From Corporate to the Flight Deck: Finding My Way Back to Aviation

In the fall of 2020, I was working a fully remote corporate job in Los Angeles. It was impressive on paper, but the days blurred together. Virtual meetings replaced human connection. Career milestones felt hollow. I was doing everything I thought I was supposed to do, yet something felt missing. I kept quietly asking myself, “Is this really it?”

To break up the routine, my girlfriend (now fiancée) and I planned a weekend getaway to Palm Springs over Labor Day weekend. We anticipated a much needed break away from our screens, but instead faced 122°F heat—the hottest weekend of the year.

Eager to drive back home, my fiancée suggested we swing by the Palm Springs Air Museum. Why? She recalled the model airplanes that once hung from the ceiling of my childhood bedroom. They weren’t just decorations: they were reminders of something I had loved deeply, but somehow left behind.

A Moment That Changed Everything

The museum wasn’t part of any grand plan. It was supposed to be a short visit before heading home. But the moment I walked through the doors, I was surrounded by generations of aircraft, aviation history, and people who shaped my passion.

And then, something clicked. I was transported back in time. I remembered building model replicas of the same warbirds that stood in front of me. I remembered attending a pilot summer camp in Santa Barbara during high school, where I first took the controls of a Cessna 172 and felt what it was like to leave the ground.

For nearly a decade, aviation had been pushed to the back of the line, being overshadowed by my racing career and subsequent academic journey to pursue a more “practical” profession. But standing there in that museum, it became crystal clear: I wanted to be back in the pilot’s seat.

When the Plan Falls Apart

A few weeks later, I made a decision that shocked many people around me: I left my job at one of the world’s largest accounting firms.

At first, I pursued the Air Force route. I studied, took the pilot qualification exams, and visited squadrons across the country. My scores were strong, and for a while, it felt like aviation was finally within reach.

Then I discovered I wouldn’t medically qualify to become an Air Force pilot. Once again, aviation felt just out of grasp. It was discouraging, frustrating, and honestly, heartbreaking. But aviation teaches you something early on: when conditions change, you don’t give up—you adjust.

Getting Back on Path

I then pivoted towards a career as a commercial pilot.

At this point, I only had my Private Pilot License. To fund the remainder of my flight training, I took a part-time job at my family-friend's local tax firm located near a flight school. I leaned on my CPA background to create flexibility: training when weather and schedules allowed, and working when I needed income.

Every paycheck went straight into flying, and every hour logged moved me closer to the life I wanted. The journey wasn’t linear. The plan changed more than once. But that’s aviation: you reroute, you adapt, and you keep flying.

Why Does This Matter?

Some people find aviation early. Others take a decade-long detour. Some face setbacks that force them to rethink everything they thought the plan was supposed to be.

Whether you're preparing for a checkride, your first airline interview, or seeking advice from a mentor, no one is evaluating how straight your path is. What matters instead is how you adapt to your environment and keep moving closer toward your goals.

Final Thoughts

If you’re stuck in a career that doesn’t feel right, standing at a crossroads, or if your path looks nothing like what you originally planned… you’re not alone.

The process isn’t always clear. It isn’t always clean. But if you keep moving forward, adjusting when necessary, you’ll find your way. And when you do, you’ll understand exactly why the journey, every detour included, was worth it.