Decision Made For Me!?!

[PGA07]

I have been going back and forth within my own mind as to whether or not it was worth giving up my current career and life for a new one in the aviation field. Well, I truely feel that the company helped me make up my mind this morning.

With the housing market hurting as bad as it is nationwide, most companies are hurting. Mine would not let on to how bad they are hurting, but it was confirmed today. The projected sales have been established for next year!

In my division we have three sales personel, we are soon to add a third by eliminating a position. By doing so, my work load will double (meaning more office work during the day and more design work at night, at home)! For the projected sales for next year, my division is supposed to have $2 million in total sales, 45% of which is put on my shoulders. The other three have 55%!

If we do not make this number the entire divison will be eliminated at the end of next year. The individual above me aske what I was thinking and I bluntly stated that at this time next year I will have a new job and that this division will no longer exist.

The joy of working for a MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR corporation!

I figure if I can begin flying after the first of the year and scheduling and weather permiting, I can be a CFI/CFII within 12 to 15 months. Then the transition to full time instructing! Problem is I may need a loan. Don't want one but may not have a choice!

Large Corporations SUCK!

[WindyCityPilot]

Start flying now man! If you can that is. Get your butt down to Lumanair at KARR!

[clumpinglitter]

Originally Posted by PGA07

I have been going back and forth within my own mind as to whether or not it was worth giving up my current career and life for a new one in the aviation field. Well, I truely feel that the company helped me make up my mind this morning.

Listen to Windy City -- he's The Man. May as well start flying now. It would be nice if you could get laid off with a big chunk of severance.

Originally Posted by PGA07

The joy of working for a MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR corporation!

Do I ever sympathize with this.

-Christine

[PGA07]

Originally Posted by clumpinglitter

Listen to Windy City -- he's The Man. May as well start flying now. It would be nice if you could get laid off with a big chunk of severance.



Do I ever sympathize with this.

-Christine

Severence...........hell, the way it is going I hope they have enough to cash my check!

[WindyCityPilot]

Originally Posted by clumpinglitter

Listen to Windy City -- he's The Man.

That would be correct.

[skidz]

Do it if you really like flying. Aside of that, money seems to be pretty low in aviation, at least for a number of years before you get a good gig somewhere anyway.

[sdfcvoh]

Does your current company offer school reimbursement? If so - any flight schools you could find that link college credit might be paid for indirectly by your employer.

[PGA07]

Originally Posted by sdfcvoh

Does your current company offer school reimbursement? If so - any flight schools you could find that link college credit might be paid for indirectly by your employer.

I already looked at that and the only courses that they will reimburse you for are business related courses.

Currently, if they are wondering whether or not my division will be around in 12 months, I don't think they are going to front for classes.

I was going to start another thread, but I will redirect this one!

Have any career changers out there actually sat down and looked at dollars spent on flight training, dollars lost by becoming a CFI/II and dollars earned during those first few years as a regional FO or corporate FO?

If so, the money lost during the early years, is it ever made up for down the road. Meaning there will be a time where you earn way less flying than you earned at your previous job. There will be a time where the pay is about equal. I assume there will be that day that you surpass your previous income with your new flying career. When that higher pay comes, does the higher pay equall the money lost during the change.

Basically a long winded way of saying, even though you are behind financially when you start flying, do you get ahead with the new career? Or is that money lost never ragained?

Thanks for any insight!

[Airdale]

I'll quote a movie:

"You spend your whole life making someone else millions of dollars just hoping some day that they'll throw you a bone."


Go fly. I bet you'd be happier, but you need to be comfortable with the MAJOR pay cut you would more then likely undertake. My assumption is that you make pretty good money at your current job.

[sdfcvoh]

There are so many ways to look at $ signs until you turn blue in the face...

I'll tell you something I saw clearly about a year ago before heading this direction. Money is great. But (always that but) it doesn't mean s#hit if you aren't happy. My wife and I are living on $8.50 per day for food per our budget - probably healthier b/c of that now than ever actually. We've got income potential if needed from some investment property back East, and other nice savings, but we aren't touching that. I digress....

Put the money in the pocket issue aside. Sounds like you probably have a good grasp on finances just from what you wrote. Find out what motivates you. I personally plan on getting some free (with a tiny little pay) multi turbine time with a regional carrier after I've gotten over the 1000 mark when I'm CFI'ing. I'm also looking forward to going jogging in different cities when I'm doing trips with a small carrier. I'll buy a small plane and keep my CFI current so I can teach (after about a dozen intro flights I've given - I know I love teaching), and allow students to pay a bit of the cost of the plane.

In all of this rambling, what I'm trying to write is this: Making money is great. Stick with flying for a good while (decade) and you'll start making or at least approaching a decent amount again. But if you are doing what you love - the life dividends will out way (1000 times) any pay increase you might have experienced in a job you loathed.

This is the only chance you'll ever have to go around this world. Don't pass it up. If your heart is calling, answer it...

I wish you the very best.