All, Hey! I'm looking to retire at around 50 and so far it's looking good. At that point, I'll be in good shape financially but would like to work doing something I like to maintain some of the more fun things in life. Currently I'm 40, almost at ATP mins and will likely get the ATP out of pocket this fall. I have no idea where my experience will lie in 10 years, so I am only talking hypothetical. My current job pays very well with high QOL, but I will be burned out by 50 and ready for something new. Here's the question: what jobs are out there in the turboprop / jet arena that don't leave a pilot living in a hotel most of the time. Maybe there are none, I'm not sure! I would love to get into that kind of equipment, and don't mind some travel but I don't want it to be my life. Any ideas? What about air ambulance? Life is short and QOL is more important to me than flying! Appreciate any input - I can use this next ten years to network and look for such things!
DUDE, you're 40? Why not be a cfi if you're that financially stable? Always in demand and close to home. Granted not jet or turboprop, but can still be a rewarding semi retirement gig, in the right situation.
Da Nephew flys organ transplant teams in a King Air - usually a there and back on the same day gig, but not a 9-5 gig because you can't count on people dying during normal business hours.
Some of the corp pilots I've known have more away days than 121 guys. And depending on the corporation, be ready to be on call 24/7/365. "Oh, we're going to be in Vegas for 5 days? Nice!" Except on day 1.5 when the owner decides it's time to go home, and now your *** is fired because you can't leave when he wants because you had a drink 3 hours ago.
As you are networking around, I'd use the time you've got in the next 10 years to take the occasional right seat fill-in opportunities with any corporate/private operations around you. Give you some experience and a chance for them to get to know you. Very well meet the guy who you'll replace when he's ready to retire and you're ready to do this "full-time".
I doubt air ambulance would work fit your goals. Unless it’s an FO spot, generally looking at 2,000 hrs or if a CAMTS program, could be as high as 3,000 hrs TT. Significant multi / turbine experience required as well. And while they don’t do layovers, you’d still have to either move or commute to whichever base you’re assigned. Some even require you live within an hour of your base.
Where on the continuum do you fall on these items? Turbo props / Jets vs Small Piston Teaching vs Working with other experts Informal vs Formal Turning a wrench vs Having someone do all maintenance Flexible Hours vs Standard Hours Charity vs Making a profit Dogs and Children vs Adults
I'd hate to predict where the flying market will be in 10 years, but with a huge ramp up of pilot hiring and training, along with a long term decline in business travel, you could very well be facing a lot of competition for the jobs you're interested in. One good retirement gig is to become very experienced in certain high end GA airframes, and work as a flight instructors providing specialty transition training in a daily billing basis...basically the Paul Sanchez business model (if you've been around the pilot forums for a while you might know who he is). Alternatively (or additionally), get some experience in a wide variety of GA aircraft and become a designated pilot examiner.
You both must be mind readers. High Performance / High End airplane CFI is truly my end game, but I know that I must gain some experience in some higher end models to even be competitive among those customers (and their insurance companies)! I am currently a very active CFII/MEI and really enjoying life. I would just like to add more makes and models to my abilities, including some light turboprops possibly. A mentor pilot, if you will. It would be a pipe dream if I could do "IOE" for new owners in 421's, Aerostars, 340's, and maybe even stuff like a Cheyenne. I suppose I just need a path to build that experience without never seeing my son.
Just finish out the decade at the current gig, retire and buy an airplane that allows you to satisfy the flying fix. If you really need some income, look for a low stress, low key job in your current field...
If you've worked in software development, there comes a point that you don't want to look at code ever again. Not there yet, but certainly will be in 10 years hahaha! Not to mention, my original goal was flying for a living before life happened (and it suuuurrre did). Part of me wants to finish my working life finishing what I started and wanted.
Oh, I get it, I have been in IT for 29 years. I'm just saying with your experience there are likely roles in IT you could move into that aren't coding and offer low stress, somewhat interesting and reasonably paying employment. But I also get the aviation as a vocation enticement. Lots of great options already mentioned. I would also look into both state and federal government aviation. I have seen some pretty good flying gigs pop up from time to time. Good Luck and Blue Skies!
Thank you, great suggestions! Who knows?? Maybe I'll become a consultant or something someday. Fortunately, I've had my CFI for 20+ years and can still enjoy teaching part time or full time!! I will check out the state and government. I did not even consider that option!
FlightSafety Savannah (Gulfstreams) for 20 years. Best job that might suit you is part-time FO to fill the seat when a client can't be paired with another client. Interesting, low stress, good control of your schedule.
I would probably pick one. You might swing the 340/421 pairing, but you will want to specialize. "I fly anything over 200kt" doesn't really put you at the top of the food chain for that type You're a dude of means. Buy one of those and get all the experience you can handle. There's more to transition training than "I flew one of these once" -- having operational, ownership, and maintenance insights are what make you valuable. Ticking the insurance requirements is only the first hurdle for a new owner. Someone who can do that and then also get them through their first year of owning a fire-breathing whatever is a real asset to the marque and the next generation of its owners. $0.02.
Great advice on both points. Ownership and FlightSafety might be a great dual path. I suppose I could consider Ownership an investment in my retirement "career," and maybe get a fraction of my money back after a few years of operation. Question: would significant time flying at FlightSafety be valuable in an operational perspective (especially to insurance)?
You could look into working for one of the FedEx Feeder operations, like Mountain or Empire. If they fly to an airport near you, you'd be home every weekend and most likely spend every day at home. You'd launch for a hub in the evening, spend the night there, then come back early in the morning. That is normally Monday night through Friday or Saturday morning. They fly everything from Caravans to ATR-72's. Otherwise Air Ambulance is a great option, assuming you're ok with sitting around the hangar on call during all hours of the day/night.
I fly in Alaska as a part time/retirement gig. Money is pretty good now and equipment is well kept. Been doing it now for 10 years.
It’s not so much when people die, (they keep them on life support until the organs can be harvested). It’s more about when operating rooms are available and when they can get the recipients prepped.
Part 135, single pilot, VFR/IFR. Both freight and people. Company has Cessna 208s, PC12s and 6 float planes. I fly the PC12s after I flew 3000 hrs in the 208s. You must be comfortable with SPIFR flying full approaches, often no radar. No VTF here. More IMC than you want for sure. But it is some fun flying and you meet lots of people during tourist season. I'm here only in the Summer months.
You’re flying the sim, so you get real good at checkride procedures. The value is networking time with your clients that opens up other opportunities. I’ve interviewed a few folks doing today what you want to do down the road. If you do the specialty instructor thing, shielding the assets that got you to that point is an important consideration. That’s separate from limiting your liability. Finally, there’s the whole run a business part of it if you’re going to be successful. This usually involves a model where you travel to the client to do the transition for either a day rate or flat fee plus expenses and/or per diem. That’s got you traveling often enough to cover your overhead and generate enough profit to keep the IRS from declaring your business a hobby. If I was doing this today, I’d find a local pt61 CSIP operation, put an SR-22 on leaseback with them, find three partners to invest in that operation and get my CFII, then do Cirrus transitions, instrument upgrades, and FRs/IPCs as a part-time employee of the school. But that takes time away from family over the next decade or so as well, so compromise is needed somewhere because there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Great point on SR-22. Excellent airplane to be a transition pilot on. That absolutely needs to be on my list!!
Where are you located? Looking for a mentor pilot for a king air C90 in the Atlanta area. You can get some solid time on my dime depending on availability and hour requirements.
