have the base I want(I'm from california and we have a lot of cali bases here), have somewhat of a good seniority number in just about 5 years or so. Work 4 days a week and have 3 off. Heres the kicker that makes this all work. Having a side business that brings in not a ton of cash, but supplements my income just enough to where I"m satisfied.
I've been working on that side business for a few months now. Theres been a couple of different things lurking around in my head, both seem somewhat promising. My target is to make anywhere from $25-50,000/year in addition to what I make at SKYW. With it, I'd like to invest in real estate and set up rental properties. Sounds like a lot of work, but if you want to retire early, its what you've got to do. You've got to remember, SKYW doesn't offer a pension like a major would, so you've gotta make up for it in different ways.
This all seems optimistic, and my plan is not to tell everyone on the internet about what my life plan is. But what I am trying to do is hopefully better inform others out there that it might not be such a bad idea. Use your heads. You'll be surprised at what you can accomoplish if you think outside the box and don't listen to people for a change. So what is the best of both worlds for me? Being able to fly a plane, have a life, make decent money, and be home more often than a pilot should. The best of both worlds.
I hope that some of you will begin to weigh your options as well. Aviation is changing as we know it and adjustments have to be made. I'd like to hear some of your thoughts and ideas of sticking with a regional.
Now.......on with game 3 of the finals......go Lakers!
