Is it worth it in the end??

[gringo]

Please do tell. Like what? Give me a few examples.

Sales & Marketing
Real estate (development, management, construction, sales)
Restaurant owner
Graphic arts designer
High end auto sales
High end aircraft sales
(Heck, LOW end aircraft sales)
Financial advisor
Construction (I mentioned that, but it's worth mentioning again)
(Did you know Donald Trump had a brother who was an airline pilot? TWA, I think; ended up broke, an alcoholic and comitted suicide)
Race car driver
TV show host
Doctor
Dentist
Attourney
Owner of a small business
Owner of a mid-sized buisness
Owner of a large buisness
Airport administrator
I met a guy down in southern Illinois who owned a vending-machine restocking company; the dude was loaded! Owned a Stearman, a Comanchee and something else that was fun to fly...

You're only limited by your own imagination.

Trust me; when I sent in my shredded up ID card with my letter of resignation, I had no idea what to do next; now, several months out, I'm seeing all kinds of opportunities that I never even considered. Life is great, and we live in the greatest country in the world; we can literally do just about anything we want, and have a much better life because of it.

However, as long as there are pilots who are willing to take it up the keyster every day so that the rest of us can fly coast-2-coast for less than the price of a bus ticket, then I suppose that's fine, too.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Ok thanks. You still have to work your a$$ off in any of those fields to make a good living and it's not guaranteed that you will make good money either.

 

[g4800xp]

Capt Mega Death......Rock on Bro Head.......but at least tell the guy why you are late on some of those BILLS your playin. Just kidding Brother,,,but you know dang well what I mean....Its not what we were expecting.......Gone are the $300k per yr.......EXPECTATIONS. The only way they come back is with a shortage, so STFU and let the shortage begin......Drones are at minimum 50 to 70 years out. Luv ya Man. Rock on but play Smart if your even a real /Rocker.

Those days are gone because of 330k and 150k in pension for a few days a month work with schedule manipulation amongst other reasons. I sure don't begrudge anyone for making it, but even a dim bulb could see it was not viable long term. It makes me sick that after Eastern/ Brannif/ Enron we still can not protect pensions. I feel for you guys.There are crap jobs and crap deals 91/135/121 but 91 has been great for me, truely can not wait to fly and my wife loves my job more that I do. I did not start flying til I was 28, I am 46 now. May go back to the restaurant business someday but most likely not until I hate flying.
On a side note, all my divorced pilot friends have one thing in common, not infidelity, but the wife was at home in a blizzard with a broken piece of crap car while they were in Florida or the Bahamas year after year. I know that a nice Suv keeps her happy, and it is a small price to pay.

 

[gringo]

Ok thanks. You still have to work your a$$ off in any of those fields to make a good living and it's not guaranteed that you will make good money either.

Yeah, I suppose you're right. I forgot all those Riddle ads guaranteeing the huge incomes.

How silly.

Nevermind.

 

[capt. megadeth]

LOL! I remember when I was in high school I thought "man, I am gonna make $250K a year.....I don't have to worry about retirement because they are gonna give me a pension". Well, reality has set in but I still love the job. I really don't want to do anything else.

 

[gringo]

...but I still love the job. I really don't want to do anything else.

Fair enough!

Blue skies!

 

[AerroMatt]

Back to the original post

Flyguy 022,

What it comes down to in the end is this; Just how bad do you want to fly every day? If you want it more than anything else on earth, you will go do it and be thankful you did. If not, go into Real Estate or enter law school or some other profession that suits your tastes and buy an airplane later in life when you can afford it.

The posts on this thread are correct. Gone are the days of earning 300K working for a major 10 days a month and retiring at age 60 with 80% retirement. However, a decent living can still be earned if this is what you want for a career. Still plenty of adventure out there and exciting times for all. Make certain your spouse to be understands your avocation or you will be headed for the Heartbreak Hotel.

After my first marriage ended, I got out of driving semi-trucks and back into aviation in my mid-30's. I had been a 1000hr CFI who left aviation in the early 90's (when work was so tough to find that C210 freight positions required 2500 hours min!). During the years I spent in that truck, all I could think of was how I could get back into aviation. Really made me miserable thinking how I could still be up in the sky instead of driving that diesel. I eventually got back into instructing, then 135, until I finally landed a nice Corp job. Pay could always be better, but it is good and I find this much more rewarding in job satisfaction. Nine years later, I have no regrets... its been worth it all.

So in the end, I would advise you to sit down some evening and take a long hard look at your desires, ambitions and goals in life. Put them on paper and sort them out. If you have priorities that come in above aviation, then do not persue this as a career! It will only lead to your disappointment, as many here will attest. If aviation does come out on top then have at it, fight the good fight, and never look back.

Good luck to you in whatever you decide. :beer:

 

[climbhappy]

i agree with you. as I go throught this right now. I am finding that this is not the TOP prioirty. if it was, I'd be at avantair right now. turned down a job after i got laid off. no bases near me. i hate commuting, so that rules out many. it has to be the number one priority.


Funny, since i have been flying some small piston stuff having gotten out of a 737, i find myself gawking at the lore of flight like i used to 20 years ago.


i like airplanes no matter what size. this career stuff kind of sorts itself out with or without us.

 

[g4800xp]

I just checked out in a 172 and took my 13 year old son up for a lesson. I have not flown GA types in 10 years or more and it was great. Hardest part is the low speeds, this thing lands at a speed so low, the stuff I fly does not even begin to indicate airspeed yet. Love it! I would prefer my son did something else other than fly, but it is up to him. Got a few years to go.

