Thinking about stepping away from the game for a bit

[Chaxterium]

Hello,

My wife and I recently had our second child and being away from home is getting more and more difficult. I'm giving some thought to taking a year or two off while they're young. I'm curious how difficult it would be to get back into the industry after an extended time away. Would companies frown upon it? I know I would most likely no longer be IFR current, but I'd have to complete an initial GS anyway which would make me current again. Has anyone gone through this? How did it work out?

I have a decent amount of experience (4000+TT, bunch of jet time, bunch of PIC, etc) so I don't think my experience would hold me back from getting another job. I'm just worried about whether being out of the industry for a year or two would hurt my chances.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Cheers,
Chax

[Cat Driver]

Nothing replaces being with your family when they are young.

Airplanes will always be there but you can not turn back time.

[ahramin]

Completely depends on the industry. If there is a demand for pilots with your experience, your sabbatical will not matter one bit. If there is a downturn and you are competing against 10 other people with the same experience who have been flying the last two years, you will have to rely on your contacts to get you in.

[lownslow]

Are you near one of the integrated CPL programs? With your background you could make a difference teaching IFR (in that you've actually done it) and it would get you home every night.

[frog]

With the new duty rest rules coming up, I'm hoping that the hiring will continue for a while hence helping you jump back on the saddle once ready. Also I agree 100% with cat. I am doing my best to be home as much as I can for my kids.
I am sure you have thought of parental leave no ?

[Chaxterium]

I am sure you have thought of parental leave no ?

I've given it some thought. Is it the same as paternity leave though? My wife is taking the full year of maternity leave so my understanding is that that means I can't take any paternity leave.

[JBI]

I was off of flying for 10 years with less time than you. I was lucky that I had developed good relationships over the course of my career so they were willing to take a chance on me even though I was definitely rusty.

If you can afford it financially, I would say spend time with the family. It would be good if you could do some part time flying both to keep yourself sharp and continue to build your network connections.

[valleyboy]

That is correct. You can split the time but not "double" dip. Depending on your career goals taking time off does affect you career mostly from the point of view of seniority. If airlines are not in your sights then taking time off just "freezes" you and you come back basically with what you had to offer when you left. All your compatriots will have moved on and you will be a 4000 hour pilot looking for a job but if you are just doing it for a max of 24 months the industry should still be on the upswing, not on fire but employment still available.

Having said all that one needs to take a close look at what really is important and not what you perceive as important and possibly with a little self interest. I mean one also needs to look at the big picture and 5, 10 and 15 years down stream etc etc. It's very easy to say "family is first and I want to spend more time at home" but at what cost for the future. Sounds like your wife also has a career so I see the dilemma. The problem with aviation all comes back to seniority and seniority = money and money = ability to provide for your family. Like I hinted it's not an easy decision. I went through it and with a wife who had a much higher earning than myself and house husband was even discussed but at the end of the day we decided it was much better to keep the earning potential very high (both my kids private school and successful) and the personal professional satisfaction as well, we opted for a live in nanny who to this day is like part of the family. Yes I was rotating at the time and found my time off very fulfilling and had much more time to interact with my kids in their younger years. I also opted for a move to YK which did put me at home every night so yes with some sacrifice you can do both but it takes flexibility from all parties. Remember by the time they are 13 their friends are more important than you and that is where you really need the resources to parent -- $$$$$$

[confusedalot]

I certainly understand your priorities, and family always prevails.

BUT....

Timing is everything in life. Right now, if you do the sacrifice, chances are that in 10 to 20 years, if you stay in the game, you will be at the top of wage earners..........

By timing, I am thinking about a previous generation. The national airline was hiring 19 year olds who over time, became the most senior, highest paid, biggest plane, drivers.

Sure, they did their sacrifices, but they were minimal in comparison to what the industry now requires.

Food for thought, this is what this message is solely about. I think that one who desires to pull the plug on a potentially very, very, lucrative future career (which was crappy in my lifetime), should carefully consider the options.

I've done a few semi skilled and skilled work outside of this world, never trust a man who says trust me, but, it is no better on the other side. Same problems, same lack of pay, same gone from home syndome, and on it goes.......

Think very carefully.

[Entrepreneur]

Did the same thing 5 years ago...best move I've ever made! PM me if you'd like

[gwagen]

Can certainly understand the desire to be with your kids and that's worth a lot.

Career wise, if you're in the airlines right now, you are in a time of unprecedented movement and growth.

Career wise to get out right you may well be sacrificing upgrades in equipment, seniority and pay grade.

If you can stick with it a few more years you may have a better income and the seniority to get better scheduling.

Should you come back in a few years. You'll be starting back at the bottom and in the long term will not have the same earning potential and better schedules.

Food for thought.

[photofly]

I'm surprised nobody has suggested that you ask your children to take a couple of years out of growing. They could quite reasonably sacrifice two years of seniority and allow you to make progress in your career, then you can pay it back to them later when they start growing again, and you'll be better placed to spend time with them then.

[rookiepilot]

I'm surprised nobody has suggested that you ask your children to take a couple of years out of growing. They could quite reasonably sacrifice two years of seniority and allow you to make progress in your career, then you can pay it back to them later when they start growing again, and you'll be better placed to spend time with them then.

That's an interesting (sarcastic) comment in response to what seems like a sincere question and some thoughtful balanced answers.

Are you implying you're somehow better than those attempting to make tough choices, wisely?

This was a good, positive thread. Oh well......

