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Need some career advice

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skyrider

Active member
Joined
Jan 26, 2002
Posts
39
At 42, I decided to catch the wave and make the career change to professional pilot. Unfortunately, the economy and 9/11 got in the way right in the middle of my interviews with the regionals. At the time, it looked like a seat at a major could be as little as 2-5 regional years away however, I'm sure looking at things different ly today.

Given my age, the fractionals appear to be a great way to get some quality years of flying in without being forced out at age 60. In addition, the quality of life of the fracs. seems to be well liked by those who post messages here and matches up well with mine & Mrs's current priorities.

I'm currently flying 135 cargo (piston twins) PIC with the possibility of some pax charters in same equip. within about a year. In addition, some BE200 SIC pax charter opportunities currently exist for me at the company.

Question: What would be the best way for me to build the remaining experience and hours required by the fracs? I have been thinking my best path is to still pursue the regionals, then obtain the necessary ttl. time and turbine PIC time to make the transition. Without any Corporate flying contacts, this seems like the most logical route for me to follow to the fracs. I know I'm probably missing the forest through the trees here so would appreciate any and all suggestions from the group.

Thanks in advance. Sky
 
Please disregard the above. This was supposed to be posted on the Fractional thread and was misrouted.
 
At 42, I decided to catch the wave and make the career change to professional pilot. Unfortunately, the economy and 9/11 got in the way right in the middle of my interviews with the regionals. At the time, it looked like a seat at a major could be as little as 2-5 regional years away however, I'm sure looking at things different ly today.

Given my age, the fractionals appear to be a great way to get some quality years of flying in without being forced out at age 60. In addition, the quality of life of the fracs. seems to be well liked by those who post messages here and matches up well with mine & Mrs's current priorities.

I'm currently flying 135 cargo (piston twins) PIC with the possibility of some pax charters in same equip. within about a year. In addition, some BE200 SIC pax charter opportunities currently exist for me at the company.

Question: What would be the best way for me to build the remaining experience and hours required by the fracs? I have been thinking my best path is to still pursue the regionals, then obtain the necessary ttl. time and turbine PIC time to make the transition. Without any Corporate flying contacts, this seems like the most logical route for me to follow to the fracs. I know I'm probably missing the forest through the trees here so would appreciate any and all suggestions from the group.

Thanks in advance. Sky

Pilot Career

It'll take only a second to read "Life as a Pilot"
22 years old: Graduated from college. Go to military flight school. Become hot shot pilot. Get married.
25 years old: Have 1st kid. Now hotshot jock getting shot at in war.
Just want to get back to USA in one piece. Get back to USA as primary
flight instructor pilot. Get bored. Volunteer for war again.
29 years old: Get back from war all tuckered out. Wants out of military.
30 years old: Join airline. World is your oyster.
31 years old: Buy flashy car, house and lots of toys. Get over the military poverty feeling.
32 years old: Divorce boring 1st wife. Pay child support and maintenance. Drink lots of booze and screw around while looking for 2nd wife.
33 years old: Furloughed. Join military reserve unit and fly for fun. Repeat above for a few more years.
35 years old: Airline recall. More screwing around but looking forward to a good marriage and settling down.
36 years old: Marry young spunky 25 year old flight attendant
37 years old: Buy another house. Gave first one to first wife.
38 years old: Give in to second wife to have more kids. Father again. Wife concerned about "risky" military Reserve flying so you resign commission.
39 years old: Now a captain. Hooray! Upgrade house, buy boat, small single engine airplane and even flashier cars.
42 years old: 2nd wife runs off with wealthy investment banker but still wants to share house (100%).
43 years old: Settle with wife # 2 and resolve to stay away from women forever. Seek a position as a check Captain for 10% pay override to pay mounting bills.Move into 1 bedroom apartment with window air conditioners.
44 years old: Company resizes and you're returned to co-pilot status. 25% pay cut. Become simulator instructor for 10% override pay.
49 years old: Captain again. Move into 2-bedroom luxury apartment with central air conditioning.
50 years old: Meet sexy Danish model on International trip. She loves you and says you are very "beeeeg!"
51 years old: Marry sexy Danish model for wife #3. Buy big house, boat, twin engine airplane and upgrade cars.
52 years old: Sexy model wants kids (not again). Resolve to get vasectomy.
54 years old: Try to talk wife out of kids, but presto, she's pregnant. She says she got sick after taking the pill. Accident, sorry, won't happen again.
55 years old: Father of Triplets.
56 years old: Wife #3 wants very big house, bigger boat and very flashy cars, "worried" about your private flying and wants you to sell twin engine airplane. You give in. You buy a motorcycle and join motorcycle club.
57 years old: Make rash investments to try and have enough money for retirement.
59 years old: Lose money on rash investment and get audited by the IRS.You have to fly 100% International night trips just to keep up with child support and alimony to wife #1 and #2.
60 years old: Wife #3 (sexy model) says you're too damned old and no fun. She leaves. She takes most of your assets. You're forced to retire due to Age 60 rule. No money left.
61 years old: Now Captain on a non-schedule South American 727 freight outfit and living in a non-air conditioned studio apartment directly underneath the final approach to runway 9 at Miami Int'l. You have "interesting" Hispanic neighbours who ask you if you've ever flown DC-3's.
65 years old: Lose FAA medical and get job as sim instructor. Don't look forward to years of getting up at 2 AM for 3 AM sim in every god-forsaken town you train in due to the fact your carrier can find cheap, off-hours sim time at various Brand X Airlines.
70 years old: Hotel alarm clock set by previous FedEx crew member goes off at 1:00 AM. Have heart attack and die with smile on face. Happy at last! Ain't aviation great.
 
When I first started flying I had an old retired Eastern Captain as my flight instructor. Probably the best thing he taught me in that C-172 was this: "Keep your First Wife and your First House, and you will have a retirement from this business". Well, I ignored the second part but have (so far) adhered to the first part and hope to enjoy the last part one day. Of course, I never asked him why he felt that way but seeing that he was flight instructing after a 30 year airline career may have already answered it for me.
 

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