Have you ever dumped a significant other for a airline career?

[eyeamthechosen1]

See it all depends on the significant other and if flying makes you happy that person won't ask you to give it up.

 

[CFI2766]

'Flows before ho's....' Simple, I like it!

I already gave up one flying career for a wife candidate. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I think about it, and regret it, at least once, sometimes more often, every day of my life. This mistake of mine leads me to where I'm at: I'm a mid thirties, rookie FO at a regional, where my peers from the time of the 'girl/career' decsion are 0-4s flying F-16s, or, 767 FOs at a Legacy.

Suppose you jettison the flying career to get a normal 9-5. What's to say she wont later dictate that she doesn't like your 'new' career and make you start all over? Maybe she won't like your car. Your routine. Your hair. What's next?

I know that this is a difficult time for you. Please, for your own sake, don't do it. Have a straight forward, open conversation, not argument, with your significant other. This issue could simply be an issue of communication. However, if not, it is FAR better now that you settle your tab for 'pain' at the bar of life, than to wait until the end of your working life to pay a bill of regret. Regret later is FAR worse than pain today.

I don't know you, or all of your story, but I'd guess that flying is a big part of your life. Simple question: do you spend as much time on wwwtheknot.com as you do on FI?

 

[Ralph Cramden]

Stay true to the career.

After all, nobody screws you better than the flying job!

 

[Captain Morgan]

I dated a latina in CA for three years. She made great tamalis (sp?) and it was hard letting that,.. er her go. When I got my freight job and went to Alabama, she said "no way am I living in Alabama..." So I said, no way is this going to work if you can't see the big picture and see that I'm not going to live in Alabama forever. I haven't talked to her in 4 years. I'm married to a girl who understands the business, is a nurse, and who's father was a Navy pilot so she knows how it goes. Stick to the constant in the equation which is you career, the right variable (the girl) will present herself and FIT into the equation. Also, I have lived by the saying, "if you try to make everyone happy, you'll make no one happy."

CM

 

[rickair7777]

If you're really into flying a girl who really cares about you will either

- Be OK with it.

- Or leave you so as not to drag you down.

If she asks you to give up something you really like doing, that would indicate a selfish perspective.

This assumes she knew the deal all along...if you already have a job, family, and life then you should not switch to flying unless she is %100 OK with it.

 

[GuppyWN]

It's a balancing act but if you're having to decide I'd question the motives/integrity of the one making you have doubts.

Gup

 

[Cardinal]

First girlfriend out of high school, after a couple lackluster years I got a regional job 1700 miles away, in an environment where any regional that hired you was a great regional. I looked her up and down, said "meh," and headed west. She then proceeded to screw my best friend and accuse me of alcoholism, but that was just her way of moving on.

Best of all; she used to be 5'9" and skinny, hot as all hell. Now she's 5'9" and a whale.

 

[ackattacker]

Hmmm... "flows before hos" is a pretty shallow and warped sense of values. The only real things worthwhile in this world is family and friendships. When you are lying alone on your deathbed are remembering your life are you going to get the warm fuzzies from remembering how you were Captain SkyGod at XYZ Airlines, I don't think so.

That said I would never let a woman dictate my career choices. I don't go for the control freak. Life is a compromise and for the right woman I would willingly sacrifice a lot. For my last relationship I turned town an very good job offer overseas. But that was my decision, not hers. The relationship didn't work out, and I'm a little bitter about some things, but I'm not bitter about the job because that was my decision not hers. I would do it again just for the chance that she might have been "the one". I have much fonder memories of our relationship than I've ever had from any job.

 

[Raskal]

Hmmm... "flows before hos" is a pretty shallow and warped sense of values. The only real things worthwhile in this world is family and friendships. When you are lying alone on your deathbed are remembering your life are you going to get the warm fuzzies from remembering how you were Captain SkyGod at XYZ Airlines, I don't think so.

That said I would never let a woman dictate my career choices. I don't go for the control freak. Life is a compromise and for the right woman I would willingly sacrifice a lot. For my last relationship I turned town an very good job offer overseas. But that was my decision, not hers. The relationship didn't work out, and I'm a little bitter about some things, but I'm not bitter about the job because that was my decision not hers. I would do it again just for the chance that she might have been "the one". I have much fonder memories of our relationship than I've ever had from any job.

Well said for the most part. The most important thing in life is NOT your job, it is everything but. I am on my second marriage, my first did not end because of aviation but at the same time I would not have given it up to save the marriage. In my life now, I would give this career up in a heartbeat for my wife...maybe that is the difference.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

M.O.B. Money over B*tchs......

