I still cant make up my mind
I love flying. My current job has turned flying into a job, but I'm dumb enough to still love it. Question is, do I love it enough to stick it out for the long term? Right now I'm teetering on the verge of not flying anymore. I still cannot make up my mind as to whether I want to jump ship and head over to ATC or stay the course and keep on flying.
Pros of jumping ship -
Money....and lots of it. A hell of a lot more than I will make as a pilot for at least the next 7-10 years.
Stability-...Lets face it, being a pilot is a very unstable job.
Retirement...Currently I'm in charge of my own retirement. By the time I'm old enough to collect social security, it'll be long gone. At my current employer's rate of a measly 3% match, I'll literally have to fly 1000 hours a year till I'm 65 to have a decent retirement, only to die 2 years after I retire, because I worked till I was 65.
Schedule...A semi-sorta 9-5 where I can be home every night vs. being gone for at least 3 days in a row, mostly 4.
Cons -
Schedule.....I am really getting used to being home with the boys. I have been averaging 14 days off a month for the last few months. Sept and Oct I have had 17 days off. My schedule has been commutable, so I have been spending a lot of time at home lately and have been getting used to it. Do I really want to give that up to work a "9-5"
Travel benefits - with ATC, I will have none. At leas now, Erin, the boys and I have some bennies.
Commuting.... . Hmmmmm. 45min flight on planes that are increasingly full and not on a very good schedule vs. a 2 hour drive each way.......almost a toss up.
I've been weighing the pros and cons for a few months now and still cannot come up with a decision. I like my schedule as it is now and like the travel benefits, but HATE the pay and hate commuting. What should I do with my life for the next 30 years.......thats the $6,000,000 question.
Pros of jumping ship -
Money....and lots of it. A hell of a lot more than I will make as a pilot for at least the next 7-10 years.
Stability-...Lets face it, being a pilot is a very unstable job.
Retirement...Currently I'm in charge of my own retirement. By the time I'm old enough to collect social security, it'll be long gone. At my current employer's rate of a measly 3% match, I'll literally have to fly 1000 hours a year till I'm 65 to have a decent retirement, only to die 2 years after I retire, because I worked till I was 65.
Schedule...A semi-sorta 9-5 where I can be home every night vs. being gone for at least 3 days in a row, mostly 4.
Cons -
Schedule.....I am really getting used to being home with the boys. I have been averaging 14 days off a month for the last few months. Sept and Oct I have had 17 days off. My schedule has been commutable, so I have been spending a lot of time at home lately and have been getting used to it. Do I really want to give that up to work a "9-5"
Travel benefits - with ATC, I will have none. At leas now, Erin, the boys and I have some bennies.
Commuting.... . Hmmmmm. 45min flight on planes that are increasingly full and not on a very good schedule vs. a 2 hour drive each way.......almost a toss up.
I've been weighing the pros and cons for a few months now and still cannot come up with a decision. I like my schedule as it is now and like the travel benefits, but HATE the pay and hate commuting. What should I do with my life for the next 30 years.......thats the $6,000,000 question.
posted by Windsor at 4:20 PM
4 Comments:
but the travel bennies suck anyways. sure free flights, but can you even get on?
here's my pro and con list. if i leave, i will most likely go into health care:
Pro(reason to keep airline job)
*Jump-seating privileges
*health benefits
*consistent $35k salary
*12 years worth of sacrifice
*childhood dream
*Average of 12 days off per month
Cons(reasons to quit)
*ability to poop on schedule
*personal time spent on commute
*hatred for being in back of aircraft
*no consistent schedule - unable to help parents if they become ill
*no coverage for loss of medical or license
*loss of seniority for employer change
*better diet/ability to exercise more
*job is monotonous
*more time for me and my family
*would like to help people more via job
*would like to pursue hobbies
*poor sleep schedule
*industry instability
*union negotiating bullshit
*safety concerns
Anon #1 - Yeah, the bennies at my company do suck as compared to other regionals. #1, My parents cant travel anymore, #2 I cant go internationally more than once. #3, No buddy passes.....Garbage compared to the rest of the industry.
Anon #2 - Looks like your con list is a lot longer than your pro list. I think there are a good number of pilots out there that are leaning twords getting out of the industry, ourselves included.
Really these are some of the most amazing pictures. I think the real beauty of any place can only be seen from sky and it always gives a second perspective about that place. Thanks for sharing it.
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