Left the industry/considered it/or know someone who did?

[BigWillyStyle]

I got out 5 years ago because I was fed up with every idiot who owned a float charter service. When the price of fuel goes up, so does the requirement form the boss to fly heavy, in crap weather, off-book trips, and bootlegging booze into the rez. The few honest, ethical owners are usually put out of business by the shysters. So, I went back to school, and got a science degree. Now, working as a geologist, I make 3 times the money with half the stress, and better hours. I love it partly because if I find myself dealing with an idiot, it's somebody below me, not the guy signing my check. It's an honest, decent, fulfilling living. With the money I make, in a couple of years, I can buy my own Beaver, and fly whenever and wherever the hell I want. If anyone has noticed an increase in the amount of good ethical behaviour in bush flying, well, wait until oil is $150/barrel again, and let me know how it's going.

[Captain_Canuck]

I am seriously contemplating leaving this industry and just enjoying flying for fun. I lucked out and got a job with a great company in YYC only to loose my "window seat" due to the aircraft departing the company to run 604. That being said, I am now an office drone with the carrot sitting in front of me all the time but ever so far out of reach. As this was a second career for me, my first career is actually not looking all that bad at the moment.

However, all of this could change if I use my go go gadget arm and grab that carrot.

But in all seriousness, I am seriously contemplating going back to my first career or perhaps Nav Canada. Tough decision with a family on the way....

Fly Safe

[1coolav8r]

So far every post on this thread has been an eye opener to me, and it makes me realize why I got into flying in the first place.
I was 13 years old and decided that flying those crazy machines and getting paid to do it wouldn't be a bad way to spend my life, so I went after it and sure enough I did it.
It seems like everyone else who has posted on here that considered leaving was or is in the same boat as me. And most of you are right, if I ever left it would probably be a hell of a hard thing to do.
It goes back to the old story though: I knew from the start it's not all about the money, and sure we do it because we love it, but at the same time you need to pay the bills...but that is a entirely different can of worms!!
And by the way I am extremely impressed the way this thread has been going so far, it makes AvCanada that much better for me!! Thanks guys.

[North Shore]

I think about quitting on a regular basis - every time there's a decent festival in Victoria, or my kids have a special school event, or any one of a thousand and one small events that make a summer worth living; all the while, I'm living in a 30' trailer, and communicating on SKYPE. But, when it comes down to it, I love flying, and I do like my lifestyle, and regular paycheque. I get all interested in alternative careers, and then realise that I'll end up working 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, for somewhat less than I make now, and with none of the freedom. I like the fact that my boss sits in his office 400 miles away, and trusts me to operate his aircraft in a safe and profitable manner - without looking over my shoulder and micromanaging me. I think about quitting and ask myself, "And then what?"

Airtids had a great sign-off line a while back: "Aviation: the hardest way possible to make an easy living!"

[iflyforpie]

One thing I've noticed is that people who got out of aviation and into supposedly better careers are still lurking and posting here. If other jobs were so much better, they wouldn't care...

[Attila]

Great discussion! Thanks for starting it. I've been in the business for over a decade and in my mid 30s. Like many I've struggled for years and had a series of bad timing and layoffs including some painful ones recently leading to once again prolonged unemployment with the savings disappearing. Being someone with basic values that stands up for himself and doesn't take outright abuse lightly and I've paid a steep price for it. It got downright discouraging a few years back and like you found myself comtemplating leaving it all. In between jobs I was able to get a taste of entry level positions in different fields, tried to go back to school and went into business. One thing that continues to bug me to this day is that hard work, good attitude and job performance in my opinion has more of an influence on your career's success in many other fields. While ours seems increasingly more about what people are willing to put up with and perseverence. Especially at the lower to mid levels. This is by no means a general view but just personal experience and I hope I'm wrong. The key is to find something you enjoy doing and go for it. Logic and careful thinking lead me to try to leave on more than one occasion. But I was always pulled back in. It's a love hate relationship and as a previous poster said when you break through the clouds and look at what's out there you realize why you do it. I persevered and out of nowhere finally got to work for some good companies, found the old passion again and then went through more layoffs. It's been rough and frustrating and the increasing months without work is leading to familiar reflections. But having been there I don't believe I'll ever be able to leave this. Now to answer your question if I did what would it be.. The military. As a NCM, regular soldier, in infantry, combat engineer or signals. It's the backup. RCMP is interesting to a lesser degree. My advice as with others is to find first and foremost what you want to do and then go for it, give it everything you got and persevere. I think we can all look back and appreciate the unique experiences we've had as pilots and wouldn't give it back for anything. Through all the muck to come I know that feeling will always stay and that's reason enough to stay. Live for the present! Hope you find your way.

