Anyone Unhappy??
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Anyone Unhappy??
Just about to make the biggest career change in my life. Military Officer to Commercial Pilot. This change means selling house to finance the training and will mean starting a new career and life from scratch in my early thirties with nothing "left in the pot" afterwards so to speak. Ahh yes and earning nothing for 14 months followed by (if I get a job) a 50% pay cut for several years.
I love flying, have a PPL, used to fly in the Navy before they put me on rotary and it all went a bit wrong! I turn 32 in August.
I am scared that I am about to completely
my life up royally.
Are there any career changers out there, who perhaps in their 30s made the switch to commercial pilot and are now regretting it? How much does the reality vary from the dream?
Any advice welcomed
Thanks
MFWF
I love flying, have a PPL, used to fly in the Navy before they put me on rotary and it all went a bit wrong! I turn 32 in August.
I am scared that I am about to completely
my life up royally.Are there any career changers out there, who perhaps in their 30s made the switch to commercial pilot and are now regretting it? How much does the reality vary from the dream?
Any advice welcomed
Thanks
MFWF
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Maybe this thread helps you a little with your decision:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=279038
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=279038
Warning Toxic!
Disgusted of Tunbridge
Disgusted of Tunbridge
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I think at the time of the Falklands, Maggie used to ask her ministers if they were 'getting the wobbles'. It's not surprising if you are- you are taking a big step. Well fortune favours the brave! The job market is good. A good supply is needed. You're placing yourself in position to be there. Guys like me can't go on forever (even though I'm doing my best). All along in BA guys like you were joining, and now I fly with people who have made career changes- one from being an ex-BA executive to an independant pilot.
I cannot recall one I have met who regretted it. Hang in there. If it's your calling, you'll know. You can only do your best. Then when you've got there, you can be a Pprune regular like me, and bitch all the time!
I cannot recall one I have met who regretted it. Hang in there. If it's your calling, you'll know. You can only do your best. Then when you've got there, you can be a Pprune regular like me, and bitch all the time!
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Search your soul...
Don't do it unless you're absolutely sure you really love flying aeroplanes.
You'll be busy, working up to 12 hour shifts with only 12 hours rest in between, day on day.
The pay does not reflect the responsibilty of the job when compared to other professions.
The only thing that offsets all this is that if you're aerosexually-oriented... you'll want to be up there in the sky as much as possible (even if you kid yourself that you don't). On your days off (having moaned that you could have done with a couple more days rest) you'll be missing the flying. You'll get a buzz out of seeing so many different sunrises and sunsets, you'll enjoy the challenge of difficult weather conditions and you'll crave for technical problems to solve. You'll enjoy being sat at the threshold watching 747's swoop over you as they land.
If the paragraph above doesn't describe the way you feel about airliners / flying, then I would suggest that you shouldn't throw away what you have. It IS a very big gamble with no guarantee of success. The only way you will succeed is if you have that OBSESSION with flying aeroplanes.
So, if that's you then great. If not, save that job opportunity for someone who really does want it, as there are plenty of them.
You'll be busy, working up to 12 hour shifts with only 12 hours rest in between, day on day.
The pay does not reflect the responsibilty of the job when compared to other professions.
The only thing that offsets all this is that if you're aerosexually-oriented... you'll want to be up there in the sky as much as possible (even if you kid yourself that you don't). On your days off (having moaned that you could have done with a couple more days rest) you'll be missing the flying. You'll get a buzz out of seeing so many different sunrises and sunsets, you'll enjoy the challenge of difficult weather conditions and you'll crave for technical problems to solve. You'll enjoy being sat at the threshold watching 747's swoop over you as they land.
If the paragraph above doesn't describe the way you feel about airliners / flying, then I would suggest that you shouldn't throw away what you have. It IS a very big gamble with no guarantee of success. The only way you will succeed is if you have that OBSESSION with flying aeroplanes.
So, if that's you then great. If not, save that job opportunity for someone who really does want it, as there are plenty of them.
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Glad I made the move.
I left the forces (RM) back in '95. I was 25 YO. Took the plunge, sold my flat, borrowed heavily and blew the gratuity on training.
Been flying commercially now for 10 years. Due to the the cost of the course, no income for 2 years and being out of the property market for a while I am probably a little behind where I should be, however I enjoy every day at work.
I feel the decision back in 95 was a good one and I am happy to have taken the risk.
Good luck.
Been flying commercially now for 10 years. Due to the the cost of the course, no income for 2 years and being out of the property market for a while I am probably a little behind where I should be, however I enjoy every day at work.
I feel the decision back in 95 was a good one and I am happy to have taken the risk.
Good luck.
