Originally Posted by block30

The good thing about the forums is we can state our opinions, even if we disagree. I like that, and appreciate people don't see eye to eye with me.... I wouldn't necessarily dissuade people from flying professionally so much as consider all options, one of which is flying for fun. No flying isn't cheap, but I do strongly, strongly disagree with the statement coming from money in order to fly for fun. If you fly for fun, you spread costs out over your whole life. However, flight training to become a professional requires a large financial investement in a short period of time, plus probably college. (And it's not because I come from money, my family was a bunch of red necks, and I suppose I am too.).

People can fly for relatively cheap if they save up, have a somewhat decent job, maybe get a partner, and maybe cut out another expensive hobby. I have heard the excuse that flying is too expensive numerous times from people with all kinds of expensive hobbies, toys, cars, etc. No. They CHOOSE not to nix anything to make room for flying. Period. Maybe you can't fly as much, or as far, as as nice of planes as people born into money.

Flying takes sacrifice, especially if you are not born into money. Some of us are. Some are not. I cannot forget the response Rod Machado gave a young man who wrote to him, essentially asking for cheap/short cuts to become a pilot. Rod lit his arse up!! Next month a writer tried to chastise Rod for being mean, and Rod was like oooh heeeell no! Saying that we all make sacrifices, that's part of what makes our profession unique, and that the boy's attitude smacked of entitlement.

It's no secret to the initiated, that flying is extremely volatile. For single folks, that is probably more acceptable than for those who are married, have kids, a home, are involved in a community. My wife has a ton of nurse friends. I know a few as well. I don't know ONE who has lost their job, couldn't find work after college that paid less than 50k, that had no benefits. I personally know many pilots who have been furloughed at least once, some more than twice! When I was instructing I was gone seven days a week sun up til past sun down. Made maybe 14,000/year NO benefits averaging out my years as a CFI. My wife asked me for a divorce. When I suggest people minimize their debt flight training, and to maybe have other career options its not to be mean! I don't tell people to avoid paying for a job or flying for free to be nasty. I would imagine that is why other folks on the forums tell the young bucks, "not so fast....think about the long term reprecussions of your decision."