HELP! When should I jump?

[mcdavi02]

I'm changing careers to aviation from chemistry, I currently work for Procter and Gamble and the site I work for is closing its doors in 2009. I will be leaving the company to pursue an aviation career, despite the company’s offer to relocate me to Cincinnati and retain my job. As a "displaced employee" I am entitled to a separation package, after taxes worth only about 15K, but that will ease the transition. I currently make about 55K gross. My managers want to know within the next two weeks when I want to leave the company, and they have given me a window to leave between December 2007 and December 2008, my choice when to go. That’s the question. I have my commercial with about 300 hours and will be doing my CFIs soon. When would it be best to separate given the monetary considerations and the cyclical nature of the aviation industry? I'm thinking the sooner I get moving with aviation, the better I'll be in the long run. Is this flawed logic? Should I stick it out and save with P&G longer, or will this jeopordize opportunity down the winding road ahead? If money were no issue at all, I'd go in December, likely back to Ari-Ben and flight instruct for a while as I did my instrument and multi there and had a good experience.

[jbail3p]

Stay with P&G. If it isn't a big deal ie. ( Family) relocate to the Nasty Nati. Depends on which location they are going to place you. I work and live down the road from the mason location. Good area, three FBO within 15 miles. you could always come here and find a CFI gig.

[jbail3p]

the best paying FBO is Sporty's at KI69. I think they are a little high on the prices though. I am currently working on my tickets at KISZ. I only say stay with P&G, because here in the nati you are golden working for them. So many people are sitting or waiting for there chance to interview with them.

[mcdavi02]

Originally Posted by jbail3p

Stay with P&G. If it isn't a big deal ie. ( Family) relocate to the Nasty Nati. Depends on which location they are going to place you. I work and live down the road from the mason location. Good area, three FBO within 15 miles. you could always come here and find a CFI gig.

If I stayed w/ P&G, I would be relocating to the Mason business center, but I'm thinking that I would be better off by pursuing aviation full time and taking the package. What would the opportunities be like with the FBOs there? I get the impression that I wouldn't be doing that much flying as a part time (nights and weekends) and that by taking the leap to a full time pilot, I would be with the regionals in a year, and in four years or so I'd be making more doing something I really want to do full time, fly. Tough decision.

[mcdavi02]

Jbail3p, thanks for your replies. What ratings are you working on? P&G is huge there in the Cinci area, but being from the upstate NY area, it would be a big change. I'm pretty heavily vested in this area, as I have three properties here, two income properties and my forever under-renovation home, so that weighs heavily into my thought process. If I keep the income properties, they pay the mortgages and the taxes, and my girlfriend can still collect the rents while I’m away. I’m still keeping the Cinci option open, just in case it looks like my aviation interests would be served better there…..

[38bat]

If you really want to fly go for it. Sooner the better. I am doing a similar change myself and am uprooting my family of 4 and giving up a large income to do what I really want to. I am 34 and wish I had the balls to do it earlier. Never know when the hiring will stop so I would get with it. Just my 2cents.

[Pietrantonio]

It sounds like a tough decision. I guess it would make things easier if you only had to relocate to a different part of the city, instead of another state. Especially with all the investments you already have in NY. My first question, is what are you going to do for employment when you leave? Was it to instruct full-time or part-time? Are there any other jobs where you can use your Chemistry degree possibly part-time to generate some income while instructing full-time? Also, finances are none of my business, but are you able to bring in enough money to still comfortably provide for family if you leave and decide to pursue flying full-time without a chemistry related job? My opinion is simple. If you want to fly, go ahead and fly. I agree 100% with you about flying full-time now because it will get you closer to where you want to be faster, as opposed to flying part-time. You just have to really sit down with your spouse, and really talk about the good and bad things that could happen. If all goes well, just get out there and make your career in aviation happen. I am a Biochemistry major with a pre-med concentration, but I've always wanted to fly. So, finally, I talked it over with my lady, and with her support, I'm going to start training again. Still getting my degree though in biochemistry. Just don't go back and forth with your descion. It will eat you alive. I've had one too many days where I just felt like life was getting knowhere because I was caught between what I really wanted to do in life vs. what I thought I should with life. Best of luck to you! Things will work out.

[jbail3p]

MC,
Good point. You should go fly full time if you can. I am just starting. 32 career changer, and a long way from living the dream. One thing about the Nati. It is very conservative. I am from the Cleveland area and it is very different for me and my gf down here. Things are still a little behind times. If i had the time you had, i would take the package and go do that which will make you happy FLYING! As far back as i can remember i always wanted to fly. Went to a school that had a good flight program, but didn't think i could afford a degree in aviation. After join JC and listening to all the great advise you can find here i decided that this is what i wanted to do. I have a long way to go before i make that dream a reality, but i believe it can be done. One thing i love about this site is that most of the mentoring offered here comes from those who shared the same dream and made. I wish you the best and don't stop looking to the sky.

Fly safe
jbail

[mcdavi02]

One thing that P&G is letting us do before I make a decision is to make a "pre-decision" trip to Cinnci, and I figure I might as well at least go out to Cinnci to visit FBOs before I tell them that I'm taking the package and leaving. It looks like I may visit Cinnci around November 12th. They basically send you out there on a Citation into Lunkin and give you four days to familiarize yourself with the area. Hey, at least its a few free days off and a fun ride. After I get back then I have to let them know if I want to stay or go, and when. I'm 90-95% certain I'm packaging out and flying full time.

[mcdavi02]

So I'm going out to Cinnci just to see what the area holds for opportunities, specifically in aviation. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I should visit when I'm there? Like I said, it's unlikely that I will actually move to Cinnci, but if I'm going for a visit, I'd like to see if there are any unique opportunities that I have not considered.