Flight Training - September/October 2023 - 39

after each block of reserve days; and he
feels like he's at a place where he can stay
and grow. He's not in a hurry to upgrade
or move on to the next company. " At the
regionals the pressure is to get out as fast
as possible. At some point you have to
stop and smell the roses and enjoy the
fact that you've made it, " he said.
Quality of life was the primary consideration
for Johnson as well. She was in a
position to choose between two regional
airlines, and although money and benefits
are always considerations, stability was
what she was after. She chose a regional
with a pilot base in Los Angeles, knowing
that regional airlines are unlikely to
close bases in major hubs, and it would
likely negate the need to move when she
eventually upgrades to a major airline.
" I wanted a life where I wouldn't have
to commute, " she said. As a former flight
attendant, she saw first-hand how a commute
affects employees and their families.
The strategy paid off, as she continues to
live there after moving on to a major.
Luck and timing have a lot to do with
one's success in aviation. With aviation's
cyclical nature, it's not uncommon to be
riding a high wave, assuming that things
will work out great when training is over,
then come crashing down in the blink
of an eye. Just ask Homewood. After the
industry downturn following 9/11, he
joined the military, became an engineer,
worked at Boeing, and only came back
to flying after many years in other jobs
where his heart just wasn't fully in it. But
coming back has not been an easy road.
He moved his family from Seattle to the
Phoenix area to train, and then wanted
to avoid another move, so he found a
job instructing nearby. Then he found a
job flying medevac in Learjet 30 series
and 55 series. He lost his job during the
pandemic downturn, and then had to live
in Florida, far from his family, when they
called him to come back.
" After high school I should have stuck
with training and grinded it out, gotten
my commercial and continued pilot training
as a young person, " he said. He has
friends from that era who did just that
and are now flying for a major airline. " If
I would have had the foresight and determination
to be successful as a young man
I would be at my destination. "
Cunningham also took a detour. The
medical field wasn't his first choice,
but he thought you had to have perfect
vision to be a pilot. It wasn't until he met
a pilot at United Airlines who mentored
him through the process that he was
able to make the leap. Then he began
training during the COVID-19 pandemic.
" Everyone thought I was crazy getting
out of nursing and into aviation during
COVID, " he said. But by being persistent
he was able to position himself perfectly
when hiring returned to pre-pandemic
levels, and then skyrocketed well
beyond. Even during a downturn, the
right answer is usually to keep a toe
in aviation.
Many of these major decisions are
made more difficult by the fact that
there's no one right answer. Johnson
doesn't in any way regret going to her
regional airline of choice, but she thinks
the politics and agreements with the
associated mainline carrier probably
slowed down her growth. That wasn't the
case when she started, so things change
quickly. She's remained happy with her
choices, primarily because she remains
based in L.A., and she values the rigorous
training she received at the regional
airline. In other words, it wasn't all about
the money and upgrade time.
There is no doubt times are good right
now for prospective professional pilots.
Jobs will be there for the foreseeable
future. Which one you grab, and which
path you take is up to you, and something
only you can decide. FT
ian.twombly@aopa.org
FLIGHT TRAINING SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023
FLIGHT TRAINING JULY 2023
39
Flight Training - September/October 2023

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