I spent two years at Horizon Air and three with National Airlines as a first officer. Before that I spent many years as an Alaskan bush pilot, flight instructor, medevac, on demand charter, and forest service contract pilot.

The airlines were hugely boring in comparison. I can't imagine the psychological torture a 12 hour leg is in one of those cargo planes. Five hours at 35,000 feet staring at a motionless panel was unbearably dull. A typical highlight of the leg was when the captain clipped his toenails. Fun...

SkyHigh