UConnQB14

i am a new pilot and i have posted here a few times before.. i am looking for an HONEST opinion about whether life in the industry is pleasing or its more hassle than its worth.. it has always been a dream to fly for the airlines, but i also want to have a life at home with my future wife and kids.. at the moment, i have a list of about 17 connections into the industry, all pilots, who tell me to consult with other pilots.. getting a job shouldnt be the hard part, but lack of family life may be... i understand the time away from home, but i would really like to hear from a married man whether its unbearable or its accepted just like anything else... i have a 4 year degree from UConn in economics, and if i have to use that to preserve quality of life, i have no problem buying my own plane and getting my flying fix that way, but the airlines is where i want to be..... please post, i appreciate it!

jzuniga

QB,
well here's my two cents...given the way our industry is this day and age,if you can afford your own plane, buy one and enjoy it! But if not, and you still have the dream of flying for the airlines, no one but you will know if it was worth it. It takes lot's of desire and perseverence to make it. But, most importantly a GREAT wife. By that I mean supportive. If my wife wouldn't have been there for me through thick and thin, I would have quit trying a long time ago. I know this may not mean much to you now, but for me it was all worth it.
good luck
jaime zuniga

SWAjet

QB,

Looking back the past few years, I haven't flown with one pilot who complained about being gone too much from home. Really, the lifestyle for most pilots flying big iron is actually good. A positive.

You'll find that being gone for 3-4 days, then home for the same actually benefits family life. How? For one, when things aren't good at home a few days away restores your energy and temperament. Second, coming home multiple times a month from being away, there's a renewed excitement in the house when you step foot inside. The separation actually brings you closer together!

Airline schedules are so much better than office 8-5 types. Sure, you'll be home every single night after pushing pencils all day, but talk about boredom at work. Plus, how many jobs pay $100,000 and more without having to climb the asss-kissing corporate ladder and work 60 hours a week?

Don't listen to the pessimists that you will hear. The 'sky is falling' mentality. They'll crush your spirits.

If flying for you is fun, then come join our profession. Come in during this industry's current low cycle and you'll have a long career. Just choose your airline jobs as carefully as you can. Freight is a great option, and will soon be the highest paid -by far- job out there.