Would you leave your Job

Maybe I'm the very few people that love their IT Job.

I have a nice Cushy office and work for a Credit Union so I get all the banking holidays.
I also work the bankers hours.

I love Technology and all the button pushing I do but If someone came up to me today and said I will pay for your ratings, Hours and match my current salary it would be very tempting.

BTW you can make really good money in IT pushing Buttons.
 
evapilotaz said:
Ok I wasn't sure about that. I knew someone would correct me.
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It is one of the nice things about flight instructing. Even if you lose your medical completely, you can still do flight reviews and other instruction as long as you aren't required for PIC/required crew like initial PPL training.
 
evapilotaz said:
My wife to my surprised mention my Instructing during my retirement years. It depends if I can maintain a Class 2 medical.
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Is it really that hard to pull a 2nd class (or 3rd for a for a primary CFI)?

I've had sports physicals which were more intense, seem like as long as you're not super fat, blind and refusing to wear glasses, or eating a small shoebox worth of pills, you're good to go.
 
James331 said:
Is it really that hard to pull a 2nd class (or 3rd for a for a primary CFI)?

I've had sports physicals which were more intense, seem like as long as you're not super fat, blind and refusing to wear glasses, or eating a small shoebox worth of pills, you're good to go.
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yeah...yeah....that. :D :rofl:
 
James331 said:
Is it really that hard to pull a 2nd class (or 3rd for a for a primary CFI)?

I've had sports physicals which were more intense, seem like as long as you're not super fat, blind and refusing to wear glasses, or eating a small shoebox worth of pills, you're good to go.
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For most that is true, but all it takes is having the wrong kind of 'reportable' event and you are done.....or at least jumping through a whole lot of hoops with someone like Doc Bruce to try and get your medical back.
 
danhagan said:
Keep moving along boys. Most of you couldn't handle the pay cut flying private jets ...
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I can't think of another type of job, away from flying, that I could step right into making more than I do now. Another company, most likely, but money isn't everything.
 
Grum.Man said:
If I had a guaranteed position with a major providing I get all of my credentials I probably would even if it was a major pay cut. I however would not do it for 25k a year, you can't even live off that. That's what people who didn't get a GED make running a molding machine on our plant floor. That's just ridiculous.
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Good thing I know of no major airline that pays 25k/yr.
 
Kritchlow said:
Good thing I know of no major airline that pays 25k/yr.
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Even for regionals, what many fail to see is that is first year pay. It does get better, but like anything, you have to put in your time and pay your dues.
 
Even Regionals now are upping first year pay due to fewer applicants and to compete against each other for those applicants. Think they're up to at $35K plus now for first year. Better than it was!
 
Fearless Tower said:
Even for regionals, what many fail to see is that is first year pay. It does get better, but like anything, you have to put in your time and pay your dues.
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The issue with the regionals is lots of folks who apply have already put in their dues and take a pay and QOL cut to start in at a regional.
It's getting better, but still has a long way to go.

Lots of other facets in aviation outside from 121 too.
 
I'm sort of planning to do that right now.
I'm quite successful in what I do, I make good money, and I have saved enough to survive 2-3 years of unemployment (plus I would pay the needed flight training cash, no need to go in debt for that). My wife is on board (and makes good money too).

I'm not sure what's stopping me.
 
Unless the corporate gig was at least $70K+ to start, I don't think I'd be willing to take much more of a hit to my income than that. Even that would be well into a double-digit percentage drop from current income. I'd just assume use that value of lost-wages to fly my own aircraft at that point.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Unless the corporate gig was at least $70K+ to start, I don't think I'd be willing to take much more of a hit to my income than that. Even that would be well into a double-digit percentage drop from current income. I'd just assume use that value of lost-wages to fly my own aircraft at that point.
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Yeah, but do you consider your current job work? Would you still do what you do for work on your free time without pay?
 
Fearless Tower said:
Even for regionals, what many fail to see is that is first year pay. It does get better, but like anything, you have to put in your time and pay your dues.
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I'm sorry but that's just BS. A pilot has more than paid his dues before ever getting an airline job. Most likely they have finished a 4 year degree in something, and then spent more than their tuition on flight training, then made minimum wage instructing to earn hours. They have the equivalence of a masters degree or even a doctorate by the time they are qualified and are working for less money that a production worker with no GED.

That's why I am not doing it, but there are apparently many people scrapping for an airline job that do not mind. For that I am envious.
 
evapilotaz said:
Would you leave your current Job if you had a Job Offer for a FO position at a Major Airlines?