[photofly]

I'm saying nobody goes to their grave wishing they'd spent less time watching their children grow up.

[Chaxterium]

Thanks for the responses folks. Much appreciated. Lots to think about for sure.

[180]

If you can afford it, take the time off and spend those precious years with your wife and kids.

Posters worrying about a couple years of seniority over the course of a 30+ year career obviously don't have families of their own.

With your time, you won't have any issues picking up where you left off.

[Lurch]

Not sure where you live but have you looked at other local companies, there are operators out there where you can be home every night.

[skypirate88]

As Lurch said, take a look at some local 703/4 operators. Most seem to be hiring at the moment, and it would allow you to keep your head in the game.

[co-joe]

On the plus side, the IPC is a walk in the part compared to the old days where you'd have to write the INRAT and do a flight test on an actual airplane. Now, a quick one two in a redbird and then IFR is G2G.

sent you a pm as well

[Chaxterium]

Thanks again folks. I'm currently at a 604 company and I have a really good schedule with a lot of time off but unfortunately when I do have to work I'm often gone for 7-10 days at a time and it's hard being away from my girls for that long. I'm looking for something Monday-Friday which is not too common in our industry.

[nohojob]

I don't know where you live but an operation like Transat or Sunwing would let you be at home almost every night.
And you work a max of 10 to 12 days a month.

[chipmunk]

Is an LOA possible?

As far as getting back into the game after a leave - what about talking to pilot friends who are mothers and have had to stop flying for the end of their pregnancy plus mat leave? Many have had no issues coming back to flying (either with the same company or moving on to another) other than missing their kids, of course!

[seniorpumpkin]

In Canada federally regulated employers (aviation) are required to allow you to take up to 39 weeks of leave after the birth of a child. This leave has to be within 52 weeks of the birth and cannot be split up. In terms of EI, that's kind of separate, as a couple you are allowed a certain amount that can be split or taken by one partner entirely. I took six months off when our kid was about 7 months old and it was amazing! Came back refreshed and ready for more abuse. There are also protections in place when you are on parental leave, like you can't be passed over for a promotion while on leave, your seniority continues to accrue, and at least where I work my family still had access to pass travel

[bigEh]

Bringing up an old thread here as I was looking for information about this exact question.
Does anyone know how the new parental leave policies of 18 months work if my partner has taken the benefits. The Canadian labour code says we are entitled to 78 weeks of leave of which I think 13 is maternity leave. Can I take the last 6 months if my partner heads back to work? This thought only came to us lately and we had not planned on it. She has taken 11 months now of full EI benefits but would it be possible for me to take the final 6 months of the 18 month entitlement without any EI benefits? We could make it work on one income. I am really enjoying being a new dad and find it hard to be away. My company has taken a new direction and I am away more and more with no notice. I'd really hate to miss this valuable time when it's available.

[altiplano]

I am sure you have thought of parental leave no ?

I've given it some thought. Is it the same as paternity leave though? My wife is taking the full year of maternity leave so my understanding is that that means I can't take any paternity leave.

There is a maximum number of weeks for the EI benefit payable for parental leave, whoever claims it, you or your wife, there is also pregnancy leave which only your wife may claim, they are typically sequence consecutively.

If you are both taking extended time off, depending on your and your wife's insurable earnings, it may be better for you to claim the parental leave portion.

But EI claims aren't the issue here:

Paid or unpaid, you are entitled by law as a new parent to a parental leave... I believe it is 63 weeks. Your employer cannot discriminate on the basis of family status. At the end of your leave if you don't want to return, give your notice, if at the end of your leave it turns out you are ready to go back you've left the door open... typically your employer must make available to you the same job or a similar job function.

Here's the info from Ontario's website, which also references the Federal standards. It is by no means complete, and I suggest you look into your employment rights, and how they may apply to your situation more.

https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-gu ... ntal-leave

New parents have the right to take parental leave – unpaid time off work when a baby or child is born or first comes into their care. Birth mothers who took pregnancy leave are entitled to up to 61 weeks' leave. Birth mothers who do not take pregnancy leave and all other new parents are entitled to up to 63 weeks' parental leave.

Parental leave is not part of pregnancy leave and so a birth mother may take both pregnancy and parental leave. In addition, the right to a parental leave is independent of the right to pregnancy leave. For example, a birth father could be on parental leave at the same time the birth mother is on either her pregnancy leave or parental leave.

Employees on leave have the right to continue participation in certain benefit plans and continue to earn credit for length of employment, length of service, and seniority. In most cases, employees must be given their old job back at the end of their pregnancy or parental leave.

An employer cannot penalize an employee in any way because the employee is or will be eligible to take a pregnancy or parental leave, or for taking or planning to take a pregnancy or parental leave.

Ontario's ESA and the federal Employment Insurance Act
The Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) provides eligible employees who are pregnant or are new parents with the right to take unpaid time off work.

In contrast, the federal Employment Insurance Act provides eligible employees with maternity and/or parental benefits that may be payable to the employee during the period he or she is off on an ESA pregnancy or parental leave.

The rules governing the right to take time off work for pregnancy and parental leave under the ESA are different from the rules regarding the payment of maternity benefits and parental benefits under the federal Employment Insurance Act. For example, a new father may choose to commence a parental leave under the ESA up to 52 weeks after the child is born. However, there may be restrictions on accessing the employment insurance parental benefits at that time. It is extremely important that employees obtain information about their rights to EI benefits if they are considering taking a pregnancy or parental leave under the ESA