Would you do it all over again?

[ratherbeflyen]

If someone would have shown me a crystal ball in 99, when I started school at 20 years old, and I would have seen that it was going to take me 7 years to get my income back up over 30k a year. I would have said no way in hell, even if it snowed there. To pay for college I used to work 84 hour weeks as welder and they paid me $2700 for that work. I was able to save eneugh money in that time to pay cash for school. If I had kept doing that job I could have paid cash 150k house, and been working 1 week a month now.

Of course now that I'm here I LOVE my job I just dont like all the poverty I had to endure to get here. I could go back to welding tomorrow, but I've never seriously considered it.

 

[Goose Egg]

Heck yes I would!

-Goose

 

[time builder]

I can't see myself doing much else. In order to succeed you have to master your trade, and flying is the only one worth mastering to me.

On the other hand, if I had to pay what today's students are paying, I don't think I would have made it much past the private pilot cert.

 

[oldxfr8dog]

I gota tell ya that part about the ice doesnt sound fun.

I consider myself lucky that the company didn't make me pay to replace the seat cushions...

 

[oldxfr8dog]

I did that! It was a popular first job in my town, calling for the special Olympics. I was 16 years old making $400-$600 a week! Part time! dang that was great. Anyway, I was pretty good at it and it was the most stressful job I have ever had. That is when I started smoking I made it 11 months and decided there was more to life than calling people during sex and stealing their money and giving 1/3 of it to special kids.

I have also had a regular 8-5 computer IT networking job. Let me tell you, f*ck that.

I had a 8-5 M-F database job, it paid great... once again, f*ck that.

I've worked retail and sales at a few places and I really liked the interaction, but once again.. no thanks.

I was a waiter for 13 days, HAH! Never ever ever again. Not for me.

I worked in a door factory for a month during a summer. I worked in a concrete factory for a month during that same summer. I was bored and wanted some good ole manual labor experience.

Would I do all of this flying stuff over again? Absolutely. There are so many things to complain about in this job, but it is the same as any other job... there is the good and there is the bad. I occasionally find myself regretting my choice, and something happens.. I'll break out on top of a sold overcast layer at night with a full moon. I'll find myself getting chills as the puff ball clouds rush up. I get a huge adrenalin rush hand flying an ILS in poo for weather. The reward of a perfect crosswind landing. The reward of a perfectly executed slam dunk visual followed by a smooth landing. People thanking me for a safe and comfortable flight. Little kids looking at me like I'm a god, and asking me questions about aiwpanes. Hearing a fed or an examiner say that I did an excellent job.

The thing that eats at me the most is that I spend 1/2 my life away from the person I love the most, my wife. We have a great relationship, and she understand my job completely and is fully supportive... but it makes life difficult sometimes.

The pay is not that great, but as long as you work at a decent company you will be doing better than most after 4 years.

All in all, I would not change a thing. The path that I took to get where I am today made me a better and stronger person.

But I do wish I could fly an A-10 and blow sh*t up!!!!!

If that avatar is your wife, I can see why you get so homesick!
No disrespect intended!

 

[Edge540]

If that avatar is your wife, I can see why you get so homesick!
No disrespect intended!

LOL

Nope, my wife actually has some tits... unlike avatar girl over there. But geez, what an ass.

She glanced on this site the other day and saw my avatar and said "that girl is fu*kin hot." I couldn't bring myself to tell her that that was the picture next to all of my posts

 

[unreal]

I did that! It was a popular first job in my town, calling for the special Olympics. I was 16 years old making $400-$600 a week! Part time! dang that was great. Anyway, I was pretty good at it and it was the most stressful job I have ever had. That is when I started smoking I made it 11 months and decided there was more to life than calling people during sex and stealing their money and giving 1/3 of it to special kids.

I have also had a regular 8-5 computer IT networking job. Let me tell you, f*ck that.

I had a 8-5 M-F database job, it paid great... once again, f*ck that.

I've worked retail and sales at a few places and I really liked the interaction, but once again.. no thanks.

I was a waiter for 13 days, HAH! Never ever ever again. Not for me.

I worked in a door factory for a month during a summer. I worked in a concrete factory for a month during that same summer. I was bored and wanted some good ole manual labor experience.

