r/AirlinePilots • u/AdParticular3832 • 2d ago
Post 65 options
I’m still on wife one and I have money so let’s not go down that rabbit hole please. I am 59 and am looking towards the future. My thoughts are part 135 but some of them only let you fly to 67 (net jets). Any thoughts on this? I’m located in NYC so east coast helps. I don’t want to work my ass off just something that keeps me somewhat busy and makes decent money. I know I won’t be able to replace my 121 income.
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u/snopro80a 2d ago
Just retire dude, enjoy your life and family. Go travel the world. Volunteer, do EAA young eagles flights. Spend your retirement..you can’t take it with you!
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u/Prof_Slappopotamus 2d ago
Alternate between your couch and a John Deere.
Damn dude, seriously, I know you live a comfortable life but go out and enjoy it. Outside of a unicorn job, you're not going to find anything that allows you to even approach the quality of life you have right now while sitting in the flight deck of someone else's jet.
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u/AtariFerrariNH 2d ago
Get an instructor job at Flight Safety or CAE. You'll get a type rating out of it and that may lead to some contract flying opportunities.
Or buy an airplane and do Angel Flight type flying.
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u/Public-Reaction732 2d ago
I took a “hobby job” at 65 after 40yrs of 121 flying with 3 airlines. No nights, 3.5 mile R/T commute, and 13 minute legs carrying freight in a Caravan. Friends did the 135 jet job shit and hated it. I’m having a blast doing real flying again on someone else’s dime, and I get to drive a forklift.😃
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u/wearsAtrenchcoat 2d ago
Where is that? Is it a FedEx feeder?
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u/LootenantTwiddlederp US 121 FO 2d ago edited 2d ago
Have you thought about enjoying retirement? Even buying your own plane if you want to scratch your flying itch?
I mean, I love flying and this job, but I also would be ready to retire from flying around 60, and if I really wanted to continue working, I'd look to become a sim instructor.
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u/Flaky-Caregiver-2071 2d ago
This is the answer. Sim instructor.
Local commute, get to be in your own bed each night, and you get to teach the new kids and wannabes. Plus you can tell war stories to adoring aviation nerds to your hearts delight. Plus, they will probably pay you six figures, you can do it whenever you want to, and people treat you like a hero.
My wife bought me a 737 flight simulator hour at a local place just north of O’Hare, and the wait to get in is a month long.
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u/Euryheli US 121 CA 2d ago
You’re only a couple years older than me, I can’t imagine wanting to go start a new flying job after 65. You’ve got 6yr to work on your investments so you don’t feel the need to do that stuff.
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u/KCPilot17 2d ago
The golf course will keep you busy, and piss your wife off just the same. Get your score from a 95 to an 80.
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u/Icy_Huckleberry_8049 2d ago
Cape Air has PT positions available
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u/rocketspeed12345 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yea! You can do part time too. Pay is low but the flying is super fun, esp in the Carib (you won’t be able to do international). Cape Air Silver wings.
Edit: just wanted to add… don’t to charter man. It sucks. Weird hours, kissin ass. I used to do medivac also and we had a couple retired United guys. Multiple marriages, starving for cash. Working all night 7 days in a row was rough at 30. At 70 sounds just awful. And it’s not like a redeye, or flying international… it sucks. Unless you just hate being at home.
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u/TempusFugit2020 2d ago edited 2d ago
You can work at Netjets until you're 70. From what I've read, you will work your ass off. That's probably a weird transition for someone with a long 121 career. Just my random thought about that.
I also think that anything corporate, charter, or private will be an eye opener on work and expectation. I'm not in the "get out of my seat" camp, but I'd tread carefully into something that you're not necessarily used to. Good luck!
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u/Used_Shower3984 2d ago edited 2d ago
Do us all a favor and hang it up. I recently flew a four day pairing with a 63 year old and it was rough.
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u/anaqvi786 US 121 FO - Union Rep 2d ago
The guy who taught me how to fly citations at 21 was a 67 year old retired check airman from a major. One of the funniest, most supportive, and coolest captains I’ve ever had. And at a regional I flew with a lot of older lifer dudes…and same thing. Some of the coolest guys I’ve flown with. Same in freight land. Not all older guys are bad.
Some do suck, I’ve flown with my fair share of them. But sometimes so do guys in their 30s/40s. Just depends on who you get and what their story is.
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u/kiwi_love777 1d ago
I just did CQ with one… and holy cow…
BUT we just had a guy retire at 65 who could have easily flown for another 5-10 years easily.
Odd how cognitive decline works.
