Should jtrain take recall?

ATN_Pilot said:
Seriously? I'm interpreting it a bit differently. On a website entirely devoted to aviation careers, it's just about evenly split between people saying that he should go back to flying or stay in law school. I think that's a pretty big condemnation on this career path.
Click to expand...

If it was truly a condemnation, it would be closer to 100% of people saying "quit flying." There are a lot of anti-airline (not necessarily anti-aviation) people on this site (myself included), but they are not the majority. If aviation were truly that bad, this would be a self-help site dedicated to aiding pilots in finding jobs in other industries. That's not the case.
 
Bypass

I don't think you are actually at the decision point yet.

Sure, they might soon invite you to a recall class and you can once again be flying the line.

And, DTW-ORD, DTW-CLE, or DTW-EWR is not a bad commute at all, especially when the home airport side of things runs like clockwork and both potential bases are very close. You could even maybe sit reserve for CLE if you had your stuff packed up and ready to go for short call days (if you could get a spot in CLE).

But given the option of bypassing and knowing that you will still be able to review this decision again in the future while still keeping your current seniority number, I don't see why you shouldn't finish what you have now started, the law degree. It would be a waste to go as far as you have and stop and you'd have nothing to show for a lot of money spent. I say, get that done as soon as possible, and hopefully that happens before the final "last call" recall opportunity. I think with the way things are now at XJT and the economy and CAL and UAL, chances are you will still have several years before you are faced with returning to the line or resigning your seniority number there.

Postpone this decision, bypass, and come back to it later on.
 
Re: Bypass

Nick said:
Postpone this decision, bypass, and come back to it later on.
Click to expand...


This, times 1,000. Defer the decision until you absolutely, positively MUST make it. The longer you bypass, the better QOL as well. You're not going to be sitting ready reserve/bottom of the list if you wait a little. I have applied to countless jobs while employed as an airline pilot, and pursued each opportunity until I had to say yes/no (with CBP A&M being the only "yes" so far).

Whatever you do, just make sure you aren't jumping out of the frying pan into the fire (which, ironically, has kept me flying airplanes for a living!).
 
I think you should finish law school and be an attorney. That is the common sense thing to do; however, In 10 years I think you will be looking up as airliners pass overhead still wondering if you made the right decision. Face it John, it's harder to walk away from than you think.

Now get off the forum and get back to studying.
 
I voted "no" but meant that you should take bypass and keep going in school. Get your degree (or as close as you can get to it) before you're forced to say "yes" or "no" so you have more options when the time comes.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
Seriously? I'm interpreting it a bit differently. On a website entirely devoted to aviation careers, it's just about evenly split between people saying that he should go back to flying or stay in law school. I think that's a pretty big condemnation on this career path.
Click to expand...

The condemnation would come, when those who are still flying airliners themselves, but tell someone else to walk away, walk away themselves. But that will never happen.
 
BTW, here's my guesses for recall, and the reasons I think I might have less time than ya'll think (though honestly nobody knows).

I think the entire list will be back within 18 months. Not everybody having an opportunity to come back, but instead everybody is actually back on the list.

18 months from now is the middle of my last year, and at that point I WILL NOT cut loose from school with only a few months before graduation. Frankly that's a position I don't want to have to be in, because if I can't find a job as an attorney, I don't want to piss away the chance of an income at Express.

But I had a few predetermined cut points in my head, and the end of my first year is one of them. At this point I've incurred a minimal amount of debt (compared to what it'll be when I graduate), and could eat the costs without too much of a problem.

Now if the list is in fact back in 18 months, then I'm going to apply for an educational leave of absence, which I don't think I'll end up having granted.

So I think the key difference between my estimates and everybody else's are when everybody will be recalled. I think it's going to happen faster than others do, and that's going to obvious affect decision making calculations.

Just a little FYI about what's running through my head, and how it differs from others. In the end, though, it's all a guess.

EDIT: Oh and Nick brought up a great point that I've been mulling over; finish as fast as possible. I could get out in 2 years if I went all out, balls to the wall. I'm not sure of the mechanics of doing this, but it's certainly something I'm tossing around in order to eleviate any of the problems I've just listed.
 
I've told you this before, but I think you're probably right about everyone having to come back or resign in the next 18 months. My bet is that everyone will have an opportunity to come back before summer 2011. Given the current deferral rate if xjet needed 122 more pilots they would have to send a recall letter to all remaining furloughees.

Of course we'll all get furloughed again when the new debt-free Mesa underbids xjet for the UAL flying in 2012, but you'd have a good ~10 months back on the line :). But perhaps if Age 90 doesn't get passed we'll see some movement in this industry around then.
 
Clocks said:
I've told you this before, but I think you're probably right about everyone having to come back or resign in the next 18 months. My bet is that everyone will have an opportunity to come back before summer 2011. Given the current deferral rate if xjet needed 122 more pilots they would have to send a recall letter to all remaining furloughees.

Of course we'll all get furloughed again when the new debt-free Mesa underbids xjet for the UAL flying in 2012, but you'd have a good ~10 months back on the line :). But perhaps if Age 90 doesn't get passed we'll see some movement in this industry around then.
Click to expand...

True dat holmes. I fully expected to be on the street 3-4 years before, but the economy is rebounding faster than I had anticipated.
 
John,

Unless things at XJT have changed dramatically I don't think you should have a problem getting that education LOA. Also, how long do bypass rights go? I could have sworn we had a few guys from the last furlough that bypassed a couple of years after everyone had already been recalled. I suggest you give Semak or Stoltz a call and get a definitive answer before any big moves are made.

But, my personal recs are finish the degree unless you absolutely can't stand it. Then, if you want back into flying, come back from your bypass or recall. I've known quite a few guys that are now retired that did just that. One big name is the former ALPA First VP and IFALPA president Denny Dolan. During a furlough he got his law degree and then came back to flying. Many consider him one of the best pilot advocates ALPA ever had.

Also, there are other jobs at XJT that are not flying jobs but, are staffed with pilots. Just because they are in management doesn't mean they are not worth while. Had I stayed there I probably would be looking into just that.
 
don't forget that you could end up furloughed again in another year or two if United prematurely pulls their flying from xjet (similar to Delta).
 
JoelT said:
John,

Unless things at XJT have changed dramatically I don't think you should have a problem getting that education LOA. Also, how long do bypass rights go? I could have sworn we had a few guys from the last furlough that bypassed a couple of years after everyone had already been recalled. I suggest you give Semak or Stoltz a call and get a definitive answer before any big moves are made.

But, my personal recs are finish the degree unless you absolutely can't stand it. Then, if you want back into flying, come back from your bypass or recall. I've known quite a few guys that are now retired that did just that. One big name is the former ALPA First VP and IFALPA president Denny Dolan. During a furlough he got his law degree and then came back to flying. Many consider him one of the best pilot advocates ALPA ever had.

Also, there are other jobs at XJT that are not flying jobs but, are staffed with pilots. Just because they are in management doesn't mean they are not worth while. Had I stayed there I probably would be looking into just that.
Click to expand...

Me?

In management?

I'd rather just become a hooker and get right to it :)
 
Wow. . .do a few more years flying to really get a perspective of the aviation industry, then decide what to do on your own terms. It was fun for you, I think. It was your dream.

You're young; pick a date that's good for you, THEN transition out of the industry.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top