I left the regionals 13 years ago and became a cop to give my kids an opportunity to know their dad. They are older now and I'm filling out my Airline Apps to return to flying. I never disliked the airlines and every year I tried to talk myself into returning to the line.

People will tell you that you can fly for fun, but when I did, I just kept remembering why I became an airline pilot in the first place...the thrill of flying! Trust me, you won't fly enough to satisfy your addiction!

I will be giving up a steady, guaranteed retirement, but I can't live everyday longing to fly again and waiting for a pension check that is 12 years away.

Also, trust me when I say that the, "I want to help people and serve my community" attitude fades fairly quickly as you gain knowledge of the utter stupidity and selfishness of the people you are supposed to serve and protect. It WILL become just a "job".