The Aviation Money Pit

[Paul Alfred]

A common tale........left a high paying job to pursue a dream career. Currently working in a small company building up to 700 hrs to progress to the next level in GA. Wife and kids are losing patience with me not being at home and with the usual training, endorsements that seem to blow the costs out from whats been quoted, the pit is empty.

Could someone please tell me its all worth it - that what I'm looking for in a flying career in GA - a decent wage to support a family, good flying and companies that pay for your progression within their company - does actually exist!

How much does it cost these days to get up happily in the morning and go to a good GA job!

Cheers

PA

[185skywagon]

paul,
go easy on chasing endorsements, unless you are actually going to be using them.
185:ok:

[150Aerobat]

You were making perfect sense until

"get up happily in the morning and go to a good GA job"

[Super Cecil]

" what I'm looking for in a flying career in GA - a decent wage to support a family, good flying and companies that pay for your progression within their company - does actually exist! "

Might have done 20 years ago, 20 years of churning out 300 pilots too many a year and you now have people working for nothing. Does anybody know of a company that Paul describes? surely there must be some somewhere?

[tinpis]

Paul it can only get better.
From whats written in here it seems to have got worse if that is possible from my time 35 years ago.Lotta the crooks have died but there seems to be no end of replacements.
Gotta mate flys a BBJ loves it.
Chimbu chuck would say im sure he loved his time on the Falcon.
Good luck if you find a good GA job . IMHO it is a far more rewarding lifestyle
(At least you will have one , as opposed to being kept like a lab rat in a darkened aluminium tube)
:ok:

[Continental-520]

There are decent companies out there. They are few, but they do exist. I have been lucky enough to work largely for what I believe are decent companies throughout my short lived career so far, and I've never knocked back a job.

As you become more experienced, they will be easier to get into, as the 'level of the pyramid' that you ascend to as your career progresses becomes more confined/narrower, if that makes any sense.

Bear in mind that each day you persist is one less to go until you've achieved what you're setting out to achieve.

Chin up, and battle on. That's what I reckon :ok:

good luck

520.

[Paul Alfred]

Its been great to log back on and see the positive reponses.

Thanks folks!

PA;)

[Onewordanswer]

Load of arse mate, they must be prospectors. Do yourself, your marriage, and kids (not to mention their future) a favour stick to business, aviation is a solo career.
Being a selfish c**t should be #1.......check your local school the process begins early.:yuk:

[tinpis]

I would qualify my previous statement .
I never had a high paying job to leave,no wife no house no mortgage but I had a few sheilas :}

[NAMPS]

I agree with onewordanswer.

I got out of GA and into a more secure higher paying job when I got a wife, kids and mortgage. In hindsight, I could never lead the nomadic life chasing flying jobs with the baggage I carry around now :E

[Paul Alfred]

Guys, dont get me wrong, I respect peoples opinions but from what you are saying, one would assume that it is very rare or non-existant to find a GA Pilot, happy with his job and supports a family (not what I would personally call baggage unless your wifes an ol bag...ha ha..sorry, couldnt help it!).

PA

[bigfella5]

Keep going...............don't ever give up if this is what you really want to do in life.
I'm in a similar situation though I'm over the 1000 hr mark. I guess the difference is that the other half and I made a committment from day one which can be paraphrased as......."whatever it takes to get you there...we're doing it".
She's a executive type and we have children. It takes a lot of juggling and at times seems like it'll never end. I'm at the stage where to progress further forward in any meaningful manner, going bush/PNG may have to be an option. Any potential relationship problems have been covered by the above phrase..."whatever it takes"
Adopt a no excuse mentality, get the missus onboard and remember if you think you're bogged down in the middle of hell....keep bloody well going.
Don't listen to the nay sayers, they seem to be everywhere in this business but remember...they gave up a long time ago....if indeed they had any go in them in the first place.
After being in and around this industry off and on for the last 15 years..........the people who got anywhere did so due to not letting things get in their way.
Yes it may be easier to be single, yes it may be easier to be younger, yes it may make it hard when the family isn't in the same mindset......TOUGH!
Lead the way, show your kids that to achieve, you gotta do the hard yards. They'll thank you for it when they get older.
If the wife truly wants you to achieve your dreams....she should be supporting you...not grumbling.
If it seems that I'm wee bit hard line....experience can be a nasty and bitter teacher and I've been through it all before.
Good luck.......it's all been worth it so far.

[neville_nobody]

Yes there are good GA jobs out there. The problem is what you have to go through to even have a shot at them. Additional to that really good corporate jobs are usually taken by ex airline pilots with tonnes of jet time. Twin turbine charter is another way to go but you'll probably find that the pay isn't the greatest.

Regionals, RFDS or Police Airwing (QLD or NT) would be your best long term option. You will get paid properly and have something resonabling a lifestyle too.

[tinpis]

Slighty OT but is the airwing RFDS Port Augusta being disbanded?

[CockpitJunkie]

Have posted few things about realities of flying today, have a look at them and http://www.casa.gov.au/avreg/fsa/03nov/62.pdf