SkyHigh

Someone asked me the other day if I missed flying. My answer was "Yes" I do miss flying, but I akin it to back when I quit smoking. I miss it too and even though it is 16 years later I still think about it frequently. However I am very glad to have it out of my life today. As with smoking I loved flying but realized that it was hurting me as well.

Anyone with an open pair of eyes can see that the pilot profession is in decline. Sliding wages and cut expectations will be the lay of the land for some decades to come. My higher goals are to provide a better life for myself and family and it became obvious early on that aviation was not going to give me that. So as with smoking I reached a point in my career when I consciously decided to turn my back on a love that was not beneficial to me and my life. It was just as difficult as quitting smoking and I use similar tools to stay away.

Whenever I am tempted by smoking I recall all the money I have saved and the improved healthier, cleaner lifestyle I am living today. When I have a twinge of longing for aviation I mentally take myself back to the impoverished days and short hotel sleepless nights. Whenever a Dash 8 passes overhead my first instinct is to look up with glee at the sight of an airplane, then the memories overtake me and I get a slight sickness in my stomach and feelings of dread. I lower my head thanking God that I don't have to sit in that headache tube anymore.

SkyHigh

LAfrequentflyer

You're one of the lucky ones...I hear now some pilots sleep in the plane. I read some proudly, maybe as a badge of honor, carry around wooden boards to make their 'rest' a bit more comfortable...

At least you had a hotel room...

-LAFF

SkyHigh

I did quite a few years of sleeping in aircraft. Often I would have preferred to have spent the night in the plane versus the long bumpy van ride through the rain to a filthy and noisy HO JO.

SkyHigh

HotMamaPilot

skyhigh,
I respect you. You seem to be a good person with good intent. I do, however, get the feeling that a lot of your posts are really you just trying to justify all your beliefs and actions to yourself. ?

SkyHigh

Everyone of us here in attempt to justify our beliefs and actions to others and to themselves. Even the loftiest of FedEx captains is here trying to validate the sacrifices that they have made. None of us (myself included) should be above a little self examination however in my case I air my laundry because I know that there are others out there who share the same ideas or perhaps don't yet have a converse perspective of life as a pilot. Perhaps I can save a life by sharing my experiences.


SkyHigh

ToiletDuck

Aviaton on the decline? There are more jobs poping up now than before. Maybe not as many in 200+ pax aircraft but there are many more corporate and starter companies than ever before. I love flying. I don't miss it because I get to do it. I love the lifestyle thus far. I've only been flying for about year now out of college and I've already traveled the entire gulf coast into many different airports and now live on the mexican border. My friend that's an engineer makes must as much and never leaves his cubicle. I don't have it in me to be chained to a desk. Perhaps you didn't have it in you to be in a plane.

Perhaps I can save a life by sharing my experiences
Regardless it's a disrespect. You don't walk into a church during mass trying to convice people God doesn't exist and you shouldn't come here and post to people how their futures will be meaningless just because yours was. I understand if you were unhappy... But that's you. I grew up in a town of 10k people working on a ranch as a rice farmer for 11yrs and getting to do all those things you hate is something I'm looking forward too. You should think before your post. It isn't your job nor duty to "save" anyone and it certainly isn't your position to make some guy working his @$$ off in college think he's doing so only to have a dismal future. No offense, but come down off the cross.

Uncle Bose

I'd say that summarizes the point nicely. To many, aviation is more of a religion than a living. For them, attributes required to pursue the career are faith, hope, and resignation, at the expense of experience, practicality, and stability.

GotheriK

Why are you on pilot forums if you don't even fly?

Anyway, I couldn't care less about the money or glamour. If it meant living out of my car waking up at 3:00AM after only a few hours sleep to keep flying, I'd take it without a moment's hesitation. Or maybe not.

I guess some people do it for the money, and others do it out of a passion for flying. I feel sorry for the former.

HotMamaPilot

Not that I agree with skyhigh entirely, but I suspect that your tune will change once you actually start "flying" for the regionals. The passion dies off.

LAfrequentflyer

Good for you...Passion will not pay for your retirement. I suspect you just like to talk a good game...Wait till yo start working and one day want to go home instead of your car...


-LAFF