Would I do all of this flying stuff over again? Absolutely. There are so many things to complain about in this job, but it is the same as any other job... there is the good and there is the bad. I occasionally find myself regretting my choice, and something happens.. I'll break out on top of a sold overcast layer at night with a full moon. I'll find myself getting chills as the puff ball clouds rush up. I get a huge adrenalin rush hand flying an ILS in poo for weather. The reward of a perfect crosswind landing. The reward of a perfectly executed slam dunk visual followed by a smooth landing. People thanking me for a safe and comfortable flight. Little kids looking at me like I'm a god, and asking me questions about aiwpanes. Hearing a fed or an examiner say that I did an excellent job.

The thing that eats at me the most is that I spend 1/2 my life away from the person I love the most, my wife. We have a great relationship, and she understand my job completely and is fully supportive... but it makes life difficult sometimes.

The pay is not that great, but as long as you work at a decent company you will be doing better than most after 4 years.

All in all, I would not change a thing. The path that I took to get where I am today made me a better and stronger person.

But I do wish I could fly an A-10 and blow sh*t up!!!!!

Excellent post! (Sorry to dredge up this few day old post by the way).

Let me see, I've done:

-Waited tables for a year at 3 separate restaurants. Made about twice what I do now at a CFI job in about half the hours, but I'll never ever ever don an apron again.
-Sold cars for a month. Again, much better money than flying, but having a boss breath down your neck all the time about your monthly sales just sucks the big one. At least if I'm annoyed at management at my current job (who thankfully are generally pretty good), I don't have to deal with them once the engine is started.
-Loaded trucks one summer for a company while in college. The hell with that.
-Maintained a website for a college newspaper. I now hate computers with a passion.

I've had some really crappy jobs, some of which paid considerably more than what I make now. But, I get to go bomb around in airplanes everyday, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Having had some really awful jobs has made me realize just how lucky I am to have what I have now.

 

[pilotyip]

Unreal, you have figured it out, you will be successful. You may not be judged as sucessful because you are accpeting less than a doctor makes, but in your own mind you know who is happy.

 

[HelloNewman]

Unreal, you have figured it out, you will be successful. You may not be judged as sucessful because you are accpeting less than a doctor makes, but in your own mind you know who is happy.

Very true ours is one of the least stressful jobs out there. True success is not how much money you make but if you really enjoy your life. If you do then your life is successful no matter what any payscale or union tells you. We also have very little chance of getting sued unlike doctors. I have yet to get stressed out very much at all at my job.

 

[Goose Egg]

Very true ours is one of the least stressful jobs out there. True success is not how much money you make but if you really enjoy your life. If you do then your life is successful no matter what any payscale or union tells you. We also have very little chance of getting sued unlike doctors. I have yet to get stressed out very much at all at my job.

Amen. Earlier today, I was out flying, bumping along in continuous moderate turbulence, OAT of -10F, student pilot at the controls and generally about 5 miles off course. Surface winds were gusting and providing about a 13 knot direct crosswind (not counting the gusts--I ended up taking one of the landings). I think we were the only ones from our 25+ airplane flight school out this morning. It's funny how it didn't raise my heart beat at all. I really didn't think twice about it.

AND I still caught myself telling the student how it was still a pretty good day to go flying and remarking how good it was to just be out. I know a lot of CFIs, and from talking to them, I always thought that CFIs tend to burn out as time goes on. I'd hear instructors talk "At first it's really cool to finally get paid to fly, but then it's not so much fun." Really the opposite has happened for me--I'm enjoying instructing more than I ever have. I fully intend to keep instructing throughout my flying career, even if it is only one or two students at a time. I really, genuinely enjoy it.

I imagine the next step to a regional will probably be similar; it will mildly suck at first (only mildly--it is still flying afterall, as opposed to actually working) and then just get better and better as I qualify for better and better things in the flying career. I have some good goals that excite me and get me all charged up and keep me working hard, but I stay flexible.

The thing about using monetary compensation as a yardstick for career success is that someone will always make more money than you, and you will always regard yourself as a failure. And you get into the trap of saying "when I make $X, I will be happy." But if you aren't happy now, you won't be happy when you are making $X! I mean sure, there is something to be said about being financially secure and having sufficient for you needs, but trying to "keep up with the Jones's" is probably one of the worst things you can do to yourself. Besides that, financial security is as much about management and allocation of resources as it is about pure income.

