Would you do it all over again?

[gunfyter]

Hell No!

I would have studied hard and become a GOOGLE Billionaire....

Better yet I would have taken the $60k it cost to go to private university in the 70's and invested it all in BRKa. Would be worth over $4 million today. Then I would not have to hurt my brain with all that studying.

 

[pdub20s]

If all the Hell No's would kindly stand up and walk out of the room please (quit)....

I agree....Make room for the folks that want the jobs

 

[Princedietrich]

I would do it all over again, certainly. But there would be some things that I'd change.

I'd party a lot harder during my 4 years at college. I would tell that guy in Cleveland to kiss off. I would chat up that cute blonde flight attendant. I would beat that guy silly with a Caravan right rudder pedal.

Other than that, I'm happy with where I've ended up.

 

[TNHillbilly]

Sure I would, I just wish I would have started flying when I was 12. I just can't picture doing anything else. I just happen to be in the situation where I live at my base and I"m home everynight. I love it. The 16 to 18 days off aren't bad either when all my friends are getting up mon-fri and working...
I have a college degree totally unrelated to aviation so I could go do something else if I wanted, but flying is fun, and I work at a crappy airline. I can't imagine how fun it will be to work at a real airline.

 

[oldxfr8dog]

Hell, YES!
I've watched icebergs calve into the sea over Greenland, seen the Amazon rainforest on fire stretching for miles from 350 at night, been unable to maintain altitude due to ice over the mountains and felt the rush when I finally landed, then beat the ice off my light twin full of mail and took off again, felt the wheels touch on a 6,6,6 approach, looked down at the Suez and pyramids, drunk margaritas on the beach when mechanical'ed in Cabo, flown medical supplies into war zones where the airport looked like a "Max Max" movie, flown HRs in singles, and seen meteor showers on a black night at 370, with the lights turned down.

I'll bet the guys that wouldn't do it again don't even reduce their ROC to 50' fpm when they break out on top of a solid deck.

What? You'd be happier in a cubicle?

 

[vectorvictor]

Sure I would, I just wish I would have started flying when I was 12. I just can't picture doing anything else. I just happen to be in the situation where I live at my base and I"m home everynight. I love it. The 16 to 18 days off aren't bad either when all my friends are getting up mon-fri and working...
I have a college degree totally unrelated to aviation so I could go do something else if I wanted, but flying is fun, and I work at a crappy airline. I can't imagine how fun it will be to work at a real airline.

I couldn't agree with you more. I have a degree completely unrelated to aviation. I had a non-aviation career and I HATED it. Getting up everyday and getting it from the man. Now at least I get to sleep in on tuesday mornings and laugh at my friends who have real jobs. The part I like the best is that once I'm home...I'm home. I don't take my job with me into my house or into my personal life. Once you are out the door there is no stress to bring home. Thats the priceless part.

 

[fatdumbandhappy]

Hell Yes, Have you ever looked in the back of the airplane and seen all those stressed out business types who are working 60+ hr a week, plus they probably worry/work on there day's off (deadlines,promotions,etc.). At the end of the day I close up my flight bag and my only worry is knowing my next show time, thats it.

 

[Propsync]

I doubt it. I wouldn't say hell no, however. I guess for me it took several years to really figure out what its all about. Have I had fun? Yup. Has it been a challenge? You bet. Are there many other interesting and rewarding careers out there? More than I can think of. I'm staying at Skyway long enough to see if staffing gets better so I can have it a little bit better on reserve. If it doesn't, I'll probably just quit. With age 65 looming, I don't feel moving on and then staying at the bottom for five more years is worth it. Reserve, commuter, and furlough are three things I won't be able to handle. I figure I'd have to stay in it until 65 just to make it worthwhile. I'm more than a bit pessimistic about things, I don't see through my eyes that this career will be worth it for me in the long haul. For those that can't see themselves doing anything else, good for you. I just don't have that drive and desire to fly all of the time.

