How about a section for guys getting OUT of aviation?

[gringo]

Considering that there are many of us on this board and in this industry who have either already left the field or are considering it, I think it would be worthwhile to have a section where they can support each other in this difficult decision.

It's a tough thing to contemplate, but sometimes one has to know when its time to hang up the spurs and persue other interests, and it's always helpful to have as much emotional or factual support as possible.

I propose calling it Civillian Transition.

 

[G-force]

Very Appropriate

Considering that there are many of us on this board and in this industry who have either already left the field or are considering it, I think it would be worthwhile to have a section where they can support each other in this difficult decision.

It's a tough thing to contemplate, but sometimes one has to know when its time to hang up the spurs and persue other interests, and it's always helpful to have as much emotional or factual support as possible.

I propose calling it Civillian Transition.

Amen to that Brother,Amen!!!

 

[Snowman64]

Military to Civilian (Non-Flying) jobs

Here is info from the next thread...it is aimed at former military officer types.

When I was in the navy we would have an annual "carreer day" event in which there were representatives from the airlines, businesses, head hunters, and the navy personnel command. Everyone would pitch the pros and cons of leaving the military and life as a civilian. At almost every one of these things a rep from the "Lucas Group" would show up. They specialize in head hunting for JO's. Their website is http://www.lucasgroup.com/

I thought that they were a bit overbearing, but they also seemed to know what they were doing. I still get their mass emails about job opportunities for JO's. Another firm that my buddy used (also specializing in JO placement) was "Orion International" (http://www.orioninternational.com/). He was pretty happy with them and landed a good job.

General Electric has a great program for former JO's. It's called JOLP (Junior Officer Leadership Program) You participate in a 2-year long internship program where you spend time working in most of the GE divisions (Energy, finance, engineering, entertainment, etc). At the end, you choose the division you want to work in. I have a buddy (former pilot) doing that and he loves it (http://www.gepower.com/about/careers...cers/index.htm).

Good luck.
__________________
O-r

 

[learflyer]

I recently left a Frac (after 6 years there!)and aviation. Who here has left aviation and went back to school? What did you become? How old when you left aviation? I'm 34. What the heck do you do when you've already "pursued your dream"?

 

[Snowman64]

What to do??????

Thats what I'm trying to figure out...after 20+ years in aviation (military and civilian) I finally had children in my 40's and I no longer want to be away from home so much...especially when the airlines come after us for pay cuts every 6 months.

Now, TSA won't let me carry my toothpaste? Don't they understand that I've got the controls in my hands!!! Don't they know that I've got a CRASH AXE in the cockpit? But thank GOD they're making the public safe by taking away my 2" nail file on my finger nail clippers!

Sorry, just blowing off steam...which way to the Home Depot employment line?

 

[blackhawk911]

Thats what I'm trying to figure out...after 20+ years in aviation (military and civilian) I finally had children in my 40's and I no longer want to be away from home so much...especially when the airlines come after us for pay cuts every 6 months.

Snow--Ever thought of returning to helo's on the corporate side? Home nearly every night and the pay's not bad either. Could even segue into a dual-rated gig. Might require a move, though. What area are you looking in?

Hawk

 

[gringo]

What the heck do you do when you've already "pursued your dream"?

You find another dream and follow it.

Or you just start working at ANY new job. I started waiting tables for a bit at a restaurant, until things started to come together. It was fun, I was able to get the airline mentality out of my mind, and I met plenty of interesting people. Plus, I made more money than a 2nd year FO.

I was about to go into car sales- Why car sales? Because I understand that 99% of the successful individuals out there got their start in sales, and there are few better places to develop your skills than in an automobile dealership.
Instead, another sales and marketing opportunity presented itself in a totally different field, and I jumped on it.

Understand that just because you sank a lot of time and effort and money into flying, it dosen't mean you have to ride the flaming wreckage all the way down. You can always bail out, take what you learned and use that in your new life (when people find out I used to be a airline pilot, that really generates interset on their part. Interest turns into relationships. Relationships build sales. Sales equal commisions, which pay a lot more than flying!)

Bailing out dosent mean you're a failure, either. I ALWAYS wanted to fly international widebody. Guess what? I did that. I got to the top, and I didn't like the view. And you know what else? It happens all the time.

A book that really helped influence my thinking was called "Fired Up!", by
Harvey Mackey. It inspired me to do better. Well, that and the thought of my wife alone all the time. And then the thought of waking up next to her every single morning... I'll take that over some crummy hotel in bufu any day of the week!

They say that you change your career every 7 years. You're only 34 (I'm 30) so you still have the capacity to learn new things fairly easily. Go out, explore, and see what else you're capable of! It's scary at first, but soon after, you'll be so glad you bailed you'll be wondering why you didn't do it sooner!

It's all in your head. YOU control your future. Don't let some @sshole at ALPA or some scab at the Teamsters do it for you. They're all miserable washed up pathetic wastes anyway- I say LET them have their flight time! MY life is to valuable to be spent bickering with a bunch of overgrown whiners, and I'm sure yours is too.

 

[learflyer]

You find another dream and follow it.

