Originally Posted by
OnCenterline
Sfitz,
Living in base is the key to being out of your own bed as little as possible. That said, if you don't think you can handle living out of a suitcase for 15-20 nights a month, you will NOT last long as an airline pilot.
You're overstating the case. A guy who sits reserve and lives on assigned domicile is not gone 20 nights a month. This whole "gypsies need only apply" is a vestige of a commuter-biased lifestyle. The only normalized hardship of the lifestyle from a in-domicile perspective is that of getting the family to tolerate the fact your hard days off will never fall on the weekends, when the rest of the world socializes with each other. That does make airline pilots relative pariahs.
From a cursory look at my coworkers at the squadron, the in-base guys enjoy a home life not dramatically different than the 9-5 guy, while earning a hell of a lot more than a 9-5 guy for a hell of a lot less work and politics endured. These guys are all mainline of course.
I'll also plug the 'better' simulator outfits as viable work alternatives. That's a pretty good salary for zero work. The shifts suck these days with the ramp-up, but you're home every night. Dozing for dollars. Something to look into.