Anyway, I have engineer friends, I have accountant friends, I have friends in retail, and friends the sciences. Some of them tell me that they wish they had done what I did. I don't blame them. Some of them are happy with what they have chosen. That's exactly how it should be. Whatever you find in life that makes you truly happy, you should do it. And for me, I've found it. The only thing I would have changed is that I wouldn't have waited until I was 25 to pursue my flying career in earnest. But then again, the things that I did in the mean time were tremendous learning experiences, and I wouldn't be the person I am without them. So I guess it's all good.

-Goose

 

[learflyer]

LOL

Nope, my wife actually has some tits... unlike avatar girl over there. But geez, what an ass.

She glanced on this site the other day and saw my avatar and said "that girl is fu*kin hot." I couldn't bring myself to tell her that that was the picture next to all of my posts

John Pinnette says: "boy I could sure go for some moons over my hammy right now after seeing that azz!"

 

[liz289101]

I think I would do it again. Some days, my answer would be no, but I can't think of another job I would rather do. Each job has its bad points, but so far the pluses outweigh the minuses.

 

[inthegoo]

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

FU-K NO!

 

[Fedora]

I've been flying for over 30 years now, and still love flying as much as I did in the begining. It's all I've ever wanted to do since I was six years old. That being said, I was glad when my son decided against an aviation career.
Yes, it's a lot different now than when Pan Am was flying its clippers around the world. My family has suffered through the layoffs and furloughs and the restarts at the bottom of the seniority list and I'm sorrowful for having put them through it all. My wife says she's never seen me happier now that I'm flying glass cockpit wide bodies around the world from the left seat. I'm one lucky son of a gun! I've landed on aircraft carriers, watched MIRV warheads re-enter the atmosphere, chase cruise missiles, launched torpedoes, tracked submarines, flown tankers, flown formation on Russian TU-95's and our own B-52's. I flew for ValuJet through the crash and resurection int Airtran. I might do a few things differently, but I've been very lucky to have held the throttles in my hands all those years. I wouldn;t want it any other way.
Now if they would only increase the age to 65, I'll be glad to keep it going!

I found it an interesting thread to read. We are all different, but I see the Aviators who do it for the love of flying and agree with their posts. I see the pilots who want to quit and wouldn't do it again for anything. It confirms my observations in recent years that we are making a lot of pilots nowadays, but not as many Aviators. If you are not having fun, then do something else. Life is too shot, amigos.
It's also interesting to see those who got out of aviation still spend their time on an aviation forum.
Whatever you do, boys and girls, don't spend your life unhappy. If you got into flying to become rich, you picked the wrong job.

 

[pilotyip]

gosh Fedora sounds like pilotyip

 

[Rook]

I've been flying for over 30 years now, and still love flying as much as I did in the begining. It's all I've ever wanted to do since I was six years old. That being said, I was glad when my son decided against an aviation career.
Yes, it's a lot different now than when Pan Am was flying its clippers around the world. My family has suffered through the layoffs and furloughs and the restarts at the bottom of the seniority list and I'm sorrowful for having put them through it all. My wife says she's never seen me happier now that I'm flying glass cockpit wide bodies around the world from the left seat. I'm one lucky son of a gun! I've landed on aircraft carriers, watched MIRV warheads re-enter the atmosphere, chase cruise missiles, launched torpedoes, tracked submarines, flown tankers, flown formation on Russian TU-95's and our own B-52's. I flew for ValuJet through the crash and resurection int Airtran. I might do a few things differently, but I've been very lucky to have held the throttles in my hands all those years. I wouldn;t want it any other way.
Now if they would only increase the age to 65, I'll be glad to keep it going!

I found it an interesting thread to read. We are all different, but I see the Aviators who do it for the love of flying and agree with their posts. I see the pilots who want to quit and wouldn't do it again for anything. It confirms my observations in recent years that we are making a lot of pilots nowadays, but not as many Aviators. If you are not having fun, then do something else. Life is too shot, amigos.
It's also interesting to see those who got out of aviation still spend their time on an aviation forum.
Whatever you do, boys and girls, don't spend your life unhappy. If you got into flying to become rich, you picked the wrong job.

They told me in my interview that GAC had some great guys. Thanks for re-affirming this Fedora.

 

[tgabster]

Hell No! I would not become an airline pilot, however I would still get my private and instrument licence. Get a better paying job or start my own buissnes and take vacations and fly for fun all over the country.

 

[BoilerUP]

Hell No! I would not become an airline pilot, however I would still get my private and instrument licence. Get a better paying job or start my own buissnes and take vacations and fly for fun all over the country.

If your profile is accurate, you don't have much to lose if you decide to take that path now...