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I didn't do the forces thing, but left a well paid job at the age of 28 to take a sponsored place with a UK charter outfit.
Big gamble, 2 kids, house etc. It worked out for me. Cost me loads of cash even though I was sponsored but I did have a guaranteed job at the end of it. Still with the same company flying narrow/wide bodies.
Wouldn't say I was 'aerosexually oriented' but I do think you need to be totally focused to get through all the hoops.
As I say to everyone that meets me and tells me what an exciting job I have. 99% of the time its sheer boredom, 1% of the time its exciting but I have yet to find an easier or more enjoyable way of paying the mortgage. I also spend more time at home than I ever used.
All in all, I would say go for it.
Big gamble, 2 kids, house etc. It worked out for me. Cost me loads of cash even though I was sponsored but I did have a guaranteed job at the end of it. Still with the same company flying narrow/wide bodies.
Wouldn't say I was 'aerosexually oriented' but I do think you need to be totally focused to get through all the hoops.
As I say to everyone that meets me and tells me what an exciting job I have. 99% of the time its sheer boredom, 1% of the time its exciting but I have yet to find an easier or more enjoyable way of paying the mortgage. I also spend more time at home than I ever used.
All in all, I would say go for it.
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I left the RAF (where, in theory, I was an engineer but did lots of more interesting things) on my 40th birthday in 2005... I could blah on with a lengthy list of terribly sensible pros and cons, but the bottom line... nothing, but nothing beats popping out of the top of a layer of cloud fairly early in the climb to watch the sun rising...
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I started my training at 28. Risked just about everything with the knowledge i'd be paying it off for a while. It cost me more than I expected but after 3 years of flying European short haul low cost/charter, I don't regret a thing except not doing it earlier. Like everything it has it's downsides and characters that moan about it, and you'll never get used to a 4am start when it's pi**ing it down outside in January. However, if you had a passion to do it from an early age and more importantly the drive to do it (comments like "I love flying" and a pprune name like "mustflywillfly" suggest you have) it's just something you've got to do. Either that or work in an office 9-5 for the next 33 years 
Good luck!
Good luck!
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I regret it, this job is the worse you can get.
high responsibilities which can bring you to jail for little mistakes....
wake up at 4 am, work 12 hours a day. you get paid nothing...
and some people pay to work.Be ready to be treated very badly!
high responsibilities which can bring you to jail for little mistakes....
wake up at 4 am, work 12 hours a day. you get paid nothing...
and some people pay to work.Be ready to be treated very badly!
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Thanks for the replies and some PM's.
I think there are many pros and cons to making the career change. On the one hand I loose the security blanket but on the other I gain some passion again. I suspect that if my grandfather were alive today (spitty pilot in WWII) he would be telling me to just get on with it and stop fannying about!
Well, I have the class 1 booked and am off to a well known FTO for an asessment test in two weeks. Wish me luck!
MFWF
I think there are many pros and cons to making the career change. On the one hand I loose the security blanket but on the other I gain some passion again. I suspect that if my grandfather were alive today (spitty pilot in WWII) he would be telling me to just get on with it and stop fannying about!
Well, I have the class 1 booked and am off to a well known FTO for an asessment test in two weeks. Wish me luck!
MFWF
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The only thing that offsets all this is that if you're aerosexually-oriented... you'll want to be up there in the sky as much as possible (even if you kid yourself that you don't). On your days off (having moaned that you could have done with a couple more days rest) you'll be missing the flying. You'll get a buzz out of seeing so many different sunrises and sunsets, you'll enjoy the challenge of difficult weather conditions and you'll crave for technical problems to solve. You'll enjoy being sat at the threshold watching 747's swoop over you as they land.
he would be telling me to just get on with it and stop fannying about!
My friend - listen to your feelings and do what YOU want to do.
There is a lot of negative people out there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you are positive it will work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is a lot of negative people out there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you are positive it will work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I left the RAF at age 38 after 16 yrs of, allegedly, aircraft engineering. Ten months on a turboprop then onto jets with a well-known big airline. Hopefully in next year or two I'll make the move on to 777/747. Has it been worth it? Most definitely. Is it extremely hard work and, at times, frustrating? Most certainly. Would I do it all over again? Without a doubt.
Might never make a longhaul skipper in this company but it's the best move I've ever made. Work hard but the pay's good and, in the right company, your terms and conditions are fairly well protected.
Might never make a longhaul skipper in this company but it's the best move I've ever made. Work hard but the pay's good and, in the right company, your terms and conditions are fairly well protected.
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Go for it! I NEVER regretted it.
Lots of doom sayers have never experienced the way the military can screw up your life at the drop of a hat.
