Hello all! I just recently graduated college and have been heavily considering going to ATP. I have everything lined up to go, loan approval (have not accepted it), medical certification, and free housing due to a family member living right by an ATP location. All I need to do is accept my loan and pick a start date. I have been fascinated by aviation since a young age and I really believe I would love being an airline pilot. I have taken a dew discovery flights and absolutely love flying. However, the one thing that is really holding me back from this decision to start flight school is being away from family/ loved ones once I pursue a job at the airlines. One day I plan on having a family and I cannot imagine constantly being away from them. Also to be noted is that I don’t necessarily like being alone in general at least consistently. While a few overnights a month would be no problem I couldn’t imagine being gone consistently 12-15 days a month. Im not sure if I’m overthinking this but I don’t want to make such a big investment in myself all to regret my decision because I’m unhappy being away. I understand that no job is perfect and there will always be pros and cons. So I thought id ask if any of y’all have any advice and or ways you handle being away with your family/loved ones? I also understand that once I gain seniority I can bid for better schedules with day trips etc. There is also even airlines like Allegiant that pilots are mostly in home base every night. With all this being said though I still worry and I want to be fully confident in my decision to attend ATP before I commit to this. I have my degree in supply chain management and there are currently so many job opportunities out there for me however I have turned them down as I cant imagine myself working a desk job. I want to pursue my passions and I feel that being a pilot can be a dream job while also providing me with a great quality of life. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Luke,
Welcome to the forum. I appreciate that you are asking yourself these questions now and are being honest with yourself.
Now I will be honest with you, pilots are on the road quite a bit anti is normal for me to spend ten or more nights per month in a hotel, meaning being gone fifteen days every month. Many pilots chose to hang out with the other pilot in their crew while on the road and seem to really have a good time doing so. I do not mind being on my own and really prefer it, so I generally do not socialize much on my trips. But I know pilots that seem to have friends in every city and make the whole four day trip a social occasion, it really just depends on the individual.
Take a look at our Schedule section and please keep in mind that Adam’s schedule of being home so much is an outlier and is not reflective of the industry. My schedule or Tory’s will give you a much better idea of what to expect.
Chris
Thank you for your response, I really appreciate what ya’ll do on this forum!
Luke,
Unfortunately being away from home is part of the job and there really isn’t any way around it. I fly for Hawaiian which is one of the few airlines to offer day trips. It’s been that way for 20yrs but last year they added overnights to the operation and now everyone except for the most senior pilots are away from home. The point is even if you target an airline like Allegiant things can and do change and there really is no way to be an airline pilot and be guaranteed to be home every night.
On a positive note what I can tell you is when you’re home, you’re home and it’s often for a few days in a row. I’ve found that allows me more quality time with the family time rather then a few hours at night after work and just weekends. If you really want to fly you can make it work but know you will be gone.
Adam
Do you believe when you’re home you have more time with your family then the average American? Because like you said when you’re home, you’re home. You don’t have work to worry about and you’re often off for a few days in a row. I could imagine this allows for great quality family time possibly even more than the typical working person.
Luke,
Honestly I do. When you’re junior it will be a bummer missing holidays, birthdays, etc, but again, most jobs don’t afford you to regularly be off for 2 weeks straight. There’s no homework or other concerns. When we park the plane we’re done. No meetings, no calls, no reports. Take trips, make the kids breakfast and dinner, drive them to school, do projects around the house.
Again there’s no question you will be away however there’s a huge BUT. I get paid very well to do something I truly enjoy, which I personally believe is the secret of life. We spend a good portion of our lives working and if you’re not happy, whether or not you’ll be home every night, that’s going to seep into your private life. But if you’re happy at work and accomplishing your goals you’re family will be anxiously waiting for your return and you’ll enjoy your time home because you won’t waste any of it dreading going to work the next day, and the next day, and…
Adam
Thank you, I really appreciate your response!
Luke,
As much as I am away, I feel that the quality oof my time while at home is very high. I do not bring anything home from work and my days off are exactly that, a day free of obligation. That is an aspect about this job that I really do enjoy.
Chris
Luke,
I agree as well. You’re on the road more nights a month than the average American BUT the time you have at home is completely and totally free. There are so many 9-5 workers that are gone each night but by the time they answer emails and make phone calls, are they really home? Not really…
As for being alone on trips, you’re really not. You’ve got your crew with you all day and surrounded by (mostly friendly) passengers. When you get to the hotel at night, you can choose to be social and visit with friends or family at the layover city or go out with your crew. Or you can choose to head to your room and get some nice rest and relaxation. It’s totally how you make it. I know being gone so many nights sounds overwhelming now, but honestly, you get used to it!
Another option to think about, flying jobs in Part 91 or 135 operations. It’s not the airline life, but you’re still getting paid to fly airplanes for a living and could be home every night. There are a lot of different gigs with different schedules. It’s just about researching and finding the one that’s best for you and the quality of life you’re looking for.
-Hannah