...
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As a young man , back in the 70's, I started on the road to become a professional pilot. I didn't have any prior experience with small airplanes but it was something that appealed to me. So I have enrolled in a college that offered a program and progressed through my PPL and into my CPL work. After repeatedly hearing from the CFIs I flew with that I was in a dead-end program, I got discouraged and quit. I was young, very intelligent but not especially bright. Not too long after that, I drifted into the engineering construction field. I did just about everything there from laborer to equipment operator to superintendent, and finally County inspector. I then went and got my civil engineering degree and became, allegedly, a civil engineer. I did that for 12 years and folks thought I was good at it, but my heart was not in it and I knew I was just going through the motions.

In 2010, I started flying again and found that I had more passion for it now then I did when I was younger. In 2012, I took an early retirement in order to devote myself to a career of some sort in aviation. A few months later, I enrolled in an A&P school and recently got my A&P. Now I'm working on finishing my ratings to CFI and we'll see where it goes from there.

My point is, follow your passion. Eventually you'll make the money you need or you may need to modify your needs in the interim. If you have a family, I understand how this might be difficult. Perhaps you can find a way. Good luck!
 
Grum.Man said:
I'm sorry but that's just BS. A pilot has more than paid his dues before ever getting an airline job. Most likely they have finished a 4 year degree in something, and then spent more than their tuition on flight training, then made minimum wage instructing to earn hours. They have the equivalence of a masters degree or even a doctorate by the time they are qualified and are working for less money that a production worker with no GED.

That's why I am not doing it, but there are apparently many people scrapping for an airline job that do not mind. For that I am envious.
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That depends... You said "Airlines". It really depends if you are talking regional or major. Many regional pilot positions are basically filled with flight instructors (no offense to flight instructors, but IMO there is more to paying your dues than being a CFI). That said, some years as a CFI plus a few years at a regional certainly can be considered paying your dues for a major.

That came out clear as mud.. :D
 
The OP's proposal is a fantasy scenario as no major airline is going to hire a pilot who has no previous relevant work experience as an FO. I could say that I'm interested in emergency medicine but no one is going to let me walk in as an assistant in an ER.
 
James331 said:
Yeah, but do you consider your current job work? Would you still do what you do for work on your free time without pay?
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I am not excited to go to work each day and the work is fairly easy because I've been doing accounting for a decade now, but I can't say that flying would necessarily stay "fun" if I had to do it as a full-time job, either. There are other intangibles, too, like having a fairly-consistent schedule and being home every night.
 
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SoonerAviator said:
Nope, but I can't say that flying would necessarily stay "fun" if I had to do it as a full-time job. There are other intangibles, too, like having a fairly-consistent schedule and being home every night.
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In my opinion, the schedule is one of the best parts about airlines. It's actually a schedule... Which is a lot different than corporate flying. The schedule is bid and can be majorly modified by you throughout the month.
 
Off Topic Question.

Is Allegiant airlines consider a Major Carrier or Regional Carrier.

I know someone that got hired on and makes chump change.
 
evapilotaz said:
Off Topic Question.

Is Allegiant airlines consider a Major Carrier or Regional Carrier.

I know someone that got hired on and makes chump change.
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The DOT defines "major airline" by $1B in annual sales.

I have no doubt year 1 at Allegiant is poor, but I would bet it's not 25k/yr.
 
Kritchlow said:
The DOT defines "major airline" by $1B in annual sales.

I have no doubt year 1 at Allegiant is poor, but I would bet it's not 25k/yr.
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I think its 40k a year for First year FO at Allegiant. I couldn't feed my family of 5 on 40K. Ok I could but we would have to cut way back.
My stay at home wife/mother would no longer to be able to stay at home. :mad2:
 
evapilotaz said:
I think its 40k a year for First year FO at Allegiant. I couldn't feed my family of 5 on 40K. Ok I could but we would have to cut way back.
My stay at home wife/mother would no longer to be able to stay at home. :mad2:
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It can be rough at first. Not sure of Allegiant's pay scales, but in general airline salary goes up reasonably quickly.
 
Kritchlow said:
In my opinion, the schedule is one of the best parts about airlines. It's actually a schedule... Which is a lot different than corporate flying. The schedule is bid and can be majorly modified by you throughout the month.
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Agreed, but the original context of my comment was in regards to a corporate gig, which usually has a more irregular schedule. While I place no less "prestige" on flying the big iron, it would feel too much like being a bus driver to me. I'd much rather have a more personal relationship with the clients in the corporate environment. Besides, the aircraft are much better looking and you don't have to deal with slugging through major airport terminals as much!
 
Every time the topic of Airline Pilots comes up, I feel there are a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions about what being a pilot for a Part 121 Flag carrier entails, what it doesn't, what it pays, and what the days on/off are. I thought the OP posed a hypothetical, if you could leave your job right now for a job as an FO for a major airline. I take that to mean one of the "Big 3" (United, Delta, American) or FedEx/UPS. Maybe even SWA. It evolved into "paying dues" as a flight instructor or as a regional FO. That wasn't the question, and sure that would be the road to that position.

His was a magical if tomorrow, "poof" you have your ATP-ME, Class I medical, 5,000 hours TPIC and an offer for a class date at Delta, would you take it? No paying dues as a regional guy making $25,000. Straight into a 767 right seat. $70,000 this year, $110,000 the next... B-plan retirement, pass privileges, etc.

And I'm not saying it's for everyone and I'm not saying you should. I get those who say they wouldn't enjoy it. There are a lot of jobs that you guys do that I wouldn't want. That's what makes the world go 'round.

I'm just amazed at the misconceptions of what the job is and what it isn't...
 
SoonerAviator said:
Agreed, but the original context of my comment was in regards to a corporate gig, which usually has a more irregular schedule. While I place no less "prestige" on flying the big iron, it would feel too much like being a bus driver to me. I'd much rather have a more personal relationship with the clients in the corporate environment. Besides, the aircraft are much better looking and you don't have to deal with slugging through major airport terminals as much!
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I've done both corporate and airlines. IMO the personal relationship in corporate sucks. I pretended to like the folks in the back basically because that was my job. Often they were grumpy, demanding weenies. I much prefer closing the door and let the flight attendants do their thing.
Also don't forget in the corporate world the crew often cleans & stocks the airplane, as well as updates manuals.

As for slugging through terminals, yes we do that in a daily basis vs a weekly basis. That said, slugging through as an airline employee is much easier. Same with hotels and transportation.

Corporate does have some nice looking airplanes, but they also have some dogs. Plus many cockpits are too small to move.
 
This is a really interesting thread...I have really thought about maybe making flying a career...I am a recent college graduate (Mechanical Engineering) and work as a materials engineer in the Space industry (Satellites, Orion Spacecraft, etc).

I am not a big fan of being at a desk all day. I have also found that there are so many other engineers surrounding me that are so much smarter than I am or ever will be - it can be a bit discouraging in a lot of ways.

I think that maybe I should give engineering some more time to see how things pan out, but I am definitely keeping flying as an option in the back of my mind. It would be a big financial hit though - I am making almost double of what most college graduates are making right out of college.

Its tough to leave that for making next to nothing for quite a while as a pilot/instructor/etc...

Anyways...interesting topic - I really don't know where I will end up...I guess I will let the cards fall where they will.
 
Under the hypothetical presented in this thread, I might consider it. But, in the real world it isn't really on my radar at this point. If I would have been in a better position both financially and with the market timing, perhaps this would have worked out for me in my early 20's. I'm in my mid-30's now, and the reality is simple: I would slash my paycheck by a huge margin to get a job with a regional carrier, and enjoy a lower quality of life in many other ways.

The viability of such a decision (for most people) probably depends on where they are at in life. I'm currently in a mid-career position, and my position has some decent benefits: I make good money (by no means am I rich — just comfortably middle class), I can take 8-10 weeks of vacation per year, and I will be able to take a 70% pension at age 55. So, at this stage in life the opportunity cost is simply too high for me to jump into a career track that was paying my buddy a staggering $23K per year on the regionals.

Now, again, the hypothetical might be a lot more reasonable to me if it existed in the sense that this thread was presented: a FO position with a MAJOR, with all training paid for me through an ATP. But, that's not the real world.


Sluggo63 said:
His was a magical if tomorrow, "poof" you have your ATP-ME, Class I medical, 5,000 hours TPIC and an offer for a class date at Delta, would you take it? No paying dues as a regional guy making $25,000. Straight into a 767 right seat. $70,000 this year, $110,000 the next... B-plan retirement, pass privileges, etc.
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^ Presented in that manner, yes, I'd do it. But, it seems like a highly unrealistic question to me.
 
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CC268 said:
...

Anyways...interesting topic - I really don't know where I will end up...I guess I will let the cards fall where they will.
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Take it from an old man who's been there and done that, that is NOT a good way to run your life. You are young and you have a choice between a mediocre career and following your passion. Make the right choice here, my friend. Inertia is the killer.
 
I've accepted a First Officer position at Endeavor. So it looks like I'll be leaving my CFI gig in a few months.
 
I quit flying for a living so I could work for IBM (for 37 years).
I was tired of living out of a suitcase, and had a wife and babies at home.
If I needed to travel for business, IBM paid me mileage to fly myself.
No regrets. It all worked out just fine, and I'm still flying.
 
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