Thinking of leaving

[saria19]

My career as a pilot is something I always dreamed of but I'm starting to get older and realized I do want what my siblings have: spouses, kids, and regular schedules. I've been kicking the idea of leaving and think I should seriously consider it now rather than later.

For my education, I did receive a degree in Aeronautical Science and a minor in Safety, focusing on Accident investigation. I'm not sure where or what I can do with this aside from accident investigation and I don't know who is hiring.

Any suggestions?

 

[desertdog71]

Do what makes you happy.

 

[saria19]

That's not very helpful. I'm looking for suggestions on what to do or where I could possibly go for work.

 

[staledog]

FAA?

 

[mikecweb]

There are many pilots that have spouses, kids, and a schedule.

 

[poser765]

I left an airline for exactly the same reasons. I wanted a regular schedule and to be home every night. I found an office job that gave me all that. 8-5 Monday through Friday. Weekends off! I thought it would be great. I lasted a month. One month is all it took before I wanted to start setting stuff on fire. I hated every waking minute of it. I hated life when I was at work, and I hated life when at home because I knew I had to go back.

Now I am back at an airline and happier than ever...and I am at a crappy airline! I'm not saying this will be the case with you, but think long and hard before you cash in your aviation job. The grass always looks greener but it seldom is. It's true it takes a special kind of person to do this job, but it takes a special kind of person to do something like work in an office with a regular schedule.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

My career as a pilot is something I always dreamed of but I'm starting to get older and realized I do want what my siblings have: spouses, kids, and regular schedules. I've been kicking the idea of leaving and think I should seriously consider it now rather than later.

For my education, I did receive a degree in Aeronautical Science and a minor in Safety, focusing on Accident investigation. I'm not sure where or what I can do with this aside from accident investigation and I don't know who is hiring.

Any suggestions?

I have that corporate job. Guess what? Most full time pilots are home more than I am.

The money is the only reason I am not flying for a living, and honestly, I don't even like flying all that much. I secretely pray for bad weather so that I can get a day off.

A change of sceneray can make you appreciate what you have, but a good flying gig isn't better or worse than anything else. And it isn't a cubicle. And you rarely see your boss (never met mine, actually)

 

[saria19]

I'm not asking for people to try to talk me out of this, I'm asking for suggestions. I'm not just asking this because I want to leave flying, I'm asking because I'm pretty sure I'm going to be forced out pretty soon due to health issues that recently arose on top of wanting a stable life!

 

[PropSettin']

I think the accident investigation side of things would be a pretty darn interesting side of the aviation industry, I would contact the nearest local FAA investigator in your area and chat them up on the phone, maybe offer to buy them lunch in exchange for an idea about how to get into that side of the business. You never know where that could lead.

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

I think they are saying that other jobs might have even a worse schedule. Willing to move? Do you live in base currently? Wife have to change jobs? Good luck in what you decide but I've heard it hard to get into the safety side, maybe a small corporate groups to manage aircraft?

 

[saria19]

Does anyone know what direction I should look in if I did want to enter Accident Investigation? I tried asking an FAA rep but all he talked about was how to become a Safety Inspector like him which doesn't quite catch my fancy.

 

[mikecweb]

Does anyone know what direction I should look in if I did want to enter Accident Investigation? I tried asking an FAA rep but all he talked about was how to become a Safety Inspector like him which doesn't quite catch my fancy.

I would think you would want to approach someone from the NTSB.

 

[typhoonpilot]

Try ICAO or IATA


TP

 

[FlyChicaga]

I'm not sure why everyone always compares flying to working in a cubicle. There are hundreds of careers out there, and many do not involve working in an office. I love flying more than anyone else, but after a while being locked in a cockpit and asking permission to take a pee felt like working in a cubicle. Flying for an airline is not equal to flying on a weekend. I have an acquaintance from college who is living a very normal life working for AOPA in their HQ offices. So you like accident investigation... What else do you like?

My brother-in-law is a great example for thinking outside the box. He and his wife love CrossFit, so they opened a CrossFit gym. They're doing awesome with their business. How cool would it be to have a job where you wear gym shorts and t-shirts every day? Think outside the box. Everyone who says, "I chose flying over the cubicle!" obviously thinks the only jobs out there besides airline pilot are Office Space type stuff.

 

[saria19]

I love flying still, but cancer makes it difficult to keep up with that as a career. As far as what I love: puzzles, learning, languages, and travel are things I love along with flying airplanes. I'm in the midst of learning Japanese and I know some Spanish as well as phrases in about four other languages.

Another thing of note is that I'm not married nor do I have children. I have nothing against moving, but I want some sort of stability and regular schedule so I can better regulate myself.

 

[Maurus]

Accident investigation is a tough nut to crack. That said the NTSB and ALPA are the only ones who specialize in accident investigations.

 

[moxiepilot]

I'm not asking for people to try to talk me out of this, I'm asking for suggestions.

People are giving you suggestions, just not the ones you wanted to hear because you didn't give all of the information (health issues, etc.)

Safety inspector is a stepping stone into accident investigation and the FAA. There are a lot of paths that lead to places you don't expect. Instead of trying to nail everything down right now my recommendation is to take a job to see where it leads if it sounds interesting to you. What's the worst that you could do, quit?

 

[GypsyPilot]

My career as a pilot is something I always dreamed of but I'm starting to get older and realized I do want what my siblings have: spouses, kids, and regular schedules. I've been kicking the idea of leaving and think I should seriously consider it now rather than later.

For my education, I did receive a degree in Aeronautical Science and a minor in Safety, focusing on Accident investigation. I'm not sure where or what I can do with this aside from accident investigation and I don't know who is hiring.

Any suggestions?

Something sure isn't right here. As soon as you didn't like what you heard you mentioned some health issues, which then ramped up to cancer. But you didn't mention health issues at all in your first post (quoted above). It really does make one scratch their head and wonder what's really going on.

If you have cancer, than you have my deepest sympathy. But I just can't help but feel we are not getting the full story here...

 

[saria19]

Something sure isn't right here. As soon as you didn't like what you heard you mentioned some health issues, which then ramped up to cancer. But you didn't mention health issues at all in your first post (quoted above). It really does make one scratch their head and wonder what's really going on.

If you have cancer, than you have my deepest sympathy. But I just can't help but feel we are not getting the full story here...

I didn't want to mention it at first. People just were not realizing that it really is that serious and I probably need out now, not just due to my current situation, but also for whatever it might become.

 

[derg]

Suggestion: Keep flying until you figure out what you want to do.

I enjoy the hell out of my job but I am also open to the notion that this may not be my "life's destination". But I'm not about to walk away from it. Hell no.