[hardlanding]

People get tired of aviation when they don't achieve their goals. But, to achieve the goals, you've gotta have a plan A, plan B, plan C and then start working on the execution. And work, and work, and work, until the goals are met....
When I started out with my bare-bones commercial licence, I knew I didn't want to be an instructor....plan A...bush pilot....went up north, got a bare minimum float rating and searched around until I got first job...dock hand....soon got into the seat of a C180 and cruised around on floats during the summertime for 5 years. (payoff, good start to gaining flight experience...downside, up North in the summers, but I liked the places where I worked, so didn't notice the downside very much)

Wanted to be an airline pilot, wanted to set myself apart from other applicants and also thought I should have a 'fall-back' qualification....so, in the winters, off to University to study Mechanical Engineering....tough course, but opened most of the doors to any serious career jobs in later years....(downside, hard course, cost of tuition/higher education....upside, B.Sc. (eng) that has served me well in both aviation and other peripheral areas of my job.)

So, managed to get through higher education and earn degree...now looking to get into IFR work?? But how?? Managed to find an operation that hired me as a float pilot, but also had DHC-6 IFR operation and I slid into right seat to get my IFR grounding....(downside, pay not terribly good in the right seat of a DHC-6 but I needed that IFR experience...upside, IFR experience got me to the next stepping stone.)

Originally had a desire to get on with Air Canada or Canadian, but they were either not interested, were laying off or in the midst of some financial meltdown....plan A out the window for now....plan B invoked...hired at de Havilland/Bombardier as factory flight test pilot...(upside, good pay, good company, interesting work that pulled in flying experience and engineering background....downside, not enough flying, it's partially an office job too)

Okay, back to Plan A...still investigating becoming an airline pilot...Air Canada et al still not interested.....hey, I noticed I didn't have an umbilical cord to Canada, so looked further afield...hey ho presto, hired at British Airways as an L1011 FO....been there ever since...now a 747-400 skipper, and I still like my job....(downside, had to move overseas...upside...well, that's kinda obvious)

Anyway, guys and gals, moral of the story....you gotta push hard to get anywhere in this industry....absolutely nothing is handed to you on a plate....

[Highflyinpilot]

I have mentioned this before on this forum, so Ill chime in here again just to give my point of view.


I had always wanted to be a pilot growing up, so i decided when i graduated high sghool I'd go to college and get my commercial and then enjoy a career in aviation. Well the minute I graduated and got my licence I decided to go into a diffrent line of work, not because I didnt like flying, not because I could not get a job(in fact I got offered 2 jobs without even applying, and Im not BS about that) but because I wanted more out of life than to just fly. Long story short, I did get out of avaition, now Im a certified tradesman.

Now do I think this was the right decision, I have no doubt that it was. Not to gloat or be the "show-off" but just to give you an idea of how well it worked out for me, I am home EVERY night, I have EVERY weekends off, I have EVERY holiday off, I always get at least 1 week off at xmas and more IF I chose to. I recently bought myself my dreamhome, I own a brand new Pick em up truck, I also purchased a new car, I own a newer ATV that I get to use on weekends because iam off evry weekend(I am actually going on a quad run this saturday And it is nice to know tha i will not miss it, because as I said im off EVERY weekend). i also own a snomobile that I also get to use on weekends(if we get snow ) I home every night to spend my time with my daughter(thats the best part) And all this at 25 years old, And it is only getting better.

