Impossible lifestyle?

[Longhill172]

Hello everyone,
This is my first post here and first time exploring this forum ( i think its quite overdue). Im currently a PPL student finishing my flight test and now looking forward to chipping away at my CPL. That being said its got me thinking about careers and opportunities for the future, its not that far away after all. So, my question for everyone is. How unachievable is it to make aviation a 9-5 type job(or a reasonable facsimile)? (While still making reasonable money). Ive been told by some that it may be possible going through porter, although a tough journey with scheduling at first, getting seniority will be a breeze on the q400 and something like a 9-5 schedule would not be ‘that’ far off. I may be naïve in thinking this but i truly think I can find a position for myself where I can live the stable (although industry is volatile) life that I desire for me and my family. I want the least impact on my spouse and kids while still being able to provide. (Also plan to go flight instructing route post CPL)
Help me paint a picture of whats to come in my life.

Any input, help, advice or otherwise would be much appreciated.

[Mobius_09]

You can likely get close to a “9-5”-type schedule as long as you stick to a regional carrier. You’ll also have to build enough seniority at said carrier to bid what you want, the time to build that seniority may vary quite heavily

[ant_321]

Have you ever worked a schedule other than 9-5? I did the 9-5 thing for a while and felt like all I did was work, eat and sleep. I get to spend way more time with my kids flying the line.

[TurkeyFarmYQX]

Most regionals could make this work. Or 703/704 gigs flying floats or something like a Twin Otter

[JHR]

I would never want to work 9-5. I have spent the last 23 years in corporate. I have watched my kids grow up. Rarely ever missed a school trip or big event. Missed a couple Holidays here and there but spending 2 month stretches at home more than made up for it. Just had most of the summer off. 9-5? Never!

[vanislepilot]

Don’t come into aviation if you want a 9-5
It’s a 24/7 industry!
But there are times I see my big 4 finance and consulting buddies working “9-5” (more like 8-8) and run around stressing all day.
I’ve been chilling on reserve schedule at a major and have been called idk like twice this month to go flying LOL
Just try to live in base if you can. Don’t f with the commuting nonsense

[Pacqing]

Instructing might work but otherwise no.

[throwawaycorporate]

This type of flying does somewhat exist.

Morningstar Caravan comes to mind.
Although not truly a 9-5, Carson does 4on,4off medevac shifts.
Harbour Air floats.

You could also get into the training department at an airline. The hours will not be 9-5 necessarily, but you will spend around 6-7 hours total at work in the simulator and home every night other than a few days flying the line, which you may find you actually really enjoy. While your seniority builds you'll be able to have greater control of your hours.

[Fly0nTheWall]

Instructing at an FTU as a career is also an option that isn't talked about much. One of the reasons I imagine is because it's not as easy to break 100k a year instructing at an FTU...though better paying instructor opportunities are creeping up more these days. But you could become a career instructor at an FTU and basically make your own schedule. A better paying option to flight instructing at an FTU would be as mentioned above working in a training department at a regional/mainline. Or as a sim instructor at somewhere like Flight Safety.

[Donald]

Northern airlines have that type of lifestyle.

[accountant]

Yeah it’s so hard being a pilot complaining about working 12-14 days a month and “Holding the Mine”

You’ve got a plum career. You can sit in your 3 cottages and enjoy more than Half the month off and cry poverty.

[dillpickle]

Yeah it’s so hard being a pilot complaining about working 12-14 days a month and “Holding the Mine”

You’ve got a plum career. You can sit in your 3 cottages and enjoy more than Half the month off and cry poverty.

You really need to fk off.

The fact you think all pilots at AC have cottages and work 14 days is hilarious.

[RippleRock]

Yeah it’s so hard being a pilot complaining about working 12-14 days a month and “Holding the Mine”

You’ve got a plum career. You can sit in your 3 cottages and enjoy more than Half the month off and cry poverty.

Everyone, this persons name is Accountant. They are a "pathological negative poster" that hates pilots.


Dude.....you've clearly got a "bone to pick" with pilots don't you?

I'm just reading some of the vitriol you're spewing at all pilots, young and old on multiple threads on AvCanada. You've been hard at work.

You need help.

[accountant]

Yeah it’s so hard being a pilot complaining about working 12-14 days a month and “Holding the Mine”

You’ve got a plum career. You can sit in your 3 cottages and enjoy more than Half the month off and cry poverty.

Everyone, this persons name is Accountant. They are a "pathological negative poster" that hates pilots.


Dude.....you've clearly got a "bone to pick" with pilots don't you?

I'm just reading some of the vitriol you're spewing at all pilots, young and old on multiple threads on AvCanada. You've been hard at work.

You need help.

It’s not vitriol when it’s truth.

Just like your buddy Trudeau knows, the budget doesn’t balance itself.

