I left flying after a couple years as an FO for a regional (supposedly one of the 'better' regionals). I have a bachelors degree in aviation management. So, I got a job in airport ops, with plans to move into airport management. Initially, I thought I had made a good move. 12 days off a month, $40k a year to start, govt job so stable. After a couple years of that, I realized I had made a big mistake leaving flying. First off, that job sucks. The endless red tape, lack of standardization, horrible office politics, endless meetings. It was a daily misery. Then, the 12 days off were more like 8 each month, becuase they understaffed the departments and then forced overtime. Also, becuase it's a govt job, there is no movement. People become institutionalized and retire out, so I was moving nowhere in regards to schedules and days off, as they were seniority based. Add on to that during snow season, they put you on call at 2am in case of snow. Thing is, we did nothing with snow removal, but management would call us in anyway. At 2am for christ sake! After 3 years, I topped out in pay at 45k. The city froze pay increases. Movement is nil, and promotions essentially happen only when someone dies. I thought about sticking it out to pursue airport management, but even the superintendant was only making 60k a year, and those guys don't have a life. They basically live to work, as they are called in on days off regularly. On top of that, those positions open up VERY rarely, and the competition is absolutely fierce.
So yeah, I was actually FAR happier at the regional, and I've gone back to flying. It's an unstable field, yes. But most industries out there are seeing their benefits cut back, hours increased, pensions cut, or are being outsourced overseas. I tell ya what, after seeing what a friend of mine goes through in the IT industry, I feel happy I never pursued that field like I nearly did.
I wish you the best of luck. I tried the career change thing, and it was a mistake for me. Maybe for you it will be better. Just be realistic in what you hope to achieve. Realize that even 60k is very hard to come by in just about any field. There are exceptions, but they are very hard to come by. I thought about going back to school (which meant more debt - ugh) to get a degree in Finance and/or Economics. They seem to make good money, and are in fairly good demand, especially with a masters. But that meant starting all over, and doing something that would have bored me to tears. Aviation is really a love/hate thing. Somedays I love it, other days I truly hate it. But I realize I could be a corporate drone herded into some office somewhere, getting the life sucked out of me by the flourescent lights and the naggy, gossiping office whores. No thanks. Best of luck, and HAVE A PLAN.