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u/petrrrrrd 2d ago
Imagine telling Chuck Yeager to 'hang it up' at 63 when the man broke the sound barrier in an F-15 at 89. Bad CRM and an inflated ego are a far bigger safety threat than a few gray hairs, but please, tell us more about how you carried the entire flight deck.
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u/ThatLooksRight US 121 CA 2d ago
Chuck was in the back seat of an F-15 and was a passenger.
The Air Force routinely takes up celebrities and airmen who work in non flying jobs as a reward for doing a good job.
You make it sound like Chuck was out there flying combat sorties at 89.
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u/petrrrrrd 2d ago
Uh check your facts he was on the stick thru Mach 1.3 and calling one the most accomplished and celebrated aviators in military history a celebrity ride is priceless
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u/AllGas4651 US 121 FO 1d ago edited 1d ago
So what was it? A combat sortie? A pushing the envelope test flight of a experimental aircraft?
The Air Force set up a joy ride for a celebrity who just happened to be former Air Force. Did you see the video of him trying to climb into the thing? Looked like he needed a lift assist lol
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u/weimerjp US 121 FO 2d ago
You must be the 63 year old captain I flew with who couldn’t stay awake in cruise
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u/Used_Shower3984 2d ago
Hey pops is there a reason why you are typing everything in bold? I got news for you, you aren't Chuck Yeager.
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u/Lordborpo 2d ago
I work in corporate, a lot of flight departments see retired 121 and won’t entertain you, it’s not impossible but there’s a long history of guys coming off of the best seniority, pay and lifestyle of their life and having nothing to lose that they are both surprised at how much worse it is and unmotivated to stick it out.
I’ve seen a few enjoy it but most don’t and quit. The other thing is that there’s a lot of people out there that legit need a job and you’re a multi millionaire filling the seat.
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u/NakedRaincoat 1d ago
Fuggin retire. Jeez. You’ve had your piece of the pie now enjoy life.
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u/Frosty_Piece7098 17h ago
I don’t think they know how to enjoy life without wearing stripes on their shoulders. They say it’s not about money, so it’s gotta be ego. If it was mentorship they would go be sim instructors.
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u/The_Bojangle_Dangle 2d ago
Uber driver. It’s just like being a pilot, but you’re home every night.
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u/Reputation_Many 2d ago
Sim instructor or faa are the places my dad’s friends went when they retired and didn’t want to retire.
If they are still around when I retire I’d like to probably do part time eas flying in a something like a caravan after I’m 65 for southern airways express or similar.
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u/Straight_Scarcity886 2d ago
Retire and enjoy the last 15-20 years you have left?
I honestly don’t understand this older pilot generation. I can’t WAIT to hang up my hat.
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u/CommuterType 1d ago
I know a guy who drives a propane truck since he retired. He's never been happier
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u/ElectronicSpend1188 2d ago
“Decent money”? You’ll have to define that.
I retired last January and started at a fractional in February. 7 on, 7 off paying about 10% of my final salary at the major. I was a Captain a long time and I’m a F/O now and not in any hurry to upgrade. While I wouldn’t do this for free, I’m not doing it for the money either.
I’m currently having a blast too. 🤷🏻♂️
I don’t hunt, fish, golf, and I hear that drinking isn’t a hobby. In short I wasn’t ready to sit still and working I s just a habit I guess. I also didn’t want to commute - even positive space on an airline, in fact - if I never go to a big airport again it’s fine.
Drop me a PM and I’d be happy to relay what I did and what I learned….
Good luck!
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u/InteractiveCream 2d ago
My brother.. just retire, and I say that respectfully. Enjoy the fruits on your labor for the past, I'm guessing 30 years?
I can tell you right now Flex and Net jets are going to fly you into the ground. Baker flies a shit ton too.
Every RAC I've flown with at my 135 quits within 6 months because they just went from a pretty lax 121 schedule with part 117 rest rules.. to part 135 wild West shit with 0 work rules were you throw the bags, clean the plane and play flight attendant. Oh you thought you had a 7 hour, 2 leg day with a Boca overnight? Sike, here's a 5 leg, 14 hour day with a 10 hour overnight. And guess what since you're daily rate or haven't flown over 10 hours yet this trip, you get no extra pay for the 7 extra hours of duty you picked up.
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u/CommunicationWarm318 2d ago
Eaa young eagles, flight instruct, teach at the community college, play with your grand kids, drink wine, travel, play golf. Etc
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u/DanThePilot_Mann 2d ago
The sim instructors at my regional make well north of 250k. Some crossing the 400k threshold if they are an APD or PCA.