I was lucky to get in with a big player and am enjoying every minute of it! As I shuffle off to the bus to take me to the nice big plush hotel in the centre of another capital city I sometimes think of the sh!t holes HM Forces sent me to.
There is NO comparison
(except if you take into account the fantastic low flying that is also being slowly stripped out of the military)
Go for it,
Enjoy
Lots of doom sayers have never experienced the way the military can screw up your life at the drop of a hat.
I was lucky to get in with a big player and am enjoying every minute of it! As I shuffle off to the bus to take me to the nice big plush hotel in the centre of another capital city I sometimes think of the sh!t holes HM Forces sent me to.
There is NO comparison
(except if you take into account the fantastic low flying that is also being slowly stripped out of the military)
Go for it,
Enjoy
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Yep, been there.
PPL at 30, commercial at 32. Dragged my poor wife 11,000 miles round the world then she and my two children back again.
Not so sure I'd do it again but don't regret it. Some of the best sights and memories, some great friends.
I don't agree with the 'go with your heart' brigade, you need to be more practical and realistic but if you can justify it then do so.
PPL at 30, commercial at 32. Dragged my poor wife 11,000 miles round the world then she and my two children back again.
Not so sure I'd do it again but don't regret it. Some of the best sights and memories, some great friends.
I don't agree with the 'go with your heart' brigade, you need to be more practical and realistic but if you can justify it then do so.
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After a lot of thinking, at the age of 32 I decided to leave my career as an I.T. professional to become a comercial pilot, I gave up a good salary of over 30k and remortgaged my house, I started an integrated course, and 18 months later I had my shiny ATPL , 1 year passed and I could not get a job 
, I even did dispatching for 6 months to remain in aviation, I was earning £5.33 GROSS an hour and thought I had made the maddest mistake of my life, but I had spent my money and had to keep on going no matter what.
Finally got a break with ryanair and yes I paid for the TR too, (dont care what people say about paying for your TR, I had already spent 60k, so my options were stop, try to find another career and start repaying 60k or find another 20k and fly, there was only one decision to take), so I got throught the TR ok, its true that whilst your line training for Fr, about 6 weeks, you operate at a loss, but once singed off you get a little more basic and half sector pay, after 6 months you go on to full sector pay and frankly the pay is ok, not many jobs within 6 months from starting as a newbie have you clearing on average £2500 a month. Im flying a 737-800 and have a good roster so over all its ok.
Would I do it again? mmmmmmmm I do love flying and am delighted to have made it but the price you pay is ridiculous and when you have spent 60k and dont have a job, it is truly the worst feeling in the world - in my 1 year of looking for a job, there were some dark months, this is felt even more so if you are married with a family. I am lucky for I am mid thirties and have a jet job and will have a good 25 years hopefully flying. That said I know others who have been through integrated courses and couldnt get the job, have given up and have colossal debt to repay, its a hell of a gamble........
, 1 year passed and I could not get a job , I even did dispatching for 6 months to remain in aviation, I was earning £5.33 GROSS an hour and thought I had made the maddest mistake of my life, but I had spent my money and had to keep on going no matter what. Finally got a break with ryanair and yes I paid for the TR too, (dont care what people say about paying for your TR, I had already spent 60k, so my options were stop, try to find another career and start repaying 60k or find another 20k and fly, there was only one decision to take), so I got throught the TR ok, its true that whilst your line training for Fr, about 6 weeks, you operate at a loss, but once singed off you get a little more basic and half sector pay, after 6 months you go on to full sector pay and frankly the pay is ok, not many jobs within 6 months from starting as a newbie have you clearing on average £2500 a month. Im flying a 737-800 and have a good roster so over all its ok.
Would I do it again? mmmmmmmm I do love flying and am delighted to have made it but the price you pay is ridiculous and when you have spent 60k and dont have a job, it is truly the worst feeling in the world - in my 1 year of looking for a job, there were some dark months, this is felt even more so if you are married with a family. I am lucky for I am mid thirties and have a jet job and will have a good 25 years hopefully flying. That said I know others who have been through integrated courses and couldnt get the job, have given up and have colossal debt to repay, its a hell of a gamble........
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Hi
I left the HM forces in 2004 after a 12 year career to follow my dream to fly. After a lot of heartache and huge worries about money I now find myself flying Kingair's in Botswana.
If you ask me if it was worth it, well I get paid a quarter of what the Army paid me, but I would not trade it in for all the tea in China.
The best move I ever made.
Go for it.
I left the HM forces in 2004 after a 12 year career to follow my dream to fly. After a lot of heartache and huge worries about money I now find myself flying Kingair's in Botswana.
If you ask me if it was worth it, well I get paid a quarter of what the Army paid me, but I would not trade it in for all the tea in China.
The best move I ever made.
Go for it.