Hey guys.  

I am not a professional aviator... Evidently I didn't want it bad enough and went with a backup career.    Most of my family however did make it work in aviation, through a long hard road.  

Recently, I ran into some guys that were willing to sell their soul to fly.  So, how bad did you want to fly for a living?  What do you get out of it now?  Are you happy you did it?

Discuss.

Thanks in advance.

I have a ifr, commercial and multi-engine rating

I took it kinda far before I choose a different career.  It just wasnt worth it to me.  I love flying but the regional pilot pay and lifestyle are too ugly for me.  I do think it will be a better career in ten or fifteen years, but I am not waiting that out.

Its obsession is Just like a drug.

You will spend your last dime to do it. Then borrow tens of thousands more.

You will lose relationships over it.

You will spend nights alone in shady hotels after doing it.

The only people that agree it was a good choice are the other ones doing it.




I wouldnt change it for the world.  But you have to continue to grow.  Even with an ATP with an A&P/IA, the highest levels of both the pilot licenses and mechanic licenses wont get me a job.  You have to contimuelly hone your skills and remain sharp.  

These planes can and will kill you.

So bad I would have stuck my pecker in a light socket

Not bad enough to whore myself out.

I couldn't do anything else.

If you can, do. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

What NickH1 said.
Worked for me, but I'm getting close to retiring.

I can't fly for a regional, the pay sucks too bad and I want a life.  I have actually flown in a year but in April I'm going back to Alaska where I can make a living and feel good about what I do.

You have to want it real bad to put up with the low pay and long hours

Well, in my case, I just got tired of whoring myself out.

It's hard to explain, but It's the only thing I could imagine myself doing for the long term.   I've been considering other options for 22 years now.



I still love it, and I'm glad I did it, even though a decade of job insecurity has left me with a textbook case of PTSD, a deep hatred of Affirmative action and extreme cynicism toward both Management and Unions.  

Been flying proffesionally since 98'.  Nearly the last twelve at the same regional.  I've made $90K+ the last 5-6 years, and my schedule hasn't been that bad.  However, I wish I'd done something else with my life.  I had done four years in the Army after highschool and had hoped to go back in as a pilot, but couldn't get a slot in the early 90s.   Should have stayed in the military.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS INDUSTRY TO OTHERS.

Yea, this is the problem. Those willing to whore themselves out are ruining it for everybody else. "I'll fly for food" "I just want the hours, I'll fly for nothing" "Hire me, I'll pay for my training" "Hire me, I'll work for nothing to play gear bitch on your jet".

I've been paid to fly since 92. Don't know how anybody with a life or family could have done what I did. (Lived in my dad's 22' RV for 16 months while I was instructing and was glad to make $150/week)

There's been a "pilot shortage" for the past 20 years to everybody except those in the industry.

I've been extremely fortunate. I've also seen people spend a mint and not go anywhere.

Does a drowning man want air?

I geared my entire life to getting my commercial pilot's license and making it to the airline. Everything I did was for the purpose of achieving that goal. I worked, military, deployed, anything for money to pay out of pocket without loans, for flight school. I remained single to make sure nothing got in my way. I mean, not married. When I had the money for flight school, I took a crappy job fueling general aviation aircraft. That led me to my first regular job flying for a skydive company. That got my hours to interview with a regional or three. I was hired by all three and picked one. Unfortunantly I picked the wrong one, Comair and was furloughed after flying on the line a bit. While on furlough, I got married, deployed again to have an income and my wife and I had a baby while I was away. I was offered several regional jobs while deployed, one by the orginal owner of Colgan. I had to reject all offers. 16k-23k a year doesn't take care of a family. Not flying has near put me in a state of depression, after all the time and effort spent making it to the "top". I wish there was a way to get back to it. I miss it terribly.

To me its a job. Its a really cool job with great responsibilty but I dont go to bed every night longing to get into the cockpit. Saying that I am a safe, conscientious, conservative pilot. Im not going to do anything that will endanger myself, my passengers or the plane. The hours are long and hard and to be honest I look forward to my time off. Too many people make aviation a lifestyle and to be honest I feel sorry for them. We have all seen them. Also aviation has a pretty high percentage of headcases who think they are Chuck Fucking Yeager just because they fly a plane. I have nothing but contempt for those types. These guys you talk about! The ones who are willing to sell their soul to fly are the ones I wish would get out of the industry. These are the people who are responsible for starvation wages across the board. How many other professions do you see out there where they will sell thier skills like a crack whore? What it boils down for a lot of these types is that its an ego thing.