I’m a pilot, married to a pilot. We know many pilots who have taken up other careers. I saw my husband Friday and Saturday after not seeing him for nearly 8 months because he had to take a job flying a VIP private jet that’s not at home base much. He was able to talk the company into training a back up pilot who’s been unemployed for 2 years. He was fired under trumped up charges so someone making less money with the company could take his position. It’s not uncommon and we personally know pilots it’s happened to, including my husband who’s company claimed that they didn’t get his voluntary furlough paper work, so adios. He had very top seniority and had been a check airman, so was making one of the highest salaries. As far a suing the company- fat chance. They have millions to drag it out forever and we’d go broke. Also, there’s the 600 hour wonders hired by the majors to meet minority quotas. Then there’s dealing with the FAA...talk about evil, corrupt government. I quit flying 12 years ago. And with Obozocare, I’ll be making all my nursing licenses inactive, which is 2 out of 6 that I hold. I won’t be going back. I’d rather work at McDonalds if I have to work than work in health care again.
I went to school in ‘01 to get my ratings, thinking I was going for freight or airline work. My first flight was 9/10/’01, doh!
It never worked out, as I couldn’t stand the debt I was accruing. Also, they really puff you up about your future, bringing in highly paid pilots to speak. One guy flew a triple seven to Japan and back once per week and was making a quarter of a million dollars per year. THAT gets you pumped up!
But reality started setting in. Two kids that had graduated from the same program had gone on to a 4 year college to finish a degree and instruct. They came back touting their brand spankin’ new right seat positions. Starting at $19,000/year.
Underwhelmed, I was. Plus the realization that a starting Kindergarten teacher makes 1.5X that salary to eat crayons and sniff glue with the kidlets. I dropped out of the program. I don’t regret it for a minute either.