chrisreedrules
Master Blaster
I mostly want to spend my time doing what I want to do. Whether that’s spending time with family or whatever, I want to do what I want to do. Not going to be able to do that flying 14-15 days /month.
Why I Left an Airline Pilot Career
- Thread starter Murdoughnut
- Start date
I mostly want to spend my time doing what I want to do. Whether that’s spending time with family or whatever, I want to do what I want to do. Not going to be able to do that flying 14-15 days /month.
milleR
Well-Known Member
And if you play your cards right, make the right moves and decisions, eventually you'll be in a position to have people that do the things you don't want to do for you. Meanwhile, you can focus on how to grow and hire more of those people. The key, of course, is to have lived in those positions so you can understand them, direct those people, and make them feel appreciated.
tcco94
Future GTA VI Pilot
Don't give up the hope man, I'm sorry. I'm here for help when this is over and we are on the path to recovery.
milleR
Well-Known Member
Unlike a lot of folks that jump into this career you have a backstop. That being said, 20 years is a LONG time in this industry with its cycles. Keep your nose to the grindstone, knock out the ratings, stay current in your old profession. You'll be surprised where this journey takes you. You've also got a lot of people that are here to support you, it's amazing what that can do.
BigZ
Well-Known Member
The current situation sucks, but I'm pretty sure you'll get your chance before they replace us with robots.
Figure out a sustainable mode where you can make a living and pay off the debt bit by bit, but also fly regularly and get the ratings. Stay engaged, read books. More of "North star over my shoulder", less of "Fate is the hunter". But realistically "The next hour" by Dick Collins to concentrate on the GA stuff for now. Get those hours. Get to the point where you can get paid to do so, it is peanuts, but feels so much better when you finally start getting paid to fly. Drop skydivers or instruct over the weekend. Even 5 hrs a week is 250 a year and that's almost double what I used to log for years.
I had a FA last trip. He's 37ish. Worked ramp, ops, now FA. Working on cleaning up the loose ends before he starts his flight training. He's very well aware of how the things are and how long it might take before they get better, but that's something he wants to do and I wish him the best.
Per aspera, Max. Some of us have to do it the hard way.
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
Trying to stay positive over here and not feel entitled to a job, honestly. But, there are no jobs to be able to build hours to get to the next level. No one is hiring CFI's and if they are hiring they want a crap ton of dual given, which I don't have as a non CFI. No one is hiring for survey or pipeline or even for 135 Alaska. I have like 450 tt and I hear guys out there with 1000-1200 tt aren't getting calls. So, I just have anxiety because if you can't build hours to be able to get to the next level, how do you even get to the next level? Or be ready for the big time when the floodgates reopen? I think that if I was a middle to late 20 yr old, or even an early to mid thirty year old, I'd be far more chill. And feel far less pressure that I place on myself to hurry the "ef" up because 65 will be coming a lot quicker for me, than the young chickens.
I'm very thankful for this site and all its many members and as @Derg says as a well-known, long time member of the site, I'm well networked by reputation. Which is truly awesome and reassuring a blessing actually. But for networking there still needs to be jobs available and companies hiring. And well, no one is hiring right now. Let's see what 2021 holds for me. I start my multi hopefully in January, lets see what fortunes that brings then. That's kinda my comfort space mentally. Then a friend/associate of mine tells me. "Do you know how many people have 500 tt and a multi and aren't getting calls? Good luck! F-K that guy. Lol, then I'm right back at one again. Basically I'm stressing because I can be a bit of a control freak at times and I have zero control right now and as a result that scares the sh-t outta me honestly. Hopefully this all makes sense.
BEEF SUPREME
Well-Known Member
This reminds me of 01 and 08.
It’s just part of the career. The despair doesn’t go away when you get more hours.
It just gets worse when you have more hours because you have nothing to fall back on and you are further away from transitioning to something outside of aviation.
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BigZ
Well-Known Member
It does and it's understandable.
Keep looking for a CFI thing, even part time. Look for a ground school teaching opportunity. I know a girl who is going remote "IFR checkride prep" workshops (she's at about the same total time as you are). Basically use this time to improve on something. You'll have an edge over someone who was at the mins now and is going to sit idle.
Read books. FAA library is free online and there's a bunch of useful crap there. Libraries tend to have decent aviation sections too, even if it's a book about two kids flying a Cub coast to coast.
Soak it in. Keeps you sane when you aren't flying much.
BigZ
Well-Known Member
milleR
Well-Known Member
The biggest inhibitor I had as a low time pilot was mobility. If you can move, the options should open up. If you're stuck in a small pond that's going to be limiting.
BEEF SUPREME
Well-Known Member
Ever the ray of sunshine
You are not wrong.
