TheJudge

I know this is a personal decision, and I’ve read countless threads here just desperate to have a moment of clarity, but it’s not coming. I figure with all the highly experienced folks around here someone will probably make a point I haven’t considered or found in another thread, so it’s worth asking.

I left the military in September and went straight to a high grade GS job; GS-14 step 10 to be exact, which is roughly year 10 Delta 717 FO pay (assuming 1000 hrs) to put it in perspective. I have a military O4 pension and my wife works, so our household income is somewhere in the vicinity of year 10 Delta 737 captain pay, keeping with the unnecessarily vague pay description theme that makes me feel a little better for some reason.

I interview with Delta in a few weeks. I cannot live in any base right now because I won’t take my wife and daughter away from my wife’s home town where we currently live. Commuting would suck for me, but, as I assume is often the case, the sting would be minimized for my wife by the fact that she lives 5 minutes away from her mom. I like hotels and I have some family I could crash with in a few of the likely new hire bases, so in theory I don’t mind commuting.

In reality though, it may wear on me, and, more importantly, it will quickly become untenable for my wife to work if I go to an airline as a commuter. She can’t maintain a career, get our daughter to and from school, and keep up with the house while I’m gone 20'ish days a month. I think I can get her to gut it out for the first year, but eventually our household income won’t just be hit by my initial drop in pay, but by the loss of her pay as well. This isn’t a financial extremis problem so much as it's a financial planning problem. How do we justify sacrificing existing secure pay at the somewhat senior captain level, with great time off and benefits, for the hope of returning to that income level in 8 or 10 or hell even 20 years with easily double or triple the time apart in the interim? Are you guys just THAT passionate about flying? Am I crazy for considering leaving my current job? Am I crazy for considering not taking a job at Delta (if the offer comes)? Is it a case where having to ask means you’re not cut out for it?

Ultimately, I know the answer is subjective. It’s basically, “Over to you, dude. Do what you want. Do you want to have a life on the road and fly big airplanes or not?” But is there any objective factor (positive or negative) I’m likely to be missing having never done the airline thing? Should I be considering dropping to part time in my DoD civilian job while I try the airlines for a while? I recognize that by all accounts I will have had a pretty sweet transition if I get the offer and go straight to a major/legacy with a mil pension to augment my pay for my entire career. Hell my first year pay would be over $100k. I recognize that it’s a high quality problem. I just don’t know how to decide. For 23 years (time since I rode my bike to the local airport for a flight lesson at age 16 without telling my parents) my life has marched toward being an airline pilot, and now that the opportunity is in my lap I’m waffling.

USMCFLYR

If an airline pilot is what you want to be - then an airline pilot it would have to be.
If you only want to fly - then your present income level could afford you the opportunity to fly on the side for recreation. Go where you want to go when you you want to go.
You're a former military pilot. You've done the coolest flying you'll probably ever do.

One theme on this board is that airline flying becomes just a job.
It seems to rob the JOY of flying from many.

I'm very impressed that you landed a GS-14S10 job out of the gate. Wish I had been so lucky.
I'm working towards that AND flying so I'm very happy. I'm imagining that this gov't job you have keeps you behind a desk? I would not be happy with that. I want to fly - at some level. I've never thought the airline world was for me, but it would even be a pull if I were working a desk job.

I hear the risks of the airline world are huge. With those huge risks comes the potential for huge success. This board is full of success and failure. Most of my peers for the last 25+ years are in the airlines and I've discussed every aspect of the life with them in detail. Some on this board would consider your current position, and your willingness to leave it for a chance, to be selfish. You try and fail - they would be right. You try and succeed - they would be wrong. Who can actually tell you one way or the other?

Back to the first line. Is it flying you want - or being an airline pilot?
That would be my driving factor and I'm lucky enough to know the answer. I hope you get the answers you are looking for too.
Good luck in that interview Judge. Options are key.

TheJudge

Thanks for the reply. It's nice to get input from someone with so much perspective; perspective on the way retired O4's are typically graded when they enter civil service (GS13 and below), and perspective on how the airline route can play out. As an aside, since you're working the same game plan so to speak, it was a perfect combination of factors that allowed me to be graded that way; the right internal references, my willingness to move to a borderline austere location, and a history of challenging (and expensive) experiences with contractors filling the job before I showed up. Even retired O5 test pilots have trouble getting hired above a topped out GS-13, so I know I got lucky/worked the system very effectively.

