"Pilots have a lot more skills then they think that will transition to another career."
Here's what a US Airways furloughee has to say about the above. I think all will find this very interesting, and hopefully motivating. This may have appeared already, if so, I apologize. I hope you don't mind me posting this Chris.
This is for all to read to possibly give encouragement:
I quit last month flying as a Captain on the Citation III with a charter company out of Naples, Florida. I was making about 60K if I flew about 40 hours a month, which is a lot in the charter business. They did not believe in any days off - not even the 13 prospective 24 hour rest periods you are supposed to receive unscheduled Part 135. Equated to 24/7 on call (illegal by the way). There was absolutely no life. So, I finally came to making a decision I have never had to make in my flying career and that was to quit. I do not need the hours or anything else to keep climbing up the "ladder".
You know what? And this is the real kicker as to what has happened to our aviation industry and what continues to happen today with everyone scrambling for any flying job they can - I found a job working for a construction company - a trenching company called Hydro Rock here in Florida (hydrorock.com). It would not have been my first choice, but through the help of my father-in-law networking some contacts of his, this opportunity came up. I have absolutely no experience in the industry and they started me at 52K, gave me a 2001 F150 Super Crew leather interior truck, and are paying for my family insurance (everything in this realm is negotiable - there are no union contracts spelling out what you are going to make every year)! To reiterate, without any experience in the industry!
My wife explained something to me that really made me understand something. I have always said that my special talent was to fly airplanes. I have always been really good at it. But, she told me that it is not that my special gift is to fly airplanes specifically, but it is the qualities that we have that allows us to be good pilots. So, there are so many more jobs out there where you do not have to continue commuting to a 34k/year flying job, because the qualities that can transfer from what made you a good pilot - attention to detail, able to make decisions quickly, be steps ahead at all times - have a good forethought, professional, able to communicate well, and the list goes on - can help you in procuring another career with a lot better lifestyle to wait out this downturn.
Of course, I would love to be back at USAirways as it was before Sept 11th, but it certainly has changed - the industry has changed. Why are we chasing 30K to even 50K/year jobs when we are so overly qualified, and the responsibility you have certainly has not changed? Maybe it is because guys think there is nothing else out there because we are so specialized in aviation that no one would hire us doing something else. That is not the case as explained above. Seek it out. Yes, you may miss flying and then you may not. Being home with my kids everyday right now has actually been a blessing to me. If I was flying for JetBlue or some other commuter, I would be gone at least half of the week commuting and flying or sitting reserve somewhere for pay somewhere in the 30's or 50's (if jetBlue)! It would be crazy to do so unless you live right there to drive to JFK for example.
I encourage those who have not found the right job either flying or otherwise to look at yourself from the angle of what qualities made you a good pilot and exploit them to a possible employer in another field if you must like I did. The other key is to network, network, network - just like we have had to do up the aviation ladder. Through church, friends, etc, etc, etc. get the word out that you are looking in any realm and open to anything. You never know what could fall into your lap.
I'll post this where others can read it and I hope they get encouragement from it. Best of luck to all.
(name deleted for his privacy)- furloughed a year and a half ago