Q: My passion and dream has always been to fly professionally. I am a fourth-grade teacher and, while I like it, it is not my passion. Is it crazy to quit a career with a decent salary, good benefits, and retirement to go into a lot of debt and fulfill my dream of flying for a career? I am not a spring chicken! I am 36. Advice and guidance is appreciated.—Rachel
A: Oh, Rachel! You are so not alone.
If your current career is not giving you the satisfaction and fulfillment that you need, another 20 years of discontent may not be worth it. However, transitioning from a life of stability into one of uncertainty and crushing expense requires serious consideration of all of the upsides and downsides. See “The Age-Old Old -Age Question,” March 2012 Flight Training.
Having a passion for flight is a wonderful obsession. However, there is a significant difference between strapping on a Cessna or Piper for a morning cruise along the beach and riding up front in a 737. That’s why many airline pilots have Cessna 172s so they can “really fly.”
Automation does diminish the fun, believe me. Remember that professional flying is first and foremost a job, although I must say it beats working for a living.
It seems that the teaching profession has attracted you and, presumably, you have a skill set that benefits not only you but also your students. You no doubt coach, mentor, guide, consult, and develop students. I have to believe that deep down you feel darn good about that. Maybe you need to consider applying that talent toward different students. I am not talking about signing on as a CFI at the local aerodrome, but seeking a higher level of aviation education.
In “CFI of Higher Learning” January 2000 Flight Training magazine, you will learn about Tom Grossman, the chief flight instructor at Western Michigan University. He has had a noble career in aviation academia beginning at Kent State University. There are dozens of aviation colleges, universities, and academies that have opportunities for dedicated faculty. You get to be around flying types, airplanes, and an environment that totally immerses you in that love affair with aviation that you long for. And there are other teaching outlets at the major general aviation training centers, such as FlightSafety, CAE Simuflite, and SIMCOM. These organizations train pilots who fly the big iron such as Gulfstream and Falcon jets. “Big League CFI,” May 2003 Flight Training, highlighted that career path. I even checked SIMCOM’s career postings last night, and I note that the company is looking for an instructor for the Falcon 20, which is what I fly. I train quarterly at SIMCOM’s Orlando facility. Maybe you can be my instructor! But, in all seriousness, this is a career track that could be of interest. For the right person, each of the training enterprises will type rate that individual at company expense.
Way back when, I remember reading an article that made this recommendation: For real enjoyment in life, find a way to make your hobby, your passion, into a career. Sometimes, you need to come close if not exactly on target. If you see yourself flying jets for Delta or Walmart, that part of the dream may be impossible. But a career teaching at the University of North Dakota or FlightSafety in Savannah may take you in the direction that you want to go, and give you the wherewithal to jump into an airplane—albeit a Cessna or Piper—as often as you dream.
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