Now all this is not to sya that I dont want to be a career pilot, because i would love to, but it just doesnt work for me. I dont get to fly as much as my career pilot friends do, but it doesnt seem to bother me much really when i pull in my driveway at supper time.


it is the best thing to be able to pull the BBQ out of the garage, crack a beer and not have to worry about a pager going off, or the phone rining telling me I have to be in in 1 hour.

And to I flyforpie, just because people get out of thie aviation field, doesnt mean they lose their passion for flight, that why I still lurk this forum, because i enjoy chatting with aviation goers, I just dont want to do it for a living because teh reward is just not worth the BS to be honest.


P.S All in all, I think you just have to do what you think is best for yourself.

Good luck with whatever you chose to do.

[padre12]

I am a Class 1 FI/ATPL also who left the industry; while I am now back in University and training to do something unrelated to aviation, I have not let either my Class 1 or my IFR expire. Maybe it is telling about how I actually feel about having left - time will tell.

Do what is right for you and your family - one can always find time to fly for fun! (It is, after all, the high paid professionals who have the nicest aircraft parked at the FBOs!)

cheers,
Padre12

[N2]

Why would anyone consider leaving a industry that is about as stable as a pyromaniac with a lighter?

[FastFlyBy]

Its been 13 years since I obtained my PPL, 6 years since the CPL.
I've spent the majority of the time since working ramp, dock or other non-flying positions while I've been waiting for my turn to fly. I was laid off from my first company after 1.5 years on the dock/ramp before getting into a plane, and now I'm very close to being in the same position with the same amount of time invested with another.
In the meantime, I've been living my life, got married, had a kid. I've kept working making not enough money to support a family because of the proverbial carrot, which I've known all along is not really a carrot, but more like a picture of a carrot. Hell its not even a real picture, more like a faxed 10X photocopy of one.

I've been on my last dollar for the last six months, still fully loaded with debt, the wife is still on mat leave and all the while I'm still trying to maintain my license validity.
I've made a lot of wrong choices with my career, If I had tried instructing I would probably be somewhere today, even though numerous time since I have been convinced that not doing it was the best decision. Whatever!
I'm at the point now, finally, where I basically need to give up. I've done the northern thing, I've put my time in more than once. I've made minimum wage, worked my butt off and done everything else for my shot in the front seat. I'm not doing that any longer, especially not to leave my wife and baby to go work on the ground somewhere and never see them. What would I tell the kid when he gets older. "Daddy has to leave now so that he can come back with nothing but a sore bumhole, sorry I won't be here for your birthday."

I need to find something else. But what else...? Flying has always been my dream. I've never really wanted to do anything else. I planned poorly and I don't have any special education, don't have the money to pay for it, don't have the job to earn the money, and barely have enough money as it is now to live and pay off debt. I don't know what to do.

Flying f!@#ed me, but I'm still in love with it. Its like a really bad movie.

FFB

[Axial Flow]

I had a friend that was thinking of quitting in the early stages of his career and I tried to convince him to stick with it. Well he ended up quitting and becoming a lawyer so looks like I am the idiot now

But like North Shore said, I always think about getting out of it and then ask myself "Then what"....unless I could go to work, be happy doing what I am doing and have loads of cash to fly personally but if that isn't possible I better keep on keepin on. Life's a garden Dig it ! JD

But if I have learned one thing in Aviation is that pilot's whine a lot I don't think a switch in profession would help anyways !!!! Naaaaaaahhhhhh
Damn Avcanada posting breathalyzer didn't work again but that's my 2 cents !


