Originally Posted by
SkyHigh
I like the articles. They are well written and well thought out. I was forced out of aviation after 9-11 and discovered by accident how much better life on the outside can be. My family and I now control how we live and are much happier. I earn more and own my time.
I think it is easy to overlook how important it is to maintain a rhythm of life that is in sync with others. To what end does it serve a pilot to have Tuesday and Wednesday off when friends and family are at work or school? It is easy to lose track of friends, hobbies, and family with an airline schedule.
I miss my airline dream every day but have the perspective of comparison to what my life is like now. Every once in a while I am tempted to return but all it takes is 10 minutes of listening to the hardships of one who is still in the industry to restore a sense of gratitude.
Disclosure Statement: I still go to job fairs on occasion mostly because I have been attending them for over 20 years now. It has become a hobby of mine. If my dream job opportunity were to present itself I am unsure what I would do. In any case, it is nice to have options.
There is life outