To those who left their pilot job....

Where and what are you doing now?

My background. Aviation Science degree. On my second regional (been with the regional career for 6 1/2 years), still a first officer. I am the bottom guy in my base, on Reserve, and really seeing nothing change. I could switch bases from where I live and drive to another base, putting me 22/38 on the list. But I am getting married next year, ready to start a family, and thinking of leaving the industry all together. The pay and amount of time I am on the road with terrible schedulemjust isn't paying off for me. Curious as to those who left flying to pursue another career, what did you do? I'm great with building computers and thought about pursuing something in that job market.

Have you considered looking outside the regional racket? It's not the only type of flying. I don't know what your times look like, but you could try another segment of the industry if you want to stay in flying...

On the computer thing, I hate to say this, but building computers is easier than putting lego's together. I can't see there being any good paying demand for that. Very unskilled task. Sure it's fun researching new stuff online, and it's satisfying putting it together to use it when you get it, but think about how incredibly easy it really is. One of those erector sets from the 80's or whatever is about 1000x harder.

Took the law enforcement path. The pay is great, days off are comparable, and I can fly for fun and teach on the side.

There are other jobs in the IT industry that you might enjoy. Networking is pretty big, but its gotten so easy that it pays low these days. CNC/ Oracle jobs where you're managing a project that includes a lot of technical stuff (what my father does) can really pay well, but its usually a lot of travel, and will take several years to get good at.
For me? I see the stress my father is under doing his job, he travels as much as me, works just as much, and doesn't get to fly an airplane. He makes in a month what I make in a year (with 25 years of experience). I'm sticking to flying planes (although my regional career is still young, I would probably feel the same in your seat).

I'm in a somewhat unique position as I am a pilot but am also very active in the Navy Reserves. I spend on average about 2-4 months each year on Active Duty away from flying. When I am gone, I don't really miss flying at first as the flying job gets routine after doing it day in and day out and so the escape is a nice change of scenery. With that said, by the end of my time away I am looking forward to returning to the cockpit and can't imagine myself being happy if I was to do a desk job for the rest of my career. When it comes down to it, you have to #1 provide for yourself and your family, and then #2 is to do something that you enjoy doing. All the money in the world won't help you if you are in a miserable job. The secret to happiness, in my opinion, is when #1 and #2 can coexist.

I left aviation in 2007. The only reason I'm on jetcareers tonight is because I read on another forum about a B-17 crash and came here to read more. Browsed around a bit and found this thread.

Every time I think about my decision to quit aviation, I can't believe how I was wavering so much. I look back and think, "I am so very thankful I didn't end up making the other decision".

That being said, I am in a very unique situation. I come from a farm background and there was a successful farming operation in my family that I was able to become a part of. I went back home, joined my dad in the farming operation and met my wife. I could not imagine how anything could have turned out any better.

The big advantage farming has in my mind is that there is so much variety. When I was flying I felt like I was going to different places all the time, but it was always the same routine. Now I'm staying in the same place all the time, but I never can predict what I might be doing a couple hours from now. Sure I have a general idea, but there is always some unexpected challenge. That and the changing seasons seems to keep things fresh.

I do agree with those who say that building computers will probably not be a great course to pursue. I built my first one my Jr year of high school and I'm not all that brilliant. I do believe if you've got the motivation though, self employment is the way to go. If I were in that situation I would probably look for things that required hard physical work and low overhead. The people of the United States are lazier than they have ever been (myself included) and if you're willing to work your hind end off physically speaking I believe you could make some decent money doing some pretty simple, low risk things.

I'm not out yet, but I'd like to be. At least out if the airlines. This stuff is for the birds.

I do internet advertising at a firm I started working at when I was furloughed. I worked at xjet for a year, then was furloughed for 2, then went back for 6 months before I left for good about 6 weeks ago. They let me work from home, the pay is much better, and I haven't regretted leaving. Long term I'm not sure what I'll be doing for a career, but I have a good pay check and perfect qol right now.

Doing the second business thing, hoping to be senior enough to hold some of those 20 day off a month lines before too long.

In my home town ex-professional pilots own businesses in; insurance, insulation, a retail store, a property management company, a paving company, a fencing contractor, an excavation company and a few more. It seems common to eventually quit flying for something better. In my experience most ex-pilots do not fly for fun anymore and rarely mention their flying past. My point is that leaving the career is more common than you think.

I own a real estate brokerage and specialize in property management. I miss flying professionally but enjoy my new lifestyle much more.

Skyline

"In my experience most ex-pilots do not fly for fun anymore and rarely mention their flying past."