Cheers,

[cplpilot]

I never being in the businness, got my CPL, IFR etc etc... but i had a luck to have a steady and very well paid job all along.
Got married and had a child and i love him more than airplanes so i decided to stick to my carreer. I am still flying and maintaining my license but avery dollar i can put on the side is one more chance i give to my son to do whatever he wants to do.
I decided not to get a paycut because i want to give my family the best life possible but i think flying is not only a job, you can fly in weekends professionally and safely like you are in a company. I am 37 and i realized that a uniform does not make a pilot, passion does...
good luck to everybody, whatever you do!

[ever]

I have certainly thought about it, in fact Im currently posting from my second job that enables me to pay the mortgage. The main thing that holds me back from leaving the industry is the fact that I have invested so much for so long. I keep telling myself it's gonna get better and in a sense it is. What keeps me grounded is hearing other peoples stories, so many others have suffered a lot worse than I have, I think to myself, it could be worse. So when Im cleaning the A/C shitter or working for the 5th weekend straight, I just recall a story from a peer and say to myself.. Its not that bad.

[Lost Lake]

I started flying later in life. I can see the "official" retirement line ahead. 20 years of not watching my kids grow up, no money in the bank, no pension. If I had it to do over again, I don't know. Life is an adventure. I am currently looking at an oversees job, working for an aviation company. It's not a flying job. Great money, only work 6 months total, benefits. Chance to travel and see the world, which is as much fun as sitting in a cockpit.

I guess the point is, there are other career choices out there that can give you the adrenelin rush AND the money, life style you want.

Having read all the posts from the hardcore pilots, I can see all the small aviation companies licking their lips as they contemplate reducing wages.

[iflyforpie]

And to I flyforpie, just because people get out of thie aviation field, doesnt mean they lose their passion for flight, that why I still lurk this forum, because i enjoy chatting with aviation goers, I just dont want to do it for a living because teh reward is just not worth the BS to be honest.

Fair enough. I certainly couldn't put up with a lot of the BS some of the other posters here have.

But it seems some who have left post here looking for validation, rather than being satisfied with their choice...

[pilotbc69]

Being a professional pilot in Canada is like dating a beautiful bitch.

You are on top of the world when she is telling you how much she loves you and being sweet and thoughtful but when she's mad at you you couldn't be more miserable. And after awhile of putting up with her shit you start looking at other girls wondering what they are like and how much better they are than the bitch you are with because she doesn't look so beautiful when she won't let you touch her. Then she is always pissed at you and flirts with all of your friends (you work long days with no pay and no respect) and you wonder where you'd be if you hadn't broken up with Suzy, Debbie and Sheilagh (became a lawyer, doctor or teacher).Then one day your beautiful girl leaves you (you getting laid off from your job) and starts sleeping with your best friend (Your best friend gets a job while you continue to look and look and look) and you could stab your girl in the throat (you want to stab being a pilot in the throat). Then she is always pissed at you and you wonder where you'd be if you hadn't broken up with Suzy, Debbie and Sheilagh (became a lawyer, doctor or teacher).

Not a reflection of my personal life btw but certainly the professional one.

[1coolav8r]

Being a professional pilot in Canada is like dating a beautiful bitch......

That is one way of putting it!! Classic..EDITED

[Lost Lake]

Kerspllloooosh!
Sound of thread going down the toilet

[jakey]

I got my Bachelor of Aviation overseas; my original major being Flight Crew. After I got my PPL, I decided that flying for a living was going to be a long, stressful, expensive road. I was able to change my major to Aviation Management and was grateful to graduate.

After I returned to Canada I couldn't get entry-level work at any airline but I got into the automotive industry and worked there happily for almost 7 years. The plan always was to get back into aviation however and a few years ago my dad suggested ATC.

Last year I applied to NavCanada and I made it onto the VFR course. We just passed our final exams and will get our tower postings next week. Automotive was fine, but I am ridiculously happy to be getting back to aviation. Tower's the next best thing to the pilot's view.