While you guys continue to look for new flying opportunities don't overlook other jobs outside of aviation. The pilots I have met at Avantair have always been friendly, articulate, have great customer service, patient, and hard working. To do what you do you must be organized, analytical, work long hours, travel, and change what you are doing at a moments notice. These are skills and personality traits in high demand throughout the Corporate World. It is how you put that information into a resume that companies can understand. It is the challenge that people coming out of the military have as well.
Look for young companies that aren't as hierarchal. You can always leave a job if you find a flying opportunity, or convince the owner to buy a plane when the business grows.
As a pretty senior Avantair pilot, and usually pretty positive-outlook person, I have been one to often speak of the good stuff we have had here. It's been a rough couple of years, and I have avoided complaining about it online, for the most part. But, gotta say, it's scary right now, and getting out of the flying biz has a lot of appeal.
I am a second career pilot, first one is calling me! Too bad being a ski-bum is lower on the poverty scale than a first year CFI!
I'm not looking thru Kool-Aid colored glasses, but as long as there are some owners out there with some stake in this, and people to fly them, we might have something to return to. Long or short term, one could stay current, at the very least. Reality is that it's kind of like an ILS to ACK at minimums, and when you ask the tower for the latest RVR, and they say "What do you need?"
You know you'll probably go missed, but just maybe... "Approach lights in sight..continue!"
That's the way it feels right now. Expect the worst, but just maybe something will materialize out of the fog.
And PS to everyone offering support and job help, Thanks.
