You do what you have to do. I spent years traveling 5-7 hours every other week for a 7 on, 7 off gig flying helicopters offshore (Gulf of Mexico). After that I was forced to drive 1.5 hours each way, per day to fly one maybe two students for $20 an hour. After our little home-town metro airport was closed to make way for the big new international airport 20 miles North of town, GA took a nose dive. Now there is a large passenger terminal, a bunch of private hangars, a Sheltair and a "hobby" flight school. Long gone are all of the charter and cargo operators, schools and rental fleets that once thrived. The nearest GA airport is 100 miles away.

Now I'm in Iraq flying helicopters again. I was promised a year with a possible one year extension. As it turns out, the gig is only going to last a total of 9 months and will be over by the time my next R&R leave is over. Being away like this has its advantages though; my family and I are better prepared for the extended absences that will occur once I come home and start flying 135 away from home again.