I did not find out about APC until I was leaving the Air Force. I too do not care for all the negativity that is on this forum. Most of the post I read I take with a grain of salt. I guess I am in the minority because I still love flying; probably more to day than when I started 20 years ago.

BTW I stared as an Aero Scout Observer in OH-58s (for you all older Army pilots that remember AOs), then I paid for all my fixed wing ratings thru m MEI. Flight instructed, traffic watch, flew skydivers, etc..... What ever I could do to put an hour in my logbook. When I was ready for the commuters you has to paid for your training ($7500/Be1900, $10000/ATR-47 to 72) and you had to have 1200hrs before they would look at you at all, not like it has been lately at 250 hr commercial with wet ink. When it came time for me to go to the commuters the military was looking for pilots because they RIF'ed to many in the early 90's. My dream had always been to be a military pilot. So I took a gamble to wait on the commuters and apply to the AF; which worked out for me. I now fly B767 for a non-sched airline and I am still in the reserves.

My aviation career has not always been a bowl full of cherries, but I still to this day love flying. I know that the airlines do not have the glory of the 50s/60's and 70s but its still better than working for a living. I know there are a lot of crapy thinks that have happened to a lot of fine individuals because of the decisions made by some CEOs and the economy. A lot of people came to the career path because of the income potential and time off. Which I feels is the wrong answer. As we all know there are a lot of thinks we give up to fly. Aviation has no holidays, no anniversary, no birthdays, no weekends, etc..... We miss a lot thinks. If you are miserable about all the hurtles we have to jump thru to fly you will be miserable no matter how much money you make in this career. The passion of flying is long gone for a lot of pilots.

IMHO if someone wants to enter this career path and knows about both the ups and downs more power to them.

A wise man once told me "That if you fined something you love to do you never work a day in your life"

thats my .02 cents worth.