But c'mon
Just look at my posts from since forever on JC or anywhere else.
“This career is hard. It’s not for everyone. If you’re already doing well with another career be extremely cautious leaving that for aviation. This is hard on family. It’s hard on your physical and mental health.”
I didn’t say that stuff because it isn’t true. It is true. People get upset with me for saying it. They personally attack me for saying it. A lot of them have not been through what I have and they call me weak or tell me I should leave if I don’t like it. I hope my reasons for saying this are clearer now that we are in a big crisis. This career suddenly doesn’t seem so awesome.
I said that stuff because I’m trying to help.
A lot of people a haven’t lived through it. Guys like Todd have. Not everyone agrees with that Todd has to say about outside of aviation but when it comes to this career. Ya’ll MF best be listening.
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SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
Some people prefer optimistic BS over truth. Makes no sense to me, but whatever.
BigZ
Well-Known Member
Some people act like that's the only industry affected. Yeah, there are unique factors, like having to start over every time you change companies, but there are also things like recall rights, for when things improve vs "here it says on the resume you worked as a senior accountant after being a financial controller at your previous company. And it took you six month to get that job. Can you explain that?"
If it's not working with your personal and/or family situation- schedule etc - then it's not. Night shifts at a factory or hospital aren't right for everyone either, find something that works
If it's not working with your personal and/or family situation- schedule etc - then it's not. Night shifts at a factory or hospital aren't right for everyone either, find something that works
Autothrust Blue
"Well, on the Brasilia..."
This is, or should be, a place where all the alphabet soup special-interest groups get together and advocate to make roughly the same set of changes to the aeromedical apparatus. Because, at the end of the day, aeromedical reform is something that is in pilots‘ interest, period, full stop—and in the interest of the flying public, too.
I’d add too, that I don’t expect this to get any better with the current administration.
Populism is dumb, but one airline-style near-populist thing I will appropriate is this: I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect people who are engaged in enhancing or directing the work to do the damn work every once in a while. I flew with my group EVP last year, in fact. Good trip.
If I can add just one more tidbit to the excellent advice already given (and received, for sure!), I would say that the low-time jobs are going to often be given to the guy that is right there when the opening happens. In other words, invest a small amount of time each month to meet, in person, individuals at all the local airport operators that might be able to hire you down the road. If you are personable, and on a regular basis make them aware that you are in the area and ready to go, then when they have a sudden need you are the one that comes to mind immediately. They don't have to go back and dig through a pile of resumes when they just saw you three weeks ago - they'll give you a call because it is easy-peasy.
When you cold call, keep it short. Carry a resume, but only give it if requested. Your goal is simply to get them familiar with you and your situation and how they can fill their need at a moment's notice without having to look outside the local area. Tell them you only need two minutes of their time, then keep it short. Have a thirty second synopsis of who you are and what your short term goal is (change careers!), and be ready to give it on cue. You never know who you'll run into at the local FBO's, and how chance encounters can reap rewards.
I think you're well positioned to take advantage when things start to move, even a little. Remember that while the airlines are taking a huge hit right now, much of the 135 side is doing pretty darn good because a lot of well-heeled individuals are currently moving over from first class airline tickets to charter. I had first-time flyers on my plane yesterday, and chatted with the wife while she was making herself a drink at the refreshment center and one of her comments was "I hope I never fly commercial again." We hired 5 new pilots in the last six months (without losing any pilots, simply because demand is up), and that means that there are 5 openings back up the line that need filling. That same thing is happening all over the country. Granted, it's not a lot, but be the guy that is standing there, hat in hand, when one of those limited slots open up.
Inverted25
Well-Known Member
I’ll second this. We are flying more hours each month than the same month year prior. We are adding planes and hiring as well. And it’s mostly new customers. Our owners hours are down year over year. Once things start trending back to normal lots of these new customers will stay with private and with the owners getting back to normal hours we will be in the need for even more pilots to cover the new flying.
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Screaming_Emu
Joe Conventional
Yup.
Our MEC at ASA didn’t do a lot of flying. In the end they were telling us what we wanted, not the other way around.
Screaming_Emu
Joe Conventional
I think @Maximilian_Jenius will be ok because of networking. Someday, someone from JC will need a guy and he’ll be in luck.
Autothrust Blue
"Well, on the Brasilia..."
Indeed.
Don‘t get me wrong, I’m all for the VERY LIBERAL application of flight pay loss, including full time Association leave, or the awarding of company business days for the other side of the fence. BUT, keep one foot in the flying office, too.
It does the troops a disservice if you are completely disassociated from the operation...and that doesn’t just go for ALPA, that goes for “management” pilots too. Come on out and do the work.
Screaming_Emu
Joe Conventional
And instructors
