getting out of aviation

[jppt2000]

Bell47 excellent idea and strategy.
So many people I fly with don't have a
plan B in case things go bad. I would definately get the nursing credential.
The biggest return on your effort would be getting a two year AS degree in Nursing.
Let the hospital pay for your "bridge degree" ASN to BSN.
I am a Registered Physical Therapist, currently flying at a major fractional.
I was in the same situation as you. Except, I tried to get a flying job back in the mid 80's. Recently I thought I would have to go back to PT if things went any worse at my current job. I was amazed at the number of people who thought they would be able to survive a job action by working at Home Depot. I did the PT thing for about 8 years, formed a PT contracting business (hospital, long term care, home health) along with my wife. Flew back and forth to see patients, had a blast. But, after treating many older folks and listening to their advice, finally realized you only get one chance at this life.
I don't regret being a PT but,
I would not go back to PT if I could still fly. I gotta admit though, I sleep better at night knowing I have a "marketable" skill.
If you get a critical care certification, I would suspect you could work your way into an FO's position with an air ambulance outfit.

 

[Tyro]

Questions were thought questions - not specific only to nursing or even this particular case. These could today be asked of any profession.

Take a casual look around. Those forces compressing aviation into a now vastly underpaid and wholly under-appreciated profession, are not particular to aviation: these same stresses are distressing every facet of the social order. It is logical to think that perhaps a non-business (e.g. governmental) agency might be exempt or relatively well protected. This is not the case.

Swapping horses does not alter this. The same ugliness will be there. Perhaps in a different form, - but it will be there.

The wisest thing I have seen written on this forum is from PilotYip, starts something like: “Fly because you like to...”

Best o’ Luck, Bell47. So long, Compadre.

 

[Resume Writer]

The nursing profession is unreal right now. I consistently receive 10-20 positions a day from recruiters in my email from all parts of the country. I have a colleague whose husband is a traveling nurse. He makes a heck of a lot of money. He has stopped traveling now and landed a job in a top hospital here in PHX.

As far as "wiping butts and drool," that is pretty much for the Certified Nursing Assistants. It depends upon the part of the country where you reside. I have composed several hundred nursing resumes over the years, and I am consistently amazed at the inconsistency of position responsibilities and educational requirements.

Good luck to you!

 

[satpak77]

Best o’ Luck, Bell47. So long, Compadre.

actually you might see him soon on the ramp when he taxi's up in his own 182, with a big fat smile on his face, enroute to an EAA airshow, because aviation is fun again

 

[Tyro]

It is possible.

Good Luck.

 

[skipro101]

amazing how everyone on the board knows your exact personal situation isn't it

That is a retarded comment. Dude he posted on a freaking internet forum. We are giving our 2 cents with the info that is provided. No one is claiming to know everything, just trying to comment. That is the reason that the poster posted this in the first place....FOR COMMENT.

I agree. A piece of advice is kinda like a butthole, everyone's got one! LOL

What the hell are you posting this for then? I wasted several minutes of my life reading your original posts and the replies and made a comment that I thought might possibly help you. I did it because I thought you were asking for comment. If you dont want comment, DONT POST.

 

[satpak77]

That is a retarded comment. Dude he posted on a freaking internet forum. We are giving our 2 cents with the info that is provided. No one is claiming to know everything, just trying to comment. That is the reason that the poster posted this in the first place....FOR COMMENT.

What the hell are you posting this for then? I wasted several minutes of my life reading your original posts and the replies and made a comment that I thought might possibly help you. I did it because I thought you were asking for comment. If you dont want comment, DONT POST.

ok dude I won't be so freaking retarded

 

[MalteseX]

CRNA Salaries

My wife is a nurse. She's been doing it now for about 5 years. The first half of that was spent wiping geriatric butts, this last half has been in pre-op. Let's just say that the grass is always greener on the other side. It's nice that she can get a job wherever we go, with relative ease, but the pay isn't as great as everyone makes it out to be. Here are my "insights" into the nursing profession...

Pay. I don't know where all of you get your info, but for a regular 4-year degreed RN, it still isn't that great. Livable, definitely, but not the greatest. Right now my wife is making the most she's ever made, roughly $50K, working in downtown PHX. She could make quite a bit more if she entered the nursing pool, but that provides no benefits, and with me finishing up ratings right now, we need those benefits. So if you can get by without the bennies, the pay can be good. If not, it's livable at best (if you have a family). Specialties will obviously pay more, but how much more is the question. I think my wife would love to be a CRNA, but that involves more school, which won't work with my current income ($0).

\

The pay for nursing varies as it does for pilots, I guess. I can only speak for my wife however. We have not experienced the low pay for nursing as you mentioned above, but it may be that my wife also is employed as a CRNA vs a traditional RN. She also has 20 years experience.......

She just interviewed for a job in the SF Bay area as Chief of CRNAs. They offered her $210K per year counting bonuses.... she did not take the job due to the extraordinary cost of living in the area. Currently, in West Virginia she makes well into the 6 figures.....

No butt wiping involved....

It really is not a bad job. I guess you have to search around for the best employers/pay etc.

I'm finding it much more difficult to be in Aviation.

 

[bell47]

That is a retarded comment. Dude he posted on a freaking internet forum. We are giving our 2 cents with the info that is provided. No one is claiming to know everything, just trying to comment. That is the reason that the poster posted this in the first place....FOR COMMENT.






What the hell are you posting this for then? I wasted several minutes of my life reading your original posts and the replies and made a comment that I thought might possibly help you. I did it because I thought you were asking for comment. If you dont want comment, DONT POST.

Yeah satpak77 you were retarded and I wasted his time, Be care next time or we'll get our peepee's slapped! Well skipro I do like the varied comments that's why I made the first post. But everyone has there own opinion, thanks for yours but don't get mad if someone else doesn't have the same views as you. If your life is so busy that you feel like you wasted too much of it playing on the computer, and answering comments on a message board then you need to S--L--O--W D--O--W--N a bit. Enjoy this board for the good info it has and feel free to jump in anytime, but lighten up a bit. Thanks for your incite. bell47

 

[F16fixer]

I shadowed my mom in the ER last year. It was pretty cool to see someones guts set up on his chest and everyone was acting just as calm as could be. We even got to listen to Rascal Flatts while the surgery was going on. Anyway, the only down side to working in the nursing field for me would be the fact that I would be employed with 200 other people that remind me of my mom. (she's a great lady, but you know what I mean)

On the other side of the fence, No commute, easy work, my mom works two jobs because she wants to and makes a little over 100k a year. For Southern Mn that is great pay compared to the norm. She went to a 2 year school 25 years ago to make this salary.

I have a four year degree from ERAU, four years active duty under my belt, 20,000 down at some mom and pop flight school for all my ratings and my w2 was around 17,000 this year. I think I'm going to get drunk tonight!

You go get that degree in nursing and start a new chapter in life. I think I'll keep getting crapped on by aviation for a few more years to see if I can make it through or it will make me that much happier at my next career.