SWS,
Shiny Weiner Syndrome, it's like SJS only for the messa folks they can't get laid while lugging a hunk of plywood thru the airport. Its tough to hit the hotel bar, when your hotel is the back of a shiny RJ and the liquor is all accounted for. I guess you are the Captains Biatch!
PBR

 

[rogerwilcoout]

and...



go get 'em guys. That airline job or corporate gig will always be there, won't it. Don't give up the dream. And when you retire and get old I am sure it will change your pee bag and visit you in the nursing home.

Don't forget to re-up your Kit Darby subscription this year by the way[/qu

You are just pu$$y whipped. you are prob typing this in the hotel room hiding out from the rest of the crew because your wife said you cant go out with them. In reality, your wife is prob dry motoring the neighbor right now.

 

[mozzer]

Title says it all. Ever left someone for a aviation job or career because it would be easier or they were not open to the "airline" lifestyle? (wish I could do a poll)

I've taken a few good dumps yes.

 

[satpak77]

You are just pu$$y whipped. you are prob typing this in the hotel room hiding out from the rest of the crew because your wife said you cant go out with them. In reality, your wife is prob dry motoring the neighbor right now.

Actually I am whipped. See, my wife is the best thing that happened to me. She dry motored me last night, and today she prepared a grand breakfast for me, pancakes, eggs, fresh coffee. I thought I was at Cracker Barrell, but it was my own dining room.

As far as the hotel room, I am at home. I am at home 95% of all weekends, because I am not a Part 121 airline pilot, like a few friends of mine who are, and who make more $$$ than I do but also flew the last five Christmas's and fly quite a few weekend trips. The place I work doesn't really fly much on the weekends, because all the bosses don't work on weekends. Last X-Mas I unwrapped presents with my kids, and laughed and talked about the previous X-mas, which I had also unwrapped presents with the family. Am I "lucky" enough to fly 777's to Europe? Uh, no. I guess my life "sucks"

Anyway, having explained that I have 95% of weekends (and major holidays) off, today we all, as a family, went to the local park with the kids and kicked the soccer ball and fed the ducks. Then came home where we all ate lunch.

You might have a point about the neighbor, but I live in the country, and don't have a neighbor, so I don't know what to tell you.

I actually don't know what to tell you, I can only tell you about my life, and the choices I have made. And I thank God every day I made the choices I did, and can enjoy my marriage, my family AND aviation.

I can concede that I much happier than many old, sour, multi-divorced, major airline pilots who "reached their goals" (whatever those are).

Barring having anything to tell you, all I can say is Good luck in your endeavors.

 

[AWACoff]

and...



go get 'em guys. That airline job or corporate gig will always be there, won't it. Don't give up the dream. And when you retire and get old I am sure it will change your pee bag and visit you in the nursing home.

Don't forget to re-up your Kit Darby subscription this year by the way

When I was furloughed after 9/11, I flew skydivers in a C182 on the weekends. If you truly have a passion for aviation, it will always be there. I don't need an airline or corporate gig to stay involved. Any airplane will do. Life is so much more enjoyable when you are with a significant other who is as passionate about your dreams as you are. Trust me on this one. We are planning a wedding at EAA this summer.

 

[Longhorn]

A girlfriend....HELL YES I have..and it was worth it.
Now having said that, my ex wife...I wish I would have dumped.

Girl I am seeing now, no way.

 

[Rally]

Oh no....I ended up in the spouses of pilots forum this forum got me in a lot of trouble last time.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

George Bush dumped my airline career... twice!

 

[SSDD]

There are relationships, and then there are relationships...a wife, the mother of your children? Yeah, you should think long and hard about ending it. A girlfriend, boyfriend, "significant other"(whatever that means), say buh bye. They should be trying to learn as much about you, as you are about them. Maybe the reason they don't want to follow you is that you're not the one, you're ok, but you're not worth it. This is their way of letting you know. And that's fine.

 

[highsky]

If she's the mother of your children that you've procreated, that's one thing.

But if you're just married to/involved with a woman, you need to 86 her in favor of the career.

You only get one chance at this very difficult airline career. You can always replace the woman.

For those Romeos out there who are willing to sacrifice yourself for a woman...good for you. That's not me.

 

[on autopilot]

I was dumped by one because she was a gold digger. Once I made it she wanted back in. The nerve. Now, with the airlines T.Uing right and left, haven't heard a peep from her. Oh well.