 

[AirCanon04]

I have to be realistic for me, I cant see myself doing this job 10 years from now, let alone doing this until I am 65, so sadly...no way....

 

[601Pilot]

Hell, YES!
I've watched icebergs calve into the sea over Greenland, seen the Amazon rainforest on fire stretching for miles from 350 at night, been unable to maintain altitude due to ice over the mountains and felt the rush when I finally landed, then beat the ice off my light twin full of mail and took off again, felt the wheels touch on a 6,6,6 approach, looked down at the Suez and pyramids, drunk margaritas on the beach when mechanical'ed in Cabo, flown medical supplies into war zones where the airport looked like a "Max Max" movie, flown HRs in singles, and seen meteor showers on a black night at 370, with the lights turned down.

I'll bet the guys that wouldn't do it again don't even reduce their ROC to 50' fpm when they break out on top of a solid deck.

What? You'd be happier in a cubicle?

That's a hell of a regional you fly for; who was that again?

 

[pilotyip]

It has been a fantastic adventure, I would change little. My son is a pilot and my grandson is waiting to solo on his 16th B'day.

 

[30West]

I think I would have done the same thing, except I would have worked a little harder on cheating at Powerball.

 

[JettBoii]

I would not do it again. I have my resignation letter typed up and the box with my pub's/pins addressed to ASA sitting in my office. As soon as I find another job or go back to my old one I am done. I tried it and don't like it. Fun plane to fly; nice people to work with but no money and a ugly schedule.
I wish I would have started this when I was in my early 20's not mid 30's. Oh well.

 

[Guitar Guy]

I have an engineering degree and from my group of friends who are still doing that work, I can tell you that most of them would love to change places with me. Perhaps some people have a vision of greener pastures on the other side, but depending on the sort of engineering you do and who you work for, the big salaries and great benefits aren't there anymore.

As for me, I started flying at a regional in late 2000. My goal was to fly for the majors but in the wake of 9/11, that changed. Nowadays, I'm working for a fractional and pretty happy. So yes, I'd do it again and ditch an office job for flying.

In all honesty, for those of you who don't like flying, put the effort in to find a career that you prefer. Life's too short to spend it bitter and resentful.

 

[pgcfii2002]

I would have married a rich woman to pay for all my flight training.

 

[ATRCA]

Regardless of how you feel about flying now, would you get into aviation again if you knew what was in store? Especially if you started in the early 90's or 2001 or any other stellar stretch of aviation hiring. Yes, No, or Hell No

No way! Flying should be for fun, its no career. I don't care what anyone says.

 

[AWACO]

NO HELL NO! Im at my last attempt at being happy in this biz

 

[Nindiri]

Absolutely yes. It's an easy job, pretty good money, no stress. Life is good.

What other job would pay me $100K to fly jets 14 days a month and non-rev to Europe on my off days?

 

[oldxfr8dog]

That's a hell of a regional you fly for; who was that again?

I've flown for many different companies. I was referring to quitting the career. Hey, if you have the time to be hired by a regional, you have the time to be hired by the companies I worked for.
Was a regional YOUR only job?
Who pissed in your Cherrios?

 

[Salty Pirate]

Absolutely yes. It's an easy job, pretty good money, no stress. Life is good.

What other job would pay me $100K to fly jets 14 days a month and non-rev to Europe on my off days?

This is how I decided to quit. Think about it, count up the amount of days that you will see your wife, family, kids, friends, dog, cat, gay lover, or whatever, and cut that in two. That is what it means to be a pilot. Now do you think that you are paid enough to make that sacrifice. Because that is what it is. Are you willing to see your loved ones half an much in order to push the autopilot button. I know that when it all ends and I am on my death bed I won't wish that I had spent more time away from the people that matter most. Oh and how many trips did you make to Europe last year.

Buy an experimental for $20,000 and go do loops until you puke.