Career pilots- care to offer up some advice to a budding CFII?

[downrightaft]

So I'm considering switching careers and pursuing helicopters. This switch has weighed very heavily on me and I've read all the forums and posts applicable. avbug's post about loking back in 30 years hit me right in the feels.My situation is a little unique although I know many of you have gone through similar. Just looking for some career pilots to weigh in.

I earned all my ratings with the GI Bill so I have no flight schools debts. After the GI Bill funds were cut, I ended up not landing a job at my flight school. I got hired in a non-aviation field and I make really good money, benefits, and lots of perks (vehicle, gas, bonus, etc.) but it's not flying and I really don't care about it. It provides financial stability.

Flying is my passion. I've never really found one in my life until i found flying. Not flying is painful but also no financial stability is painful. I could still fly planes as a hobby. Helicopters as a hobby is kinda crazy.

My question to you guys who know the industry is:

Do I forego the money, imminent purchase of a house, and secured future, for a life in aviation. I know I have about 2 or 3 years making peanuts before I start making a decent income.

In my shoes, would you do it? Knowing what you do about the industry. Knowing the risks.

I know how I feel about it. Just looking for some industry insight.

Cheers and fly safe!

Those Vietnam pilots should be retiring any day now.

[r22butters]

As a career pilot failure, my advice is to keep that stable job, buy a helicycle and just fly for fun!

 

,...or if that pro flying itch burns too much, start your own flight school part time on the side.

[Wally]

"Those Vietnam pilots should be retiring any day now." It is happening, I retired this year. I was the last Vietnam Era pilot at my base. There will not be a sudden increase in open seats, and a new-guy right now has no chance of moving into those seats either, they were essentially filled 5-10 years ago by pilots who built towards this point.. In 2019 the youngest possible Vietnam Era pilot will turn 65...

 

To the point of the thread- If you have to ask whether a career switch is well advised, then do not switch careers. Airplanes are boring. Helicopters aren't a hobby to me, nothing was more boring than a flight without a clear external challenge to my skills, and "watch this" challenges are idiotic.

Could you instruct and/or do your flying part-time without compromising your present career or professional helicopter pilot status?

Edited November 29, 2016 by Wally

[downrightaft]

If I stick with where I'm at, I most certainly will try to fly and instruct on the side. Wouldn't be a career but I suppose it would keep me flying and sharing my love of helicopters with people.

 

It's not only the career, but also the lifestyle that attracts me. I will never leave behind flying but giving up so much to chase the dream is almost terrifying. Everyone I know tells me I'm crazy if I pursue helicopters. I just can't seem to shake my own desire to fly for a living. As, cray as risking it all sounds, I'm willing too. You only get one life.

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[Eric Hunt]

If you like the nomadic lifestyle (12 addresses in 10 years), uprooting family from their friends, go to new area, try to settle them into schools and make new friends, then do it again 6 months later, then this is the life for you. You can also suffer from AIDS like a lot of us here - the Aviation-Induced Divorce Syndrome.

 

If you want to get into an industry where the rises and falls of the oil price can tip you out of a job you busted your hump to get into; where the whims of a politician can shut down a local airfield because one of his voters complained; go for it.

 

If you want to marvel at the view from your office as you scoot along the coastline at 500', or pop in and out of puffy little clouds at 7000', or be awed by the powerful people you are carrying, or just be glad you are getting paid to do your hobby; go for it.

 

Your choice. Money, security, boredom; or, no money, no security, no wife, no boredom.

[wbrady755]

Well first off, I feel your pain. Just got my CFII and facing the reality of few job openings.

 

That being said...

 

1) If its your passion, it will always be your passion. I would start looking/networking now, and dont give it up. From the Harvard Business Reviews Top 10 "must-reads" (that I just read a half hour ago):

 

"Many leaders are trying so hard to establish themselves in the world that they leave little time for self-exploration. They strive to achieve sucess in tangible ways that are recognized in the external world- money, power, status. Often their drive enables them to be professionally successful for a while, but they are unable to sustain that success. As they age, they may find that something is missing in their lives and realize they are holding back from the person they want to be."

 

...When you look back on this point in 40 years, are you going to regret not taking the plunge?

 

2) A more practical answer- Drive to any flight schools in your area once a month, hand them your resume, and offer to work part-time. You may work long days with two jobs, but at least you're flying.

 

But I'm looking for a job too. If you take the plunge, and take my job, I will never forgive you. So maybe you should give up and help my chances...

[WolftalonID]

If I stick with where I'm at, I most certainly will try to fly and instruct on the side. Wouldn't be a career but I suppose it would keep me flying and sharing my love of helicopters with people.

 

It's not only the career, but also the lifestyle that attracts me. I will never leave behind flying but giving up so much to chase the dream is almost terrifying. Everyone I know tells me I'm crazy if I pursue helicopters. I just can't seem to shake my own desire to fly for a living. As, cray as risking it all sounds, I'm willing too. You only get one life.

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

First thoughts...of all those people you know who say your crazy....are they role models of success to you? If so, might pay attention to them. If they are not? Well then crazy is giving them any weight in the matter....

 

You live your life....they dont. I have been "crazy" my whole life....yet those who are not crazy seem to be right where they were 20 years ago. I on the other hand have chased adventure since as far as I can remember.

