Job Offer at Major!

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FlyPurdue

Well-Known Member
I do not expect any of you to make this decision for me - but I would like to use this thread as a bit of a sounding board, and help any one else in a similar situation. I have been offered a job at a US Legacy, in their revenue department, as a market analyst. I am passionate about this career, and would not be using this as a 'back door' in to flight operations, and then work my way onto the flight deck. I am not trying to brag, but with my current seniority as a first officer, our contract provisions, and living at a commuter heavy base - I am able to hold almost all weekends off, fly 1,2, and 3 day trips, with 14+ days off, and still credit in the high 80's each month. Once again, I say this not to boast, but to show that my QOL will not change drastically in either direction with a desk job. Pay on the other hand will change, for the better. However, being very young, and not having any major expense, makes my current FO salary sufficient.

With pilot hiring at the majors on the horizon - I do not want to miss out of a 40 year career at a major, retiring in the top 1%, flying heavies. This may be naive thinking, but I feel well positioned, well networked, and well educated to make that an honest reality. To all the legacy pilots whom inspired me to become a pilot, do you feel satisfied with this career? How does it feel being a captain, or working at a legacy, or even training pilots at the school house?

Thank you for your input - I defiantly have some thinking, and soul searching to do, but am glad to be in this position.

Cheers!

FlyPurdue
 
Well behind you along the career train, but conventional wisdom seems to dictate that anyone who has a passion for boring holes in the sky isn't going to be self-satisfied flying a desk.
 
In all honesty it doesn't feel much different than being an RJ pilot. I'm paid better, treated better, have better job security (for now), and better over all quality of life. That's the good part. I still share many of the same frustrations that any airline pilot does. That doesn't mean that I would like to be doing something else because I really can't see myself doing anything else right now so all in all I'm content. As for a 40 year career retiring in the top 1% flying heavies? I'd be careful. Goals are great to have but you need to be happy with everything else in between as well as the idea that it may not happen. It does for some and it doesn't for others and it's often by no fault of their own.

As for the job offer in marketing, congratulations! The question is do you want to be a pilot or are you ok working for an airline in another capacity? I would hesitate to give up what sounds to be an above average regional gig if my goal was to be a pilot. I think recency of experience matters in the pilot hiring world and if you leave the flying side might be hard to get back into.

When I was hired by Southernjets there were a bunch of ground school instructors who worked for a now non existent major airline. This airline at one time had a program where they could go from instructor to line pilot. A merger occurred and they were retained as ground school instructors but not considered for line positions because most possessed no real line experience.

I'll be interested in what others have to say because I'm sure there are many with an opposite experience. It seems that internal hires were once common place but now less so. Good luck!
 
Don't discount the jumpseat travel benefits. You won't have them working in revman. Nothing stunk more than not sleeping, getting to LAS at 0-dark-thirty, not getting on a flight out and then seeing my buds walk up hours later sit up front and get out of dodge while i still sat. Hangovers at LAS are the worst; they don't turn off those damn slot machines making all their noise!
 
FlyPurdue said:
To all the legacy pilots whom inspired me to become a pilot, do you feel satisfied with this career? How does it feel being a captain, or working at a legacy, or even training pilots at the school house?
Click to expand...

The best advice you will get would be from a legacy captain who has also sat at the desk for 50 hours a week in a previous career.
 
In my experience, you can fly for ten years straight, then take six months off and the interviewer will become suspect of your flying ability.
 
Thank you for all the insight - as I said earlier...this would not be my attempt to bypass the hiring board, and sneak my way into a pilot position. This job is much more inline with my university degree, and background. Sometimes, I feel dissatisfied with being a pilot, and was just wondering how the job satisfaction relates to working for a corporate operator, major, vs regional. At this point - I am really considering taking this job offer.

Thanks!
 
Good luck with your decision. Unfortunately since nobody else here has gone down that road they most likely can't help you with your decision. Whichever road you take there will be days when it is paved with gold, and others filled with potholes.

I guess all you can do is make the decision that is right for you today, and hope for the best that it is still right for you tomorrow.

Good luck!
 
You sound pretty happy where you are. For my own part, I've pretty much decided that it's bad juju to look a gift horse in the mouth. Would I like to make more money and fly across the globe impregnating stews in a totally deniable way? Sure, who wouldn't? That said, I have possibly the easiest job on God's Green Earth, the money is (just) acceptable, and the schedule kicks ass. What's the old saw? "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"? Just food for thought. Hope whatever you decide to do works out well.
 
Thank you for all the input - I really appreciate it. Points where raised that I had not considered, and this allowed me to analyze my options from many different angles. I decided to take the offer, and will be starting at the end of January. I am really excited, and look forward to the opportunities this career track will allow for. Hopefully, after having been a pilot, and now joining 'management' I will offer a fresh prospective on both groups, and can better both the industry and the career long term.

Will I miss flying, defiantly...I will miss the early dawn departures, and watching the sun rise over the horizon, the sense of speed when climbing through an overcast layer, and turning off the AP/FD and hand flying into DCA at night. However, I am excited about macro decision making, and working in a more creative and social atmosphere. I have found a neat program at a simulator center nearby, that allows you to work as an SIC seat filler for clients whom are training toward their PIC rating.

I will be giving a 2+ week notice in the coming weeks, but until then, please do not mention nor guess the company I am leaving, or whom I will be working for. I often read of people whom are burnt out, and want a career change, and I will still be around (albeit less) and welcome any questions / pm's on selling an 'Aviation Flight Degree' to a non flying position.

Once again, thank you!

Boiler Up!
 
ZapBrannigan said:
Good luck with your decision. Unfortunately since nobody else here has gone down that road they most likely can't help you with your decision. Whichever road you take there will be days when it is paved with gold, and others filled with potholes.

I guess all you can do is make the decision that is right for you today, and hope for the best that it is still right for you tomorrow.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Someone else has actually made this same transition...and he even - also - went to Purdue. He may or not speak up, however - ultimately - this is a personal decision for the OP to make.
 
Congrats on your decision! Looking forward to hearing more, I have all but decided to try to follow the same path...Good luck!
 
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