As I said, ultimately I know it's my call and my call only, but I appreciate any info I can get while I work through making that call. I was a "USMC flyer" as well, so I have plenty of peers currently in the job at Delta and I've leaned on them for the perspective I lack. Several of them are probably members here who will know who I am by my description of my situation.

I think my biggest problem is feeling flippant about or dismissive of the opportunity to join the team at Delta when so many people would give their left nut for that. It gets muddy whether I'm pursuing what I want or what I know is wanted by so many.

Anyway, great point about already having the coolest flying job I'll ever have. I'll add it to the decision matrix. It's also a great point about having options. I have a probationary period in my current job, so I'll be putting everything I have into the Delta interview no matter what. By the time I would start training I might get terminated in this job for all I know. I also might decide I hate my current job. Options are comforting.

FSF17

First off, congrats! You've got a nice problem to have...

Do you see your job landing you in an SES position someday? Might be worth considering if so.

It sounds like you want to fly, but it also sounds like doing so would lead to not only a drop in pay, but to a hit in your family life and QOL. If you're not hurting for money, which I'm guessing you're not, then the issue is completely dependent upon how getting on at Delta would affect your marriage and kids' lives. You're not crazy for wanting to do it, but really, your wife should be the one fielding this question. If she's on board, and you really want it... then go for it.

PerfInit

Here is hopefully some clarity for you. I have been on both sides of the fence you are talking about. 8yrs at a major and 8 yrs as a govt bureaucrat, currently GS-14-4.

The trade off between "dream job" and quality of life is not to be taken lightly. It is a personal decision about what is more important to you. I will say that the grass is not always greener at either profession. There is one thing for certain- There is NO perfect job! Work to live, don't live to work. Commuting sux, no matter how you deal with it.

As far as flying goes, do it as a hobby. I get alot more enjoyment and satisfaction out of flying when I do it for fun...

Hope this helps you!

TheJudge

If I'm the hardest working guy in the room for the next 20 years, maybe.

Yeah great point, I mean the QOL aspect just adds to the "crazy for leaving civil service" argument. My wife and I both work a flex schedule, so every other weekend is a three day weekend. We also get standard federal holidays and roughly 2 days of leave/mo. By actual count, including leave, I can work as little as 194 days a year and get 171 days off for a grand total of 1560 hours/yr of actual time at work. We have a 10 minute commute and can carpool if we choose. My wife and I work 100 yards apart and we can meet for lunch as often as we want. We can meet at home for a quicky at lunch if we like, etc.. It's senseless to quit this arrangement by any standard but the one where you just need to be an airline pilot.

She's trying. She's biased. She just went back to work after being home with our first child for 3 years and she misses being just a mom. It is what it is. She understands the math when I open the bank account.

Great input. I honestly didn't expect to get input from someone with significant experience in both jobs so I'm really glad I overcame the urge not to post. Seems like I should just go figure it out for myself, but this is eye opening stuff. Thanks.

galaxy flyer

I've been all around the various "systems". Stay in that GS14 job until you vest in FERS retirement--5 years. In the mean time, "Buy back" your active duty time, it'll take 0.7% of the military earnings to get FERS credit for those AD years, then leave for whatever airline career you want. If you had 20 years of military time, bought back those years plus the five years of GS service would give you a 25% of your high 30 months of your last 42 months at age 62. You won't be able to take your civil service health plan with you, but you have Tri-Care.

The AD and FERS retirements will eliminate any retirement worries and the airline career will be worry-free.

That's what I did, not airline, but good corporate. This assumes you're actively flying somehow now. If not, different discussion. Airline hiring will be long and massive, if you can maintain some flight currency, you should get hired

GF

Jughead

Stay where you are. By the tone of your post, I detect you've already made the decision you needed to make.
Just my opinion, but you asked.
J

satpak77

Stay at your (CBP P-3?) job until you can retire at earliest moment, then go airline

Firsttimeflyer

Stay where you are at. It will be for the best. Save your money and buy yourself an airplane. No way would I make the jump if I was in your position.