Why Do I Want this.........?????

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 6:49 pm

Find IAMBIRDDOGS post about chasing 10...

Scuba_Steve · Post by **Scuba_Steve** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 6:58 pm

I love airplanes, have since I was a kid, bought every flight sim known to man up until I finished my CPL, haven't touched one since, and these days I don't come home from work and dream about flying airplanes (well aside from a Spitfire or CF-18

)

Seriously Aviation is a fun job, I enjoy what I do, but I don't dream about it when I'm not doing it, Its just a job to me now.

I'd say make that 6 fig salary and buy an airplane.

In the end you'll do what you want to do, if its your dream to be a pilot, I wish you luck this industry sucks when you are first starting out, and it'll be that much tougher if you have 2 kids and a wife in tow

my first year I earned 18k/yr and lived in yellowknife, and its gone up a pathetic amount every year since then! But hey I'm living the dream right! RIGHT!?!

Good luck

bornagain1340 · Post by **bornagain1340** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:12 pm

I have a friend that gave up a well paying job as an engineer to go after his dream of being a bush pilot...after his second summer he was laid off and went back to engineering for the winter to make some cash. He had no wife, no kids, no real commitments and never went back to a full time flying job.
I'm not saying that you wouldn't last...it's just an anecdote.
Spend your weekends and days off getting as many hours as you can...then make a decision. If your wife and kids are part of your world...choose very, very carefully.
Remember...the grass is greener because the bullshit fertilizes the grass

If you're going to be making as much green as you say you are...my advice is buy a floatplane and fly because you love to...not because your boss says you have to.

Kelowna Pilot · Post by **Kelowna Pilot** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:03 pm

And what about the family?? I have a house with mortgage payments, two young kids and a wife who works part time. Is is irresponsible of me to want to fly with these commitments?

Yes.

Red1 · Post by **Red1** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:37 pm

don't be selfish stay as an accountant, fly on the weekends. You have more to think about than "gees that lucks like fun". In the end everything becomes a job, flying included, so stay with one that pays well.

Fline@9 · Post by **Fline@9** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:53 pm

MBFLyer.... I hate to have to be the voice of reason but its easy to say you can walk away from a good salary. Actually doing it and readjusting your life are 2 different things.

The 2am pages to go up into the the middle of nowhere, getting worked to 13:59 minutes duty day and then repeat the next day is hard on the body and psyche. I'm only 35 and I've been at this game since I was 27 and I thought that was a late start.

The other cold reality you'll have to face is that after you've "put your time in" your age may be a mitigating factor for hire if you want to go on to air canada. I'm not sure if this is true or not, maybe some of the other guys from mainline can speak to this.

mbflyer · Post by **mbflyer** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:06 pm

Well, the way I look at it, I've got a few months before I can even start back into training. I was planning on doing the training,ratings, etc. while still working FT. That's a while down the road anyway ( 1, maybe 2 years minimum). Once I have the licenses, ratings that I want to have regardless if want to make flying a career, then the serious thinking starts.........

On the positive side, my student permit, medical etc. are all still valid for another year and a half, so that's one thing I don't need to worry about.

Fline@9 · Post by **Fline@9** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:26 pm

MbFlyer... thats a pretty good spot to be in then. Enjoy each ride to it's fullest every day and happy holidays.