I wonder how many people get into professional flying that don't really love to fly. I mean, this isn't a generally a good job for someone who doesn't just live and breathe aviation, at least at first. And if someone who quits the biz isn't interested in flying at all, then I sorta wonder if it was meant to be in the first place. I don't mean to sound critical of those who leave the career. We all need to follow the path that's best for our individual situations. But when an ex-pilot shows know interest in flying at all, I kinda think maybe they got into the wrong biz. That's why these ATP ads suggesting zero to airline pilot in record time do a disservice to some folks who might buy off on it who get into the biz for the wrong reasons. You really need to love flying if your gonna put up with the downsides of the career.

Gotta agree here. I see the opposite. I know a retired airline pilot with enough money to live and not have to work but still instructs like 500 hours a year in his late 60s and has more enthusiasm then most 20 year olds about doing it. To each their own. I think those who want nothing to do with it are the ones who got into it without knowing what the career entailed and were disappointed by the reality of it

The big majority of military pilots have no interest in aviation outside work. They are very enthusiastic about the flying they do as part of their job, but aren't really generally interested in GA.

Most go through a shotgun education process when it's time to leave the military and continue with a civil flying career, but then it's out of necessity rather than actual passion or interest.

For what it's worth, when I was in high school I thought quite a bit about farming. I thought I was going to be a farmer, and pursue some sort of ag education for awhile. Towards the end of high school, that changed for various reasons. I was no longer interested in coming back to the farm. I pursued aviation and was somewhat successful (although not fantastically so) for as long as I pursued it. During the time that I was in college and during the time that I was flying for a living I rarely thought about farming. It was only when I decided that the aviation lifestyle would likely produce obstacles for a stable family life that I started considering farming again.

Now that I farm for a living, I am quite interested in it. I rarely think about my aviation past. I agree that if it's all you had done your whole life, it would be hard to forget the things you liked about it, and by that time the things you didn't like would be just part of it. You get to be that way with any job. I don't particularly enjoy cleaning out a grain bin of sorghum, but I don't focus on that. I focus on my extremely flexible schedule, the crazy variety, the excitement of not knowing what I'm going to be doing an hour from now because you never know what the next challenge is. I focus on the freedom I have to pursue all kinds of different ventures and the fact that I have resources available for all kinds of fabrication and building projects.

If one were to focus on the past, always wishing for it, life would be miserable. It is perfectly natural to become physically, mentally and emotionally invested in whatever occupation you are pursuing, regardless of what you have pursued in the past.

I have thought about this before, not directly related to aviation, but just in general. I think it popped into my mind because I like my job but dont do anything related to it as a hobby and dont have any desire to do it during my off time. I dont think i would ever do it really ever as a hobby, just because it is stressful, but offers enough fullfillment and pride in doing it well, that it is enjoyable while in the working frame of mind. I think i enjoy the job just as much as guys that are really into it, and i perform just as well as them at work too. I think it is just individual qualities of person how they like to separate their professional and personal lives and cannot really be naild down into black and white.

Man...if I could choose one thing to give up flying for it would be being a captain of a 30 footer off Kona side trolling Ono and Ahi.

This..

I have a side business, my wife is self employed and makes much better money than I do, and I'm trying to get into another "side business."

I'll gladly take the #14 FO spot and just relax..

I don't know that I could continue to be an airline pilot without GA.. I love being able to fly who/how/when I want..

This is very true, from a lot of military pilots ive met. I always figured that after flying in the military, civilian flying seemed boring.

Love is a two way street. Aviation is easy to love over the decades if you can reach your dreams. Try spending 6 years in the right seat in a regional at crummy wages and that love can begin to fade a bit. Everyone on their wedding day is madly in love. Devotion and affection eventually needs to be reciprocated though or else the relationship is based upon a self destructive one sided obsession.

The other day I met a NW Airlines captain in the plumbing store. He had been with the company since the 1980's. His attitude towards aviation was not good. He sold his small plane a few years ago and can not wait to retire never to touch a plane again. As he spoke he spit with the hatred of someone getting a divorce. His once flawless and beautiful bride has taken half of his retirement, cut his wages significantly and reduced him to flying an Airbus. Now he hates his chosen profession and not because the physics of flight have changed but because the circumstances surrounding it have.

I agree that the ads do a disservice. They set false expectations but no one can stay in a loveless marriage unless they hold an unhealthy obsession as many pilots these days do.

Possibly...but there are also some guys, like myself, who would gladly go rent a 152 on the weekends after spending a week G-ing my lips off in a T-38.