 

[AerroMatt]

Hey good luck, G4800xp! You are doing the best possible thing for your son by giving him the experience and then letting him decide if that's what he wants to do. I intend on doing the same with my kids when they get old enough.

 

[Jeff775621]

my pops did the same for me.

 

[AerroMatt]

^5

my pops did the same for me.

My pops did the same for me at the age of 9. After that, my future was set.

 

[NEDude]

From what I have seen, most of the people who say not to get into this industry have never worked in another industry. It is a case of the grass being greener. I have worked "real" jobs. I lived in cubicle land for a few years making twice what I have ever made in aviation. But in order to make that kind of money I was never home. 10+ hours every day in the office. Add the commute in rush hour traffic ten times per week. I left the house around 7:30 am and was home around 7 pm at night. Brining work home from the office. Sometimes at the office on weekends. Lots of time on the road for business trips as well. Sure, I slept in my bed at night (when not on a business trip), but my kids were almost in bed when I came home, and usually not up in the morning when I left. My wife was so tired when I got home that she didn't really want to do much. My point is I really wasn't home much, and it wasn't really quality time.

Sure aviation is hard, and it is an unconventional lifestyle. But when I am home, I am fully home. I get to help my kids with homework. Take them to school, doctors appointments and such. My wife and I have fun getting to do the "daily grind" stuff together. Grocery shopping is usually accompanied by a lunch date. We have fun cooking together. We have spent days on end together working on projects around the house. And the travel benefits have allowed us to make trips, both as a couple, and as a family, that we would not have been able to make otherwise. No, it hasn't always been smooth sailing, but focus on the stuff that this lifestyle affords you, not what makes it different, and it will go much better. This was advice a just retired United pilot told me several years ago. He and his wife had three kids and had been married nearly 40 years.

 

[av8er2]

I love flying but I am looking to get out due to the lifestyle and the poor state of the airlines.

 

[STREAKS]

Im just a student in college debating if I want to become a professional pilot. I will be married in a few years and will have kids in the future. How much time is spent away from family? Is there any time with family? Is it worth it for the love of flying? I love flying so much but i want to keep a happy family. Should i go for it or is it too hard on the family? Is it practible and enjoyable to be a pilot and have a family? Any feedback is great, Thanks.

Worth it!

Fair to point out that your marriage and family life will be more secure if you don't commute. I can't say that for the last 3 months I didn't entertain the idea of leaving the 7am-9pm diaper changing craze behind and jettin' off for a week or six, but then again, I've been unemployed since October and would do anything to fly again.

To stick to the topic, yes, it's worth the pain and constant separation. The key is finding a partner willing to put up with your crazy childhood dream. It is my understanding that foreign chicks are gaga for pilots and will sacrifice everything in their lives just to be with one and bare babies; I could be wrong.

On the subject of enjoyment, yes. Everything is possible as long as you're willing to work your skinny little A$$ off for it. That means being twice the husband/father on your days off.

 

[gringo]

It is my understanding that foreign chicks are gaga for pilots and will sacrifice everything in their lives just to be with one and bare babies; I could be wrong.

Not necessarily wrong, but not exactly right, either- having married a Brazillian (who's perfectly fluent in English), I speak with some authority on this.

First of all, I HIGHLY recommend marrying a girl from South America- they're raised differently than their American counterparts, which basically means they're much more nurturing.

But if you plan on marrying a girl, bringing her over to a foreign country, surround her with completely new things and remove her from her circle of friends and family, you have to understand that you're the ONLY LIFELINE she has- if you think she'll be comfortable or happy while you leave for a week or 2, leaving her completely alone, it simply won't last. The reality is, she'll probably find something "on the side". I've seen it done countless times- sure, happy marrages DO happen in the airlines when you transplant your signigficant other from another country, but it's even harder than you'd think.

As far as the "gaga" part, it's been my experience that those types of girls more often than not fall into the "gold digger" category- the really good ones know us for who we really are- (mostly a bunch of horny male sluts.)imp:

Anyway, just wanted to give a dose of reality.

For me, quitting the airlines for my wife was the best decision I could have made, and I thank god everyday that I did. I can't even imagine how depressed she would get if I was gone all the time, leaving her alone with the cats.

When you find the right one, it'll all make sense, no matter what your decision.

 

[fly4unclesam]

Interesting thread. I am 5 years short of reaching my 20 in the Air Force and am trying to decide whether to retire and go to the airlines or stay in and maximize my miltary retirement (although if I do that my flying days are over). Personally, I want to retire and begin an airline career. I would be interested in any advice from retired military folks who did retire at 20 and how they rate the lifestyle they had as a military aviator with what they have currently encounter at their companies.

Thanks

 

[gringo]

Do your 20, go Guard and do both.

Every mil pilot I've flown with who was happy did just that- I would have given my left nut to have that opportunity.

 

[Almerick07]

I got out of aviation just recently and could not be more excited about my decision. I just wish I would have devoted as much time and effort (nevermind money) to my new career and flew on the side for fun. Flying for me became miserable, I dreaded showing up to work and the last 2 weeks were absolute horrible. I loved flying, I loved traveling, I loved being gone from home. Doing it on a regular basis and most of all as a living made me hate it. Right now I am in the first stages of a career in financial services (which I am also passionate about) and can already see the future fortunes that are awaiting me on the horizon. I plan on building an airplane with some property and a grass strip in the back yard so I can fly for FUN. I am not married and dont have kids but plan on both in the next few years and could not imagine doing it as a pilot. My recommendation would be to fly for fun and make a living by other means. Just jump over to the regional and major section and listen to all the b!tching thats going on....is that where you want to be in a few years?

 

[pgcfii2002]

Yes, but be ready to give up half of everything you own when she divorces you.......