Career Change or Just for Fun?

[undecided]

Hope you flying experts can help me make a decision here.

I'm somewhat at a crossroads between what I am currently doing for work and what I want to be doing. I currently work in an industry that I'm not really enjoying. However, I'm not so sure I know what I want to leave it for

I have been for a familiarization flight and loved it. My dilemma is did I love it enough to spend the amount of money it would take to make it a career $30k+, or should I simply get a Rec. Licenses or PPL (~$5-9k) and do is purely for the enjoyment of it. Or do I just let someone building hours take me up once a month to scratch my itch and let them build their hours!

I am 29, married and have 1 child, am not a bazillionaire, but also have no debts (other than a house) and am currently making a six figure salary (nice to have, but not a must for a future career that I love). I would put my williness to move at about 50% (depends on the overall picture. Ie. offer, location, etc.) but otherwise would like to stay put - currently in the Lower Mainland, BC.

So....thoughts? How did you make your decision?

[Beefitarian]

Get your private license keep your job. If you like spending the money just keep training until you have a CPL, MIFR. Then see if you can get a leave of absense for 2 years. While you slowly get in debt and your marriage gets shakey. That way if it gets to be too much you can go back to work and have a license to rent or buy a plane to fly.

[FL_CH]

Since both options include getting a PPL (Get PPL rather than RPP), start doing that and you will have a better idea by the time you're done with PPL.

If you are making 6 figures, then you can save up and get your own airplane eventually, and enjoy the freedom of flying wherever, whenever. The added bonus is that you will be able to share the joy of flying with your family and friends. Think flying down to Cali, or Vegas... If you switch careers into flying, chances are you won't be able to afford renting an aircraft for pleasure, or have any family left to take up...

[Deltawidget]

Stick with your job.

Depending on how often you plan to fly (be realistic with yourself here) it *might* make sense to purchase an aircraft in a partnership with others. The C172, or Piper PA28's would easily take care of your needs for at least the first 200 hours or so in which you are learning to fly and building some experience.

I'm a 9-5'er. The partnership I'm in runs us around $120/hr with all costs included. I budget about 50 hours per year so roughly $6000 per year. Since your compensation is in excess of 100K, $6000 (or $500/month) is at most, 6% of your salary, still quite reasonable.

[wotai139]

Wow dont quit your job just yet!

At least get the private pilot license or even the recreation pilot permit first. Fly for awhile and then decide. You may think you'll love to work as a pilot but it might be a different story once you actually start doing it and wake up day after day to fly the same route, teach the same things over and over to students, or find it unexciting?

If you were a single man looking for a change, then maybe yeah go for it. But you said you're making 6 figures and you have a wife and child.

[Changes in Latitudes]

If you love your family and value your marriage, just enjoy it, stay out of commercial aviation. I've been at this for 15 years, and no commercial job has ever equaled the enjoyment I got from the flying I did at my local flying club.

[Cadismack]

Keep the job.

I just recently got out. After 6 years I stopped flying. I'd worked for a couple bush/charter operators, accumulated 1600 hrs of time, was my exams away from an ATPL and had a good run across the prairies, the north and east coast. My wife got pregnant, so having a family, being a dad and other things led me to reevaluate my situation. (she's due in December BTW) First job out of aviation paid me more than triple. I'm home every night, work standard days, get to go out with friends, have vacation time, sick days....

Needless to say, for me it has been the right choice. I'm not going to lie, its not easy, but the key here is that it worked for me. I know that you might not be too keen on your job right now, but I am sure that most all on this board will attest that the grass is not greener on the other side. I am really happy to be in a position to consider buying my own plane. As FL_CH mentioned, getting to fly where and when you want is most of the pleasure.

Get the PPL first and see what happens. Just know that there are probably as many people in the biz wishing they got out as people wanting to get in. Everyone has their own reasons.

[nookie201]

Hindsight will prove 20/20 - you won't know until you make a choice and live with it for 10+ years.

Canada is a difficult market to advance in Aviation, even less realistic if you have a wife and kid.

Many of my friends went to USA in the early 90's to get their license & instructors ratings (cheap) & most of them went to Europe or Asia after
and are captains or training captains now with KLM, Transavia and Cathay.

Few of us in the group stayed behind and tried the Canada route. We all ended up making good money and having careers - but not in Aviation, including me.
Heck some of the guys here are still instructing...17 years later!.

Like I said, 20/20 vision, if I had to do it again...

-G

[dazednconfused]

This thread is depressing.

I'd say get your private license first and see how much you enjoy flying. Keep your job so you can somewhat easily afford the training (it'll prob cost you ~12k). Take things from there.

My first two instructors (back from 2004) are now at Westjet or AirCanada. Another good friend, who at the time, was flying turboprops here in the prairies is today an A330 captain. I made the decision back then to get (another) university degree and switch careers - but fly for fun versus becoming a commerical pilot. This was due to reading forums like this and being afraid of the risks. Anyhow, i ended up with a good new career after, make good money (like you do), but still envy my original instructors who did very well in the end - while i avoided the perceived risks. Today I still fly, and my latest two instructors just got turboprop jobs. Sure the initial pay is crap, but thats the sacrifice at the start, just like when you get out of university. Either way, my point is, if you like flying then go for it. I have seen people make it to the majors in under ten years. And I've had beer with all their pilot friends who have done the same. Then i've seen those with 1500+ hrs throw in the towel because they are stuck instructing and frustrated. So yes, it's very possible to make flying a good career. And from what i've read, WestJet/AC hire first officers in their forties so you are still young enough to make this happen - if airline flying is what you want. I'll probably be joining you

[howard40]

Stay working while you work hard at the ratings, point yourself at a commercial, then you at least can write it off as education. If it all works out change jobs when offered one. If not you then have a lic and can fly for fun.
you will be able to figure it out when you get offered that job with your multi ifr in pocket.
Dont quit your job now, as you need it to pay for flying lessons.
Have fun!!!

[flyincanuck]

You will get a lot of opinions. But here are numbers:

I've been flying commercially for 7 years.

I have never made over $47,000/yr.

I made $11,000 in my first *year* of instructing. Sitting at an airport all day, waiting for students to come in.

I am hopefully at my retirement company. It will be another 4 years from now until I break $100,000.

Once that happens, there is still a large aggregate of years where I made sub-par wages. Eventually this will pay off and I'll have a very comfortable living. But be ware of what you're getting yourself into. It's just not the initial $30-$40k investment - it's the financial hit you take until you find a company, where you can make a decent salary.

You may find a smaller company that pays well, and elect to stay there (in shorter time than it took me to find my retirement gig).

It's a very big life-change, and financial change for you and your family. Given that it's a transportation industry, you'll have to be willing ot relocate. Is your family ready to move from city to city; or are they willing to do long-distance?

Having said all of that, and despite the humiliating wages I had to endure (along with the rest of the country), I absolutely love what I do. I don't "dream" of flying anymore, but I have never detested going into work. In fact it hardly seems like work (which in my opinion is one of the root causes for the lower wages...but I digress).

Good luck!