 

My current adventure is the best one yet...becoming a rich helicopter pilot. ( I apologize in advance for any computers that now have coffee spewed across them from laughter).

 

The best part of this adventure will be the years it takes to finish...some say there is no end to it!! So I expect a rewarding lifetime of the whole thing.

 

I am 41 now. Married, kids, had a nice paying job, now working my way through the aviation maze of experience and jobs to find that niche to settle into.

 

I like how Wally put it....5-10 years ago guys started training to take his seat. I am just 4.5 into my training. Puts a whole different perspective on what it does take than any flight school will sell ya.

 

Hey Wally? Did you find that $100k job yet? Currious if in your lifetime adventure if it was ever found.

 

My advise....if your family is the adventurous type, take them with you and chase your passion.

[Wally]

Hey Wally? Did you find that $100k job yet? Currious if in your lifetime adventure if it was ever found.

 

After I left PHI and the pilots organized, my memory is that IFR PICs were well above that (edit 12/2) "at my seniority level..."

By then I was a full time Dad for my new born son, never went back. He's 19 now, and HEMS meant I got to see that happen everyday. I retired this last August.

 

You pays your money and you takes your chance...

Edited December 2, 2016 by Wally

[Spike]

 

In my shoes, would you do it? Knowing what you do about the industry. Knowing the risks.

Just looking for some industry insight.

 

Not to be a negative-nelly but….

 

This business has changed significantly over the past few years and changed like never before…

 

The risk-averse have put fear into employers. “Safety” has become big-business in-itself…. From what I’ve seen, professional helicopter pilots are evolving into systems managers rather than skilled airmen…. Companies now demand a pile of paperwork to do the same job they did 20 years ago without a stich of thought. Trust in this business has eroded to an all-time low. Incoming pilots ADM, judgment, knowledge and skill are on the decline so those who pull the strings are now attempting to create excuses for the inevitable.... For some, that means death….

 

This career path is no longer what it appears to be…. However, if you don’t know any better, what’s the worry…. It’s been said, follow your passion and you’ll never work a day in your life… In this business, yes and no. Yeah, ya get to do some things that others dream about but that comes with a cost. As the drawbacks have already been pointed out, it basically boils down to -no life. No-life other than everything helicopter…. You eat, sleep, work, socialize, posture, network –helicopter… Then the epiphany happens…. This is just a job….

 

All careers have their positive and negatives. What should be considered is; while the positives may cancel out the negatives, does the compensation equal, or outweigh, the negatives? Simply put, how much crap are you willing to put up with just to fly a helicopter?

 

Knowing what I know now would I do it again? That is a question I can’t answer… I used to but not anymore…..

 

In the end, I made this a career so why can’t you?

[r22butters]

Well gee Spike, if you want I could probably get you in where I work?

 

You get paid to literally just sit on your ass, and no one cares how fat you get!

 

 

Funny thing though, even as a hobby the excitement of flying wears off eventually. Back before the Great Recession I used to fly a couple hours a week. Nowadays even if I could afford to fly that much I wouldn't. Sure I still enjoy it, but the "awesome factor" just isn't there anymore.

 

,...at least I don't HAVE to fly!

Edited December 2, 2016 by r22butters

[Azhigher]

If I were in your shoes I'd stay out of aviation as a career. If you've got something already worked out, do the best you can with it. I think helicopters are for people who can't imagine doing anything else.

 

The first few years suck, especially if you don't get a CFI job right after you finish school. There's no way I'd try to go around and scrounge up a CFI job to get hours and get to go do some other stepping stone time builder job to then try and get to something that might be halfway decent if I already had a nice, stable career/life.

 

The grass is always greener. It's entirely possible in 30 years you'll look back and think about how things might have been different if you pursued aviation, but you'll only see the end product. You won't see the years of sacrifice to get to where you want to be. You won't see the effect it'll have on various aspects of your health. You won't see the inevitable job instability, or your livelihood suddenly put into jeopardy due to an unexpected medical issue. Stay the course, do well for yourself, and leave the flying to those who are already afflicted.

[HawaiiCFII]

If you look at it from any logical angle the answer is always no. Stay away. Close your web browser. Clear your history. Unplug your router. Stay away from airports or anything else that could inspire you. This is a terrible industry to be starting out in even if the oil price wasn't a factor.

 

It's going to take more then 2 to 3 years to make decent money unless you are very lucky or have a majestic personality. Your skill as a pilot helps but means little.

 

You are going to need to know people that trust and respect you enough to put their name out there and can get you a job. That's how it works for a lot of people and I've never seen a personal reference matter more than in this industry. Especially at the low level. There are plenty of guys with well over 2000 piston hours stuck as instructors because they can't get into the limited slots at the tour operators. Most of the people I went to school with aren't flying anymore. Most of my former students and coworkers are struggling to get out of robbies or aren't flying anymore.

 

But I have a really hard time imagining a life without flying. I have my dream job. I absolutly love what I do...even when it sucks. If I were you I would drop everything and go for it because that's what I did. Helicopters were the only thing that mattered to me. I was also patient, very very lucky from the beginning, and made the right connections.

 

I have the job that every CFI wants and I'm still a low timer, lurking on helicopter websites, working seasonally, and living paycheck to paycheck.

 

*Edit* It also helps if you can pack up everything you own in one day and drive across the country for job.