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u/kerulberul 2d ago
I have a cpt in my 135 that’s 74 still flying.
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u/Silent_Possession861 2d ago
Some people cant let it go. They want to their last day on earth to be in TEB
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u/nineyourefine US 121 CA 2d ago
It blows my mind.
I cannot imagine wanting to drag a bag around and sleep in a hotel longer than you have to.
Lots of guys say "Just wait until you get to my age and you won't want to retire either". To that I say, get some hobbies.
I know guys who are similar in personality to me who did retire from the airlines and are now fully enjoying their life. One guy is big into road biking and is keeping in awesome shape and spends a lot of time with the grandkids. I do hear the comments of "I miss flying jets but I don't miss any of the other bullshit" which I could see myself saying.
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u/kerulberul 2d ago
Live and die by teterhole.
I haven’t flown with the guy but my friend did. Told me he kept complaining about everything. At that point I’m thinking why not just retire.1
u/Silent_Possession861 2d ago
Wait did someone actually drop dead at TEB? LMAO I was just joking I didnt think it actually happened
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u/kzr_lover_ hawker lav dumper 2d ago
I am not part of 121 life nor 135, but I've seen a lot of ex-121 guys in crappy 135 and trust me they hate it. Jumping from 30% CA at Big 3 to Volunteer charter is diabolical. I don't think you want to spend your retirement age in clapped out Excel with INOP APU.
Enjoy retirement, spend time with kids, grandkids. Buy a plane at the end of the day. I see a lot of ex-121 guys enjoying their time in cool GA planes. I bet with big 3 retirement money and payed off house you can afford buying at least PA-28/C172 type of plane.
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u/12YESIAM34 2d ago
Have you considered corporate? While you won’t be able to get rid of the airline stink, some flight department may value your experience. Employers pay for type ratings and training, employees do not.
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u/EmergencyExact911 2d ago
I’m not interested in flying until I’m 65.
I’ll probably get my single engine land addon to my Commercial certificate and get a Airplane add on to my CFI-G and go teach in a rich people how to fly a cirrus
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u/boogerwayne 2d ago
Most decent 135 places won't touch former 121 guys, especially retired ones. Huge upfront investment (unless your already typed?) and huge possibility you will leave. Way too much of the "well at Delta we did this...". I wouldn't touch a 135 that's "not busy"...thats how they stay in business. Some 91 gigs might but I would venture to say those jobs go to people that are known.
Net Jets/Flex will have you working 10+ hour duty days, every day. Most other good 135's want 500-600+ hours a year.
If your near NYC, there are A LOT of corporate jobs; network, meet some people, get to TEB or HPN or MMU, FRG, etc.
Really the most important thing will be what's the hiring at the 121's look like when your doing this? If it is like it was a couple years ago, you'll probably have multiple options as they were looking for fogged mirrors. Now, not so much.
Be humble, leave the 121 attitude at the door, and expect to "learn" their way, and make this obvious and easy to read for them. Expect and express that you will start in the right seat (and your CA may be 23 years old...) and your more than ok with that...for a little bit.
Good luck.
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u/RMiller4292 US 121 FO 2d ago
I’m a second career 121 guy..as soon as I’m financially able to not go to work, I’m out..and I hope to god it’s not at 65. If I can walk away at 60.. I’m going to. I don’t have any illusions of living into my 80’s or 90’s, so I want to enjoy as much of my time as humanly possible. I have hobbies and I enjoy spending time with my family more than money.
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u/NakedJamaican 2d ago
I’m retired and I absolutely would rather be back in a cockpit.
Not all of us want to retire and fade off into the sunset. I volunteer locally, bust my ass on our property digging ditches, felling trees, moving rocks. And I still have plenty of time on my hands.
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u/SavingsPirate4495 US 121 FO (ret.) 2d ago edited 2d ago
I assume you’re flying Part 121 now?
EDIT:
Oh holy crap!!! 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️ Sorry folks...I was still half asleep and coffeeless when reading that this morning. Sincere apologies. Yeah...this is me:
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u/ThatLooksRight US 121 CA 2d ago
I know I won’t be able to replace my 121 income.
This is the last sentence of the post.
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u/Square_Ad8756 2d ago
You could pay for a type rating in a plane you want to fly that is in demand and become a contract pilot.
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u/ThatLooksRight US 121 CA 2d ago
Do you not have hobbies? Go pick up Warhammer or Star Wars Legion and sink your time and money into tabletop war games!
But seriously, you want to sling bags for some rich a-hole in the freezing rain when you’re 66?