This had definitely crossed my mind.
The best thing to do might be to make some contact with a few places before I leave, saying I will be looking for work in December/January after a short career break, and have a pretty LaTeX CV ready for when I get back.
Not quite true. I bet avionics companies (and plenty of others) would be very interested to talk to you.
My dad used to be a pilot and now works in technology, though he made the switch a few years ago now.
As for the programming, after learning the very basics you really have to write something and learn as you go. Try writing a little Android app. I bet you could without even knowing Java.
It could be that working as a programmer isn't right for you (maybe a business role related to aerospace), but if you kept it up on the side and used it as your "secret weapon" ^ you could be a real success. Good luck.
^ See Zed Shaw's thoughts on http://sheddingbikes.com/LearnPythonTheHardWay.pdf
Part of the plan is to learn a few new areas of CS and math that I've been too busy to read, and code a few things I've been meaning to code. Some personal development without commitments all week.
Edit: "to" -> "too". Christ.
I guess my question is more about how to present my case to another person, without it sounding like I want to slack off.
(I normally post under a different name)I'm at the end of a Masters degree and am now starting to apply to jobs.Over the last few years I've either been working or studying, and haven't taken a break of more than a couple of weeks. Alongside that, I've had to (successfully) fight off an unpleasant illness. I need to spend several months somewhere quiet where I can live well, clear my head and...