For those who do not work in aviation, does your employer know you fly?

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awkwarddachshund@reddit

I'm currently working at a factory job while I get my CFI and I told them I lost my medical and it was going to be pivoting into a new career field because when I don't and I tell people my plans I don't get hired

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not_luther@reddit

I got my company to pay for my PPL. We are a tech company but could get tax credits on staff training.

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Overall_Gur_3061@reddit

I told my boss i was starting school, all they said was im young and do whatever i want. They seemed to be pretty understanding

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phxcobraz@reddit

When I told my boss I got my private pilot cert, his first response was "when are we going flying?" so I rented a 182 and took him up a couple months after. He hasn't been in my Mooney yet in 5yrs, need to take him up one of these days. He's great to work with and always supportive. I've told him if I finish the rest of my ratings and get a flying job I am out, and he is happy to hear that, he hates the corporate IT world and would rather do something like that, but hes close to retirement now.

The other day I was in my hangar on a meeting and apologized to a senior VP about the noise(as someone started up an RV7 right next door). He was all interested in how aviation worked and kinda sidetracked the meeting haha.

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_TheS0viet_@reddit

My boss knows, hell I show him pictures and videos and tell him about the things I’ve learned so far. He knows I’ll leave but just asked to get a heads up before I do.

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Mehere_64@reddit

I just fly for fun with no intention beyond that. There was another guy I worked with that flew for fun. He left and then another guy came on board and he is a pilot as well. We chat here and there but not a lot.

Other's at work know I fly for fun but that's about it.

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mrmurnio@reddit

Mine did, I told during the interview (during covid) that I would be gone if I got a seat in airlines. Could be a year, could be a decade. But I wouldn't leave for any other job. He appreciated the honesty and I actually think it helped me to get the job, at least he assumed I wasn't a total nut job (his words). I ended up driving a truck for him for two years. Told him immediately when I got a class date. He was sad for losing me but happy for me. Great boss

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SalesAndMarketing202@reddit

You went from driving a truck to flying a plane? Seems like a natural progression but I don't think that happens too often.

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mrmurnio@reddit

I've always considered flying as a pinnacle of blue collar work (despite literally being white collar). You just learn to operate the machine well. Then just clock in, do your work and clock out. No meetings, no constant need to learn new things, can't bring work home. Crew control calls when I'm not on duty - don't answer. All my life I've operated heavy machines, now I just operate one with another guy/gal and we have a whole organisation supporting us. Best and almost the easiest job I ever had. Love it

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SalesAndMarketing202@reddit

Reminds me of Fred Trump, Trump's older brother. He was an airline pilot and he was mocked and ridiculed by his father and Donald for being a "glorified bus driver". They despise working class people.

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JournalistSweet6597@reddit

Schizo post

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SalesAndMarketing202@reddit

It's all true bubba.

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gabefl1@reddit

How in the world did you manage to work Trump into this thread

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FeatherMeLightly@reddit

They are painfully aware : )

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draggingmytail@reddit

Yes, mine does. They made me talk about it during a townhall because it was “inspirational”….

They also suspect I’m working on my IR because of all the random 4 hour long “lunch” blocks on my calendar.

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pilotshashi@reddit

It’s a good to mention, “reason, it shows you’re dedicated for some expensive goal. 🎯

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_-Cleon-_@reddit

First thing I did when I passed my checkride was brag to my coworkers about it. 😁

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Correct_Cobbler_4013@reddit

My "employer", as in the company I work for, doesn't really know anything I suppose. My immediate boss and coworkers know, and several of them have gone flying with me.

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Impossible-Bro@reddit

Likewise for me. For PPL and IFR I’d leave work early 2-3 days out of the week for lessons or to just fly alone/with friends. It was easier to be honest with my boss and then make up the hours on other days so I wasn’t burning through PTO … would do my best to get 80 hours in every 2 weeks.

Through it all my boss has been chill (I’ve experienced a desire to pursue aviation as a full time job). I think the honesty was appreciated

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Initial-Cockroach-51@reddit

I just say I fly for fun. Don’t say anything regarding training beyond the PPL.

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dopexile@reddit

I wear a polo that says "I fly for fun" just to be safe in case I forget to bring it up during every conversation.

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Weasel474@reddit

I wear my 107 card on a lanyard just to make sure everyone sees it when I go out.

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XchowCowX@reddit (OP)

Yeah I just said I’m getting my privates for fun and that I’d like to build my own plane one day (tried to tie the hobby to engineering somehow lol)

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bambiwalk@reddit

Mine knew about every rating and checkride lol

“Why are you getting your commercial?”

“I just want to be a safer pilot and continue to improve”

“Why are you getting your CFI”

Just in case my wife or family wants to fly, I can actually teach them or something” lol

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K9KJ@reddit

Heh... We're pilots! Who DOESN'T know we fly?? 🤣

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tcatsuko@reddit

Not technically in the aviation business, but rather spaceflight. My immediate colleagues on my team and I all have our PPL or higher. Actually comes in handy to translate to design engineers why certain things on flight displays actually make sense to pilots when they don’t to the engineering or systems folks.

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Smiggles0618@reddit

It should be the first thing you said in the interview! You're not a real pylote unless you shout it from the rooftops at every opportunity!

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Optimal-Spread9712@reddit

Yeah, they don’t care

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Feckmumblerap@reddit

Im a server, not working in aviation yet but that’s the end goal, and yeah they know. Its not an office vibe tho, we’re all super tight so everyone knows what everyone is doing. Ive even taken 2 of my coworkers up for joyrides.

