I have been following this thread for awhile and thought I would post my two cents worth. I am the son of a Naval Aviator, Dad flew in WWII and Korea, got out of the Navy in 1953, and spent several years making a lousy living in aviation and left it to become a business man. He always told me aviation was a lousy way to live. I came of age, enlisted in the Marines, went to college, then law school. Along the way I worked on getting a rating here and there. Several times from 1985 through 1998 I thought about making the leap over to aviation. I could never convince myself my dad was wrong. There was always the money, security, a wife, etc..

In 2000 after being sick of the law practice, I left, went to the LEO academy and got hired, started working the street. About 2003 my neighbor, who was deputy for 20 years and was the second in command of the local sheriff aviation unit, Three jet ranger's one Aerostar, two navajo's and a 182, he started recruiting. I could leave my agency, work the street for a year or so with them, and get into their unit as long as I had the most ratings. Went to work on the rotor PPL add on. That option was looking good, same shift work, 1800-0400, flying at least 2.0 a day for currency if no calls for service came out.

I was up for getting promoted at my agency, so I stayed. Year or two later, new sheriff in town, no more 2.0 for currency. Guys get 1-3 hours a week sometimes, the rest sitting in the hangar. Navajo's gone, might not have gotten that "next spot" after all.

So here I am with a great retirement, good schedule, great beni's, wife is still a lawyer so the kids are still in private school. I have a warrior to rent when I want and I am building a Rv-6 . I would rather be flying planes all day, but the cost was not worth it for me, for others it might be. My situation allows me to access aviation to the degree to keep me sane. If you are interested in flying for a living, don't go be a cop for the schedule. But no do think flying the line is the only aviation out there, its not.

Good friend of mine from high school is at DAL, dad was very senior DAL and got him hired in the early 2000's. He likes his job better than I do, but I like my life from 1989-2000 better than he did, the Eastern collapse, the CFi' gigs, the 5 or 6 moves with wife in tow, he is making money now, not sure if he has caught up with me from the lean years yet. He found his niche, and I found mine.

Whatever choice you make, be sure you are going TO something, not FROM something. Just an aside, recent OSHA stats had commercial pilot as more dangerous than LEO. Stay safe.

Alpha Mike Foxtrot