By David Keen, Log Board member How the UKs grounded pilots are keeping the wolf from the door debated with myself, seeking a good title for this article. Second career? Interim employment, perhaps? Starting afresh, possibly? Hmmm, lets not gild the lily. Having researched the fortunes, and perceived lost fortunes, of many BALPA members, I came upon the working title of Survival jobs and for good reason. Without discussing how hard or deep the COVID-19 crisis will become, or surmising exactly when the aviation sector will rebound, it is now clear that, for many, a swift return to commercial flying is nowhere near at hand. Admittedly, there is a handful of redundant pilots who are now gainfully employed in professional or managerial work. These lucky few had some form of past training or experience on which to fall back. I can cite an A320 captain now working full-time as a physics teacher, one of his former colleagues re-entering civil engineering after 27 years, and another chap pounding the beat as a police officer in and around Liverpool. These three are exceptions. There are others, but their numbers are few. My own network of contacts has largely come from former Thomas Cook, Flybe and Monarch pilots, most of whom found follow-up jobs after their companies folded, only to be laid off permanently by their new employers. In addition, Ive spoken to friends from Virgin Atlantic, with bags of experience, but sadly gained on the wrong fleets. An unfortunate number have been despatched from British Airways after a very short time with the airline. They, too, are no longer flying. Lets take a quick look at what some of these folks are doing now. Many jobs require little or no explanation. Packing pharmaceuticals Relatively well paid (c.20/hour) but monotonous. Group cheeriness among fellow packers is of a very low order. Driving for Uber Aside from flexible hours, no further comment is necessary. Delivery driving for major retailers Steady work, usually local, long hours. One issue here is the unpleasantness that is delivered from customers, thanks to timings or incorrect products, neither of which are the fault of the drivers. There has been a significant uptick in the number of drivers required because of the obvious drop in shoppers visiting stores. Acquisition of an Amazon franchise Certain enterprising individuals have bought a franchise in said company, involving a substantial initial downpayment, and now operate a fleet of vehicles. Some pilots are working as drivers for other pilots managing this business model. Ambulance driving in Patient Transport Services for the NHS (not paramedic work) This is physically demanding work, which is sometimes spiritually very satisfying but, again, pays relatively little. Chef and chocolatier Former Masterchef runner-up David Crichton is turning his culinary hand to preparation of gourmet meals, and marketing his exquisite Careless Collection range of chocolate bars. It is now clear that, for many, a swift return to commercial flying is nowhere near at hand Pizza creator At least two BALPA members have moved into the high-end takeaway/events food sector. Product differentiation is critical, and it is not difficult to imagine an improved pizza when compared with the offerings from the big chains. The Pizza Pilot is winning accolades in the Berkshire area. He says his pizzas cant be topped! Chippy operative A Boeing pilot has been spotted working the fryers in the northwest. Im not sure which transferable skills she may be employing, but imagine familiarity with fire drills is handy. Rock star BA 787 captain Joe Adhemar is now devoting his increased spare time to recording and releasing some great (IMHO) music. Joe has just released his second album. Pall-bearer/driver With the dramatic increase in deaths because of COVID-19, a few of our number are now driving hearses and lugging coffins. Serious work, for which a grave demeanour helps. Training as SFIs With sponsorship via governmental support, a handful of pilots are about to start training (in pairs) for their Simulator Flight Instructor qualifications. Painting and decorating With the massive upsurge in home improvements since the initial lockdown, many handy colleagues are using and developing their DIY skills. Training courses are available from local authorities, although they are currently oversubscribed in many parts of the country. Finally... 2021 census jobs Short-term work for managerial, supervisory and officer roles will become available in the new year. A link to applications is provided in the BALPA forums by Sean Casey. A common consideration for most jobs being undertaken by our members is that they can be relinquished at short notice. Experiences at higher-level job interviews have shown that most potential employers expect that pilots will return to flying as soon as they can find a suitable job. This is a reasonable assumption, but one that makes the task of finding comparably paid work hard to secure. Nevertheless, I hope to report on successes in coming issues of The Log, along, of course, with an upswing in flying jobs. Fingers crossed! Be aware that members still on contract to the airlines should be cautious before joining other firms. Certain benefits, such as healthcare and loss of licence, could be annulled by signing-up with a new employer. Check with your current airline employer.