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NoRadio4530@reddit

Yea same. They're all so happy for me, too

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FuriousBoss274@reddit

Mine do. Granted it's not a career type job and just a job to pay for my training but they know as soon as I'm done with training and find a job flying I'm gone. I did give them my word I'd be with them til I find a flying job though

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appenz@reddit

He does and I offer colleagues a ride when I fly to conferences. In the PC-12 I have plenty of takers and it is a great way to network. If it's full in the back I take a second pilot for extra safety.

A few (2ish?) colleagues flew with me when I was still flying piston, but you want to be selective who you offer this to.

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astroamy24@reddit

Selective in what way?

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jtyson1991@reddit

You don't want the passenger to have an episode of any kind and then make an issue out of it at the office come Monday morning.

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astroamy24@reddit

Thanks! Yeah that’s fair, I’m grateful I work with pretty level-headed people but you never know and I’ll definitely keep an eye out for people like that.

I’ve taken a couple of coworkers up and they’ve enjoyed every bit of the ride (like I thought they would, in fairness!)

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appenz@reddit

Yeah. Want to make sure they are comfortable with flying. If they are the type that is easily afraid , not a good idea.

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dfelton912@reddit

I graduated from Riddle with my CPL and moved to another city with no intention of using it. I've had two bosses since then. The first was pretty dumb and tried giving me advice to go get hired at an airline and they can give me the rest of my training.... not how it works. The second thought it was super cool and I showed her some cool aviation stuff

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dickheadfartface@reddit

Your boss should be the one that’s worried.

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Manwhostaresatthesun@reddit

I work as a server and have my aviation education on my resume. In interviews they usually ask if I would be leaving for the airlines. I just tell them yes but it’s a pretty long way out. In my experience it seems more like a plus during interviews than a detriment

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PhillyPilot@reddit

I told my boss that I was changing careers. Then he ended up being my private student

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s_mcbn@reddit

I fly and so does my bosses boss, who is the COO of a major international company. We’ve talked about taking a plane up and flying the VFR corridor one night when he’s in Houston.

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Bowzy228@reddit

With the current job market I had to go find a non aviation job after obtaining my CFII ticket just to survive. I INTENTIONALLY removed all my aviation qualifications off my resume just to be safe.

After a few months of working there ,hobbies came up during conversations with my coworkers and you know pilots like to talk about flying a lot. 😂

Long story short words got around fast and the whole workplace knows I’m a pilot and everyone I run into wants to ask me aviation related questions out of curiosity. Thank god I made sure I told them it’s just a hobby, I need that job. After all those flight times ain’t gonna pay for themselves and I have bills 😅

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GryphonGuitar@reddit

Yeah, I've flown with quite a few coworkers and fly to work stuff like conferences every now and then. They know and think it's kind of cool but also a little mad.

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iflyc152@reddit

Yes

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jtyson1991@reddit

They don't know because I didn't want to have to explain when I had time to do the training.

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CT_Pilot@reddit

Did you look at your boss and say “Johnny is learning to drive, so I assume he’s going to quit to drive for Uber.”?

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Boomhower113@reddit

My CFI was the company pilot. So, yeah, they knew.

Nobody cared.

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VeggieMeatTM@reddit

HR spilled the beans when I showed up in the airman registry. Now I have three "mentoring" meetings per week to ensure people know how to do my job.

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massunderestmated@reddit

That's creepy.

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massunderestmated@reddit

Yes. They think it's cool.

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draconis183@reddit

Mine does.
I don't think they care at all. They know I'm locked into the job now for all those airplane parts.

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A_Squid_A_Dog@reddit

Flair checks out lol

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jwpc59@reddit

Are you really a pilot if you don’t tell everyone you meet that you’re one?

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PinkRhino10@reddit

I didn't tell anyone, just took a couple hours off a morning here or there (I work a remote tech job) for early flight lessons. My manager noticed, all he said was that he hoped everything was OK at home. My team lead noticed too and she actually said she's hoping I'm not take all that time to find a new job!!!

I genuinely felt bad for not telling her and told her that I was working on a PPL, I then also told my manager and they both think it's the coolest thing ever. They just think it's a hobby.

I have my PPL now, working on IRA. I have no plans on telling them I plan to leave until I do.

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iiiiijustdontknow@reddit

Nope! I work from home full time and my extended "lunch breaks" are me flying with students lol

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Moshjath@reddit

Absolutely they do. I’m in the Army and it’s a fun hobby I’ve been getting into. Hopefully I can parlay that into a second career as I retire from the first in about six years.

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bhalter80@reddit

My co workers know I flight instruct they think it's cool more than anything else

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andrewrbat@reddit

They found out. Then they weren’t surprised a few months later when i quit to do it full time.

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nhorvath@reddit

of course they do, how can you fly planes and not tell everyone you're a pilot? /s but my immediate coworkers do know.

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Fuzzyjammer@reddit

If they find out they'll decide they pay me too much, so no

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Significant-Pen-2274@reddit

When I was working a non-aviation job I had to disclose that I was a freelance CFI. They had a thing about people working outside jobs or having side businesses. It wasn’t really a big deal though.

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militaryrat155@reddit

I think the worst questions are the coworkers that are always like “oh I always wanted to be a pilot”

So go do it bro it wasn’t that hard just expensive 😭

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Skudedarude@reddit

The "just expensive" part is pretty restricting

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boeing186@reddit

I fly for fun and I've never felt anybody thought that way about my hobby. Sometimes they ask if I plan to fly commerical or why I don't work in aviation, but if you just tell them why they'll probably never think twice about your reasoning unless you're missing hours of work to go flying

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He mentioned he thought it was cool and joking hoped I wasn’t changing careers… it ended casually and business as usual but should I be worried? lol

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