As a retired military flyer, I will pull in less than 1/3 of my active duty pay. For my family situation, I need to bring in at least 5K a month on top of my 4K retirement to not dig into my savings and keep the lights on. Regional flying requires some significant lifestyle changes that some of my friends have chosen to do while others have looked elsewhere to pay the bills. Good discussion above on many of the factors to consider based on personal circumstances and desires.