Ya...because you're really slumming it!

I have many friends who were business majors, and who got business jobs out of college. Most of them are gone more than my airline friends. Dudes are constantly on the road going to meetings and seminars. When they are home they work 12 hour days, come home eat dinner with the fam get to working on the next days agenda. They take Saturday off but then Sunday afternoon they get back to work to prep for the week.

The guys that make it to the exec level are either connected (family), went to an ivy league level school and are the golden children, or worked, probably much harder than we do, to get to that position. You think pilots are a dime a dozen, look at how many businessman and women there are... more like a penny a dozen. Oh ya, and they actually have to compete for their raises and promotions (gasp!)...not like the, move up because you're the next on the list, type of system that most of aviation has. Many on our profession probably wouldn't last in a system like that.

On the plus side, if they lose their job or want to make a move, they can move laterally much easier. They can get another job making the same amount of money w/o going to the bottom of the seniority list...which is a nice perk. I'm not saying business isn't the way to go, I'm just saying that it's not as easy of a career and many would think.

OP: If you're serious about going into aviation, make sure you go in with your eyes wide open. So many people go into with their eyes on the 747 and big paycheck only to realize their flying a barbie jet making peanuts.

I would seriously consider the military (check out the Air National Guard, prior to active duty). Great training, great pay, great people,and some of the most unreal flying you could ever imagine. Not to mention all the great places you will see. Be warned that there is a chance for UAVs, but in all reality that's a small percentage of pilots (although growing). After 10 years, you'll most likely have all the time and more importantly, the connections to go just about anywhere, if they are hiring.

Read up and get smart before you make the plunge. Hotmamapilot, while a little fanatical about her hatred for the industry, isn't afraid to tell you the dark side of aviation. Do discount what people like this, and don't just see what you want to. Goodluck!