Working Life After Flying
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Europe
Posts: 564
On the subject of office roles being stimulating (or not) - unless you work in a couple of very limited fields which actually create new things, pretty much every job becomes routine and mundane quite quickly. Just as flying an aircraft involves SOP, facilitating most processes in the majority of businesses relies heavily upon set procedures and protocols. So, whatever you end up doing in that office - chances are that you won't reinvent the hot water, just as you won't by flying commercially. Therefore, any long-term choice boils down to desired lifestyle, income and prospects.
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: N/A
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by Meester proach
Well, I’m sorry to hear that. TBH flying as a career , is probably best as a hobby ....get a high paid city job, and fly for fun at weekends. After all we can’t go fly where we want, when we want.
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 808
Originally Posted by Meester proach
Well, I’m sorry to hear that. TBH flying as a career , is probably best as a hobby ....get a high paid city job, and fly for fun at weekends. After all we can’t go fly where we want, when we want.
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Europe
Posts: 564
Did we leave out the catch that "company phone included" will likely mean "you'd better be available 24/7/365, be it during your commute, at 9 PM after a working day or on the weekend"? Did we mention that you'll see loads of people who spend most of their working day on Facebook while someone else, who might as well be you, gets one task after another thrown at them just because you appear to be taking things a bit more seriously than the average Joe on the adjacent desk? Did we also comment on the lovely attitude of "there's no going home until the project is finished, even if that means staying until 10:30 PM for little to no overtime payment"? And the time which will be simply wasted for nothing in return in traffic jams and supermarket queues because you're always travelling to and from work just when everyone else is and you are shopping for groceries just when everyone else is?
If you think that this is better than the average flight ops department - well, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Both can be great places to work at, but both can also be a mess. Neither flying, nor office work are inherently good or inherently bad in terms of how you will be treated. There are toxic companies with a terrible working environment and non-existent work ethics in every branch you can think of. So, if you turn your back to the "horrible and inhumane airlines" in hopes for getting better treatment elsewhere, you might be in for a nasty surprise.
If you think that this is better than the average flight ops department - well, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Both can be great places to work at, but both can also be a mess. Neither flying, nor office work are inherently good or inherently bad in terms of how you will be treated. There are toxic companies with a terrible working environment and non-existent work ethics in every branch you can think of. So, if you turn your back to the "horrible and inhumane airlines" in hopes for getting better treatment elsewhere, you might be in for a nasty surprise.
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Uk
Posts: 0
Originally Posted by ADFUS
God I love seeing absolutely DELUDED pilots saying stuff like that. Tell me what other career has you getting paid that much and working 3-4 days a week.
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Dark side of the Moon
Posts: 66
Originally Posted by ADFUS
God I love seeing absolutely DELUDED pilots saying stuff like that. Tell me what other career has you getting paid that much and working 3-4 days a week.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Having a margarita on the beach
Age: 48
Posts: 1,822
Originally Posted by ADFUS
God I love seeing absolutely DELUDED pilots saying stuff like that. Tell me what other career has you getting paid that much and working 3-4 days a week.
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: N/A
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by Meester proach
I didn’t say it would be easy did I ? Why so bitter ? Another wannabe ?
I'm only bitter because I just got made redundant down under (got my 3 month notice) and prior to that flew with plenty of Captains who were fed up with flying and thought they could just waltz off and make 200k NZD+ just like that, while working 3-4 days a week, 6 weeks annual leave +++. Guess what pumpkin, ya can't.
Anyway I'm off to brush up on my Python and JS which I haven't touched in a production environment for over 8 years. Also be weary of IT professionals who claim that they "CAN" make more money than flying but only working 2 days a week, on a professional pilot forum of all places. Okay mate sure ya can
Educated Hillbilly
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: From the Hills
Posts: 857
"Also be weary of IT professionals who claim that they "CAN" make more money than flying but only working 2 days a week, on a professional pilot forum of all places. Okay mate sure ya can"
Depends what you compare it with. If you are flying a turboprop or a light jet even as a Captain you are unlikely to be earning much above 50k a year. So yes it is quite feasible that certain IT consultants could earn as much in 2 days.
Depends what you compare it with. If you are flying a turboprop or a light jet even as a Captain you are unlikely to be earning much above 50k a year. So yes it is quite feasible that certain IT consultants could earn as much in 2 days.
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Uk
Posts: 0
Whilst I’m grateful for any ideas , I hate to say it, but flying isn’t all about money .
You have to earn enough but, the excitement level of taking off in a large jet is still there and sure as hell beats the excitement of “ who borrowed my stapler and didn’t return it “, that’s partially why the readjustment would be so great. It’s still a coveted and unusual job and not only that , the routine and lifestyle is very different to a 9-5 existence
You have to earn enough but, the excitement level of taking off in a large jet is still there and sure as hell beats the excitement of “ who borrowed my stapler and didn’t return it “, that’s partially why the readjustment would be so great. It’s still a coveted and unusual job and not only that , the routine and lifestyle is very different to a 9-5 existence
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: CA
Posts: 53
Originally Posted by RogueOne
I can get paid more working 2 days a week in IT consultancy...
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 882
The trouble is that your extraordinary pay is already an outlier statistically in the aviation world where a 330 skipper would command less than half the money and be quite grateful to have it. You must surely wonder how 300k for 8 days work a month is sustainable? If I had to bet on the sustainability of a career over the next 40 years, IT would seem a better bet than aviation.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Button Moon
Posts: 314
Originally Posted by ADFUS
God I love seeing absolutely DELUDED pilots saying stuff like that. Tell me what other career has you getting paid that much and working 3-4 days a week.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Button Moon
Posts: 314
When I said do your research I didn't mean me or others spoon feed you info. 
But anyway, as you're all ears .....if you seriously think we're all swanning around doing 3-4 days a week on "that much money" (in your words) I think it's you that "DELUDED".
Not sure what T's and C's are like where you are but over here in Blighty they're nothing like that. Unfortunately!
But anyway, as you're all ears .....if you seriously think we're all swanning around doing 3-4 days a week on "that much money" (in your words) I think it's you that "DELUDED".
Not sure what T's and C's are like where you are but over here in Blighty they're nothing like that. Unfortunately!
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: on a beach
Age: 65
Posts: 344
Originally Posted by ACP
My wife is director of recruitment in a large famous IT firm and I have first hand info about the salaries in consultancy. Some are pretty descent I admit but way below mine and many of my colleagues in terms of hourly rate (A330 Captain/+300k per year working 8 days per month). I will never trade my job for an IT job...
