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lawndart45 said:
I applaud your research before leaping into aviation. I wish somebody made me do that kind of REALISTIC thinking before I got into it. You have made the right decision. Especially if you are concerned about money and being at home.

Of course, there are many stories to the contrary, but I recently retired 3 years early after a wonderfully rewarding career and a very nice retirement nest egg.

This industry is not ALL about doom, gloom and failure. In fact, it is all about what you make it.
 
Thanks everybody for the encouragement. I just couldn't kid myself anymore. Its not just the money or the time away from home, its myself. I find I was nervous all the time before a flight and would panic over the smallest things sometime. If your like this, flying is not for you. Eventually, it would take all the fun out of flying. The weather always being bad on the days I would go up was either a coincidence or a sign but it would always drive me nuts to the point of why even bothering. But I also don't like having to drive an hour to my airfield 3 times a week if I want to complete my commercials in a short amount of time. With gas prices as high as they are, not only is that drive I have to worry about, but I'm sure the plane rates will go up to.

I just really hope I do not regret this decision. I have not felt at peace with continuing until now when I was finally ready to admit that I was not enjoying what I was doing nor was I really looking forward to what was to come out of it. I feel so much better now that I have found out this while its not too late. I just hope the same thing doesn't happen again. The problem was when I started flying, I had an ***hole instructor that kinda gave me a bad first impression to the whole thing. But even before that, I wasn't too sure. My dad really wanted me to go into it and doesn't really like the fact that I'm stopping but its what I want to do. I just hope that in a year from now, I'm not on some weather forum saying these things about meteorology. I feel different about it then flying. I feel that it is what I have more of a passion for and so forth. I just want to have a happy career and be well off with my finances.
 
If money is your main concern...Meteorology is not the way to go. :)

Meteorologists also tend to work a lot, odd hours, weekends, holidays, etc...

Blizzard or Hurricane possibly affecting your forecast area or clients and don't expect much time off. :)

Sounds like you made the right decision tho...a career in flying doesn't sound like its for you.

Myself, I love meteorology as well and am planning on atleast minoring in it, maybe even getting a bachelors in a watered down program (less math/physics) just to have for my own knowledge...it wouldn't be my career degree. Of course..my career degree...Safety Science..won't be my career degree either if the flying career works out...
 
adam_jorgensen said:
I find I was nervous all the time before a flight and would panic over the smallest things sometime. If your like this, flying is not for you.

From what little I've seen those feelings you had are perfectly normal. In fact, flying probably wouldn't be for you if you didn't feel that way before a flight. If used correctly, it can help you focus and be prepared. From what I understand the experienced guys have channeled these feelings into preparedness and an advantagous edge during critical times such as T/O. Rod Machado wrote several articles dealing with just this topic:
http://www.rodmachado.com/Articles/Anxiety-Page.htm

BTW, do you really only have 20 hrs yet have time in all those a/c you in your profile? I'd think that would make for a very confusing time...
 
No I should update that. I have around 140 hrs. It took me 3 years to build that much time. Somebody who is serious about it should not be taking that long.

One thing I'm worried about. I almost have to complete my commercials or what you guys would call the IRS would get back at me because I have been claiming my flights on my income taxes for deductibles because at the time, I thought I was going to work in the field but if you just get your commercials, that is proof enough right? I mean they may just ignore it but I could get audited again like last year of them saying that I was claiming the money on personal flying which was not acceptable but if I get a commercials, they should ignore it? What if somebody like me changed their minds? They can't possibly expect you to pay back all those thousands of dollars?
 
adam_jorgensen said:
No I should update that. I have around 140 hrs. It took me 3 years to build that much time. Somebody who is serious about it should not be taking that long.

One thing I'm worried about. I almost have to complete my commercials or what you guys would call the IRS would get back at me because I have been claiming my flights on my income taxes for deductibles because at the time, I thought I was going to work in the field but if you just get your commercials, that is proof enough right? I mean they may just ignore it but I could get audited again like last year of them saying that I was claiming the money on personal flying which was not acceptable but if I get a commercials, they should ignore it? What if somebody like me changed their minds? They can't possibly expect you to pay back all those thousands of dollars?

Ok, 140 hrs then. I have around 110 and still get edgy and have felt apprehensive before flights. It's natural and something you need to turn to your advantage (if you want to keep with it). The point is if you're trying to rationalize whether or not to continue flight training, don't use that as a reason. It happens to pretty much everybody that should be flying.

There were a lot of threads on here a few months ago about deducting flight training. Basically you cannot deduct the costs... I think if you were already a CFI and had to buy some related books or something you could, but deducting flying expenses is not allowed. Hopefully you don't get audited, that could be painful.
 
Yea people kept telling me it was normal and I do agree. It depends what kind of flight I'm doing I don't get nervous for all of them. Its just a local flight, no problem. A cross country I have done before, piece of cake but to a new area I'm unfamiliar with like going to the USA (I live in Canada) I get nervous. These feelings are usually just a waste of time because in the end, I always do just fine but there always the what-ifs that really get to me. Maybe now that I'm going to do it for pleasure use, I won't get as nervous for some reason.

If I do get audited again, I could just keep saying that I will intend to work in the field even though it is taking a while. Sorta like yanking their chain to keep them happy. They have tons of other work to deal with their not going to waste time on one person but maybe it would be a good idea from now on not to deduct anymore taxes from my flying. I'll be going to university anyways and that will be enough deductibles.
 
I have around 110 and still get edgy and have felt apprehensive before flights.
I do too, especially when the Captain - a 50 year old former Navy officer - keeps rubbing my leg and saying things like "So ... you want a backrub when we get to the hotel? You're soooo tense."

I hate when that happens almost as bad as when you have to toss the salad for a little bit of multi-engine time.

:(

Minh
 
adam_jorgensen said:
Yea people kept telling me it was normal and I do agree. It depends what kind of flight I'm doing I don't get nervous for all of them. Its just a local flight, no problem. A cross country I have done before, piece of cake but to a new area I'm unfamiliar with like going to the USA (I live in Canada) I get nervous. These feelings are usually just a waste of time because in the end, I always do just fine but there always the what-ifs that really get to me. Maybe now that I'm going to do it for pleasure use, I won't get as nervous for some reason.

If I do get audited again, I could just keep saying that I will intend to work in the field even though it is taking a while. Sorta like yanking their chain to keep them happy. They have tons of other work to deal with their not going to waste time on one person but maybe it would be a good idea from now on not to deduct anymore taxes from my flying. I'll be going to university anyways and that will be enough deductibles.


Go get a few hours in a Pitts. If that doesn't give ya the hots for flyin' again, then nothing will. You owe yourself at least that much since you have already sunk over $10 grand and countless hours into flying.
 

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