Keep asking for your united wage while you keep ordering from Amazon and discount retailers.

Your wages are supported by the fare buying public and a return on capital. Without people willing to invest, you’ll be saying “hold the Fryer” and “would you like salt with that?”

Fares are already softening. Demand is softening.

But hey go get your industry leading contract and keep telling us we are all wrong.

You wouldn’t be responding if I wasn’t speaking the truth and potentially pointing out to your comrades some of the realities of the industry….

[RippleRock]

Yeah it’s so hard being a pilot complaining about working 12-14 days a month and “Holding the Mine”

You’ve got a plum career. You can sit in your 3 cottages and enjoy more than Half the month off and cry poverty.

Everyone, this persons name is Accountant. They are a "pathological negative poster" that hates pilots.


Dude.....you've clearly got a "bone to pick" with pilots don't you?

I'm just reading some of the vitriol you're spewing at all pilots, young and old on multiple threads on AvCanada. You've been hard at work.

You need help.

It’s not vitriol when it’s truth.

Just like your buddy Trudeau knows, the budget doesn’t balance itself.

Keep asking for your united wage while you keep ordering from Amazon and discount retailers.

Your wages are supported by the fare buying public and a return on capital. Without people willing to invest, you’ll be saying “hold the Fryer” and “would you like salt with that?”

Fares are already softening. Demand is softening.

But hey go get your industry leading contract and keep telling us we are all wrong.

You wouldn’t be responding if I wasn’t speaking the truth and potentially pointing out to your comrades some of the realities of the industry….

Weren't you just posting on another forum a few seconds ago....you're a tough one to track.

Get some help, or a friend. You really need it. I'm actually sad for you.

[accountant]

Awww sorry I’m in your head. You have to respond to everything don’t you.

“Hold the line! This guy is actually speaking the truth and I might actually have to work”

[Bede]

Anyways, back to the original programming...

You can do alright as a flight instructor working at one of the subsidized colleges in Ontario. At Confed college in Thunder Bay a few years ago, the #2, 3, & 4th highest paid employees were flight instructors (college president was #1). It's essentially a 9-5 job with summers off (or on OT).

[acountant]

I can't believe how little pilots make in this country

It's a huge scam!

[dillpickle]

I can't believe how little pilots make in this country

It's a huge scam!

Quoted for posterity

[CaptDukeNukem]

I can't believe how little pilots make in this country

It's a huge scam!

Quoted for posterity

Different accountant. Notice the “c”s

[dillpickle]

[Meatservo]

You said you were considering a job “in aviation”..You could get a job as an accountant for an airline. In my experience, the office drones who are (let’s all just admit this now) there to serve the people who do all the actual work just LOVE to talk about how they are “In Aviation”. It makes them feel superior to the actual aviators, as absurd as that sounds. Among the perquisites they assign themselves are weekends and holidays off, special parking spots just for themselves right in front of the building, so their business-pants don’t get cold or dirty, a nice warm office, and the vaunted “nine-to-five” schedule. Oh and coffee breaks and lunch hours, too. Accounting for an airline is a plum gig. Also it’s just human nature that if you have anything to do with how much people get paid, you’ll pay yourself first. Plus, it’s easy, you are 100% safe 24/7, if you fk up you can blame it all on those whingey pilots, and there’s a certain mystique in having a job that is so fucking dreary that no-one else at the company can say for sure exactly what you do all day. There’s little honour in it, but that might be the 9-5 job for you.

[rookiepilot]

You said you were considering a job “in aviation”..You could get a job as an accountant for an airline. In my experience, the office drones who are (let’s all just admit this now) there to serve the people who do all the actual work just LOVE to talk about how they are “In Aviation”. It makes them feel superior to the actual aviators, as absurd as that sounds. Among the perquisites they assign themselves are weekends and holidays off, special parking spots just for themselves right in front of the building, so their business-pants don’t get cold or dirty, a nice warm office, and the vaunted “nine-to-five” schedule. Oh and coffee breaks and lunch hours, too. Accounting for an airline is a plum gig. Also it’s just human nature that if you have anything to do with how much people get paid, you’ll pay yourself first. Plus, it’s easy, you are 100% safe 24/7, if you fk up you can blame it all on those whingey pilots, and there’s a certain mystique in having a job that is so fucking dreary that no-one else at the company can say for sure exactly what you do all day. There’s little honour in it, but that might be the 9-5 job for you.

Oh, snap.....

[JeppsOnFire]

accountant is why I hate people.

Meatservo is why I love people.

You need both to keep it interesting though.

[Bingo Fuel]

Wow. Lots of hate for office workers.

Some of us just might have friends and family who do those kinds of jobs. They're some of the people I love the most. When I'm not at work, I'd much rather spend my time with them.