 

[flyer172r]

THATS THE FCUKN SPIRIT pullmyfinger!!!! You guys saying you wouldn't be a pilot if you had the chance to change; forgot the MAIN REASON you guys got into the industry.... GET PAID TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE..FLYING!!! AVIATION!!! Yes there are some airlines that take advantage of the pilots love for flying.... But you got to realize that the whole industry does not suck...There are greener pastures in this industry. You just cant give up finding them.

A lot of guys got into flying not because they love flying airplanes, but because they were persuaded by the image of the mainline captain making 300K flying two trips a month to Europe. Then when it doesn't pan out the way they thought they get really ticked off and bitter. There are days I hate my job, but if I had to do it over again, yeah I'd still be a pilot. Although maybe not an airline pilot, I do miss really flying the airplane.

 

[gunfyter]

gosh Fedora sounds like pilotyip

This can't be a good thing.

 

[pilotyip]

why can't it be a good thing. It is about flying airplanes. It is good to be able to do something you like.

 

[rfa]

So far so good. I really get a kick out of flying a Beech in the 121 world. Can't lie, actually flying (no a/p) helps (self respect boost!), and so does the size of the airplane since the salary seems to bother me less. Flying an RJ for that money (or less!) would really tick me off.

Anyway, at my current gig I am home everynight, usually work two long days and two SUPER short days, work with great people, get three or four day weekends almost every week - this is supposed to be a job? I worked real jobs before all of this - some payed better. ...you know what though? Real jobs suck!

Guess it all depends which airline you end up in. Made a good choice as to a regional, now I just want PIC and to make another good choice as to a major.

 

[pilotyip]

rfa understands it is about flying airplanes, he is an aviator

 

[tangodelta21]

After 9/11 I went from an office job at a Fractional to street with a severence package and the promise of unemployment for a while. I already had my Inst/Multi Comm so I finished my last semester loaded up the Honda and went to South Florida. I ended up towing banners for two great seasons. One in Hollywood and the other in Panama City Beach. I was living two blocks off the beach flying off of grass with some really cool people, all of them are still my friends. Not to mention the loads of tourist girls cutting loose for their one week a year, a new batch every week. Got back home and sold cars then got a job flying freight in Caravans then 401/402's. I did that for the next 2 years. Lots of good times there and alot of lessons learned. Now I'm an F/O at Expressjet flying the branded product looking at upgrade after the first of the year. It's what you make it and I would not change a thing, I love to fly!

 

[30West]

I'd have made some different stock purchases, and would be retired already and flying just for fun!

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I am pretty sure the original poster meant would you start over if you knew then what you know now ABOUT AVIATION! I mean ******************** it would just take the knowledge of one lotter number or great stock run and we would all be screwing hot models for a living.

 

[Americam]

I wouldn't have gotten so stressed-out right before checkrides... otherwise all is good.

 

[Fedora]

Thanks for those that support the Aviator thread. Those that want to quit, go ahead. Pushing the throttles up after 30 years is still a great thrill for me.
Yip, I've been in and out of YIP in a DC-10 and thought it was great. I hope you still get some time behind the yoke. All you other guys who are living for the paycheck, get another job or get in line with what we do.
When they scatter my ashes at 6000 feet, they'll be able to say he lived the life he loved. Chose your fate wisely. I do't go to work pissed off anymore, and I'm loving every minute of it.

 

[Vne]

Fedora is spot on.

Would not change a thing.
Its about Flying! I've loved it since my first flight in the Good Year Blimp at 7 years old, MIA 1957. Sat in a EA connie jump seat MIA to BOS 1960,sad that kids today can do that. Never imagined or wanted to do any thing other then Fly aircraft. I'm an aviator always was, always will be. I tried 'not' flying for several years. I could not give it up knowing what the world felt like on those special times aloft. Happiness for me is following ones bliss My bliss is not earth bound but skyward.

 

[bristolgone]

I left aviation after flying here and there for 8 years. I made it to a regional and even stayed for a year. One of the main reasons i left, besides low pay, and no job security, is that flying a passenger plane was boring to me compared to flying fireght in a broken piece of ****** airplane through weather that makes your knees shake. I guess I am a frieght dog at heart who got bored with crew scheduling. Although, I did like flying the Turbo Prop (J-41) at 6,000 ft and trying to get to my destination by folowing train tracks and towers across MO. So in answering your question, yes I do it all over again the journey to get the airline job was the best part.