Starcast Join the waitlist
21.FIVE - Professional Pilots Podcast

21.FIVE - Professional Pilots Podcast

210. What Should Pilots Do When the Paycheck Stops?

May 19, 2026 · 37m

Coming soon to iPhone. Already have it? “Listen in Starcast” takes you straight there.

On this episode

About this episode

Timothy P. Pope joins Dylan and Max to talk through the financial side of Spirit's shutdown and what professional pilots can learn from it. For airline and bizav pilots, the big takeaway is simple but not always fun: stabilize first, optimize later. The crew digs into emergency funds, burn rate, 401(k) rollovers, IRA traps, benefits, life insurance, and why raiding retirement money is usually the nuclear option you try very hard to avoid. Listen, subscribe, and maybe give your emergency fund a little love. Tim Pope, CFP® — Tim is both a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and a pilot. His practice specializes in aviation professionals and aviation 401k plans, helping clients pursue their financial…