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Are you a military pilot thinking of making the jump to the airlines? Do you think you might wait until retirement before making the jump to the airlines? There are some pro’s and con’s of both staying in the military and leaving for the airlines. For over a decade I assisted military pilots with leaves of absence and have seen the good and bad of combining an airline job with military reserve. In this issue I will relate my experiences working with military pilots who have both retired and those who are in the military part time.
Today’s episode was inspired by a question from a listener in the military who is thinking of making the jump to the airlines. To help me respond to his question I have a response from Steve Molos who for many years has also helped military pilots with military leaves of absence with the airlines. Steve had to make the same decision himself about changing careers.
If you are thinking of making becoming an airline pilot and changing careers prior to retiring I think you will find the information we relate helpful. So lets listen to the question that inspired the show today.
In This episode we discuss:
- Family life as an airline pilot.
- What it means to commute to work.
- What it is like to commute to work and live in base.
- Pro’s and Con’s of leaving the military job early.
- The benefits and challenges of being in the reserves or guard.
- Why it is important to know all the contacts at your company concerning military leave.
- Should you get a type rating?
If you are thinking of retiring from the military or from any job and transition to the airlines it is important to weigh the pro’s and con’s just like Steve said. What I like to do when making a significant decision is to take out a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle then begin putting the pro’s on one side and the con’s on the other. If after you finish your list the con’s out weigh the pro’s then you need to start thinking again about your decision.
During this process it is important to get your spouse or significant other involved. Have them look at your list and make changes as necessary. A pro to you can be a con to your partner.
Whatever you decide make sure you are doing this for what is best for you and your family. Don’t worry about what others might think because they don’t know your situation. Then after making your decision go for it and move forward.
I have faith that whatever you decide in your career you will be successful because you are willing to put forth the effort and persevere through the tough times because you have a purpose. Make sure you keep the list with you and add items even after you have made your decision. This will be helpful in altering your path towards your ultimate goal.
Expect challenges along your new career path but don’t get discouraged. Look at these challenges as growth opportunities and not as road blocks. Road blocks along your career path are not failures they are there to be removed or driven around.
I have faith that you will achieve your aviation career goal. I can’t wait to see you join me in this exciting, challenging, and fun field of aviation.
If you found this information helpful please support this podcast by visiting our sponsors websites. Also if you have any questions please click on the contacts tab and ask. I’m sure there is someone listening right now who would benefit from the question you ask.
Thanks again for listening and we will talk to you next episode. Clear skies and safe flying!
Photos copyright KenMist.com
Welcome to Episode 35 of Aviation Careers Podcast where we help you achieve your career goals and give you an inside view of various careers in aviation. Many pilots have an interest in technology and computers. Many times people change careers from computers to aviation, as I did. Some people are able to successfully combine both careers into one.
Thanks for listening to Aviation Careers Podcast. I hope this podcast has helped motivate you to pursue your passion and translate that passion into a fulfilling career. Whatever career field you choose remember to live your life with passion and pursue a career that fulfills that passion.
As you can tell Eric is a passionate aviator. He plays a key role in helping people achieve their career goals and become safer pilots. I highly recommend your visiting Polk State by going to 
Welcome to Episode 32. I hope you enjoyed the last two episodes full of interviews from the 2013 Sun N Fun Fly-In and Expo in Lakeland, Florida. I enjoyed interviewing these passionate people as they talked about aviation careers. If you really want to hear some motivating interviews of some truly inspirational aviators make sure you listen to episodes 30 and 31.
Welcome to Episode 31. Today’s episode is the second part of the inspirational aviation career interviews from Sun N Fun 2013. Sun ’n Fun’s mission is to preserve and enhance the future of flight through world-class events while inspiring and educating people of all ages. To learn more about Sun N Fun please listen to episode 30 and read the show notes. I think you will find that there is something for everyone who is interested in aviation at Sun N Fun year round.
If you walked up to a stranger and said you were a pilot they would probably imagine flying a large airline across the world to exotic locations. If you listen to this podcast on a regular basis you realize there are many pilot jobs other than that of a major airline pilot. But what is it like flying as a captain for a major airline? Today I have with me someone who can answer this question.
Most of our discussion is of careers in commercial aviation but there are numerous jobs with the Federal Government. One of the more fascinating jobs is investigating accidents. Today I have with me someone from the National Transportation Safety Board to discuss the job of accident investigator and the various federal jobs relating to aviation.