Or you just start working at ANY new job. I started waiting tables for a bit at a restaurant, until things started to come together. It was fun, I was able to get the airline mentality out of my mind, and I met plenty of interesting people. Plus, I made more money than a 2nd year FO.

I was about to go into car sales- Why car sales? Because I understand that 99% of the successful individuals out there got their start in sales, and there are few better places to develop your skills than in an automobile dealership.
Instead, another sales and marketing opportunity presented itself in a totally different field, and I jumped on it.

Understand that just because you sank a lot of time and effort and money into flying, it dosen't mean you have to ride the flaming wreckage all the way down. You can always bail out, take what you learned and use that in your new life (when people find out I used to be a airline pilot, that really generates interset on their part. Interest turns into relationships. Relationships build sales. Sales equal commisions, which pay a lot more than flying!)

Bailing out dosent mean you're a failure, either. I ALWAYS wanted to fly international widebody. Guess what? I did that. I got to the top, and I didn't like the view. And you know what else? It happens all the time.

A book that really helped influence my thinking was called "Fired Up!", by
Harvey Mackey. It inspired me to do better. Well, that and the thought of my wife alone all the time. And then the thought of waking up next to her every single morning... I'll take that over some crummy hotel in bufu any day of the week!

They say that you change your career every 7 years. You're only 34 (I'm 30) so you still have the capacity to learn new things fairly easily. Go out, explore, and see what else you're capable of! It's scary at first, but soon after, you'll be so glad you bailed you'll be wondering why you didn't do it sooner!

It's all in your head. YOU control your future. Don't let some @sshole at ALPA or some scab at the Teamsters do it for you. They're all miserable washed up pathetic wastes anyway- I say LET them have their flight time! MY life is to valuable to be spent bickering with a bunch of overgrown whiners, and I'm sure yours is too.

Sorry, Gringo. I pm'd you before I read this post. Thanks!

 

[RichardRambone]

Nice post to see people in the same boat. I am taking the GMAT in a couple months and am deciding that I will pursue my MBA and go from there. Whether it involves aviation or not but I think it will be a better QOL. I love airplanes but not everyday. I can always CFI and get my fix. Any advice?

 

[gringo]

It's gonna suck for a while. Jet get that fact burned in your brain, and you'll do fine.

I now haven't flown an airplane in uniform for over a year... but I'm now managing the day to day operations of a fairly successful startup company, making more money than I ever did working for an airline and spending every night at home with the one thing that REALLY matters- my wife.

I still miss it sometimes. But I see all the fresh opportunities offered every day, and there's a whole 'nother life outside of professional flying, and then I don't miss it anymore.

I'm still counting down the days until I get back into a Cessna or Diamond, but I'll happily turn in the crap that came with my DC-10 flying anyday.

So as far as advice, just know that you're making the right move. Sure, the industry is in an "upswing" right now, but that's only because they can't find enough pilots willing to do the job for the joke wages the airlines are offering. And as soon as the next "incident" occurs, or when oil prices go back up, that'll go away too. Mark my words.

That all being said, though, if I had an MBA, I would strongly consider going back to the airlines, this time on the management side. Because those guys know how the game is played.

 

[RichardRambone]

Thanks for the speech. Its hard to know that I might be leaving everything Ive worked hard to accomplish thus far but I have a weird feeling that I just opened my eyes to a whole lot more opportunities. I thought flying was the end all to be all but Im starting to change my mind. Should be interesting ride.

 

[McNugget]

Good for you, Gringo. I thought there was no escape from 36th Street.

 

[Snowman64]

Update from Snowman64

I was looking at getting out of aviation altogether last fall, but I was also keeping my eyes open for other aviation jobs. I was an Army helo pilot in a past life and never really thought I would go back to choppers but I found two jobs in one day and received offers from both outfits.

I took the "lower" paying job because of the cost of living and the quality of life. I say "lower" because I still got a 46% pay raise from my regional airline FO pay. For all of you ex-helo guys who are getting fed up with the airline business (been there done that-got the t-shirt) you owe it to yourself to take a look at the helo world again.

There is a lot of growth in the helo business (fractional, ems, powerline, etc) and there seems to be a tight supply of qualified pilots. There are jobs all over the country. Check out this website for starters:

www.cjsystemsaviation.com

 

[blackhawk911]

Helo jobs

There is a lot of growth in the helo business (fractional, ems, powerline, etc) and there seems to be a tight supply of qualified pilots. There are jobs all over the country.

And it's only getting better, IMHO with the Viet Nam vets retiring. That shortage is beginning to be reflected in improvements in pay and benefits. Great time to get back in the industry.

Congrats on the new job, Snow. Sent you a pm.

 

[Snapshot]

Because I understand that 99% of the successful individuals out there got their start in sales

Brother, You've either got some bad intel on that one or some seriously skewed views on success.

 

[learflyer]

how's everyone on this thread doing? Two years later, and i'm still flailing around!! I did finally enroll in school though.........with all that's happened in the industry, there has got to be more people that has left the industry. Where you at?

 

[G-force]

After Election!!

If the Nov.election goes the wrong way,such as a Sen.from Ill.winning,then there are going to be alot of pilots.maint.techs,and others trying to find non-aviation employment!!!

 

[learflyer]

No doubt. I just started reading "the obama nation"