Leap of faith?

[3green]

Hi All,

So what I'm trying to find out is if there are any "former" 121 or 135 guys out there that for whatever reason left the industry and are actually happier/content in their new lives than flying for a living. What were the pro and cons in your personal experience. Or if your an current 121/135 pilot and you could get out of aviation and find a stable/good paying job would you? Any comments or experience would be helpful and greatly appreciated.

I'm a blue collar worker looking to change carriers to aviation. I have received interview offers and it seems things are picking up in the 121 world, but are they picking up enough to make the leap worth it. Or do I just keep flying around on the weekends on my own time...

3green

[Freightdog1]

I left flying 727s part 121 freight in 2001 to get into property ownership/rentals. My sched when I was flying was 7on/7off making around 50k/year. I quit cold turkey flying airplanes in 2001 until this year. I finally rented a 172 w/instructor to get checked out this last April. Went again last Sunday with wife & kid.
I am starting to miss flying professionally but I don't miss the sched. I really like sleeping on my tempurpedic and being home every day/night especially now with a 1 yr old.
But there are days (becoming more frequent) that I feel that I am wasting my 4 yrs of college and all of my flight training. I have been doing a lot of crap work lately, picking up trash, cleaning up this house to put back on the market. I keep thinking to myself...why the hell am I doing this? I have my comm, multi, instr., cfi, FE turbojet, ground instr., just over 1500 hrs and I'm pushin a F*%#ing broom, and emptying trash!!
So basically I've been torn with what to do for about 8-months now, keep doing what I'm doing and enjoy the lifestyle or go back and fly and deal with the sched.
hope I haven't confused you too much

[3green]

Wow, thanks for replying Freightdog you brought this thread back from the dead yeah, I have the same issue... give up a good schedule, good pay, and just plain doing what I want or live the dream and be a professional pilot. I'm sure I'll do something involving aviation parttime or fulltime. Its nice to hear what other's experience was/is during this transition from aviation to "normal" life or vice-versa. With the airlines being the way they are(poor salary at the regional level, lack of stability, management sucks) you really have to convince yourself its the right thing to do(especially if you have a family that depends on you, if I was single I'd do it in a heartbeat). Good luck on whatever you decide... I know it would be a very hard decision going back to flying and have to start at the regional level... 3green

[JEP]

Originally Posted by 3green

Hi All,

So what I'm trying to find out is if there are any "former" 121 or 135 guys out there that for whatever reason left the industry and are actually happier/content in their new lives than flying for a living. What were the pro and cons in your personal experience. Or if your an current 121/135 pilot and you could get out of aviation and find a stable/good paying job would you? Any comments or experience would be helpful and greatly appreciated.

I'm a blue collar worker looking to change carriers to aviation. I have received interview offers and it seems things are picking up in the 121 world, but are they picking up enough to make the leap worth it. Or do I just keep flying around on the weekends on my own time...

3green

If I am reading that right, it seems like you have half the problem licked. Getting enough hours to get hired.

[PGA07]

Thanks to these boards and all of the people on JC (plus learning from bad decissions in the past) I have learned one thing............................

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!

It does not matter what they are, follow them. There were two times in my past when I did not do this...............and I am regreting them! Thankfully one of them I can still pursue, however, the other is long gone due to age restrictions.

If you have a dream chase it, you will always have something to fall back on if it does not work out. Plus then you will never ask yourself "what if?" Either way, succeed or fail, you will have some great stories.

To borrow a quote from the GF, who I am sure borrowed it from somwhere else, but it has become my line to live by........

"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars!"

[skidz]

Originally Posted by PGA07

"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars!"

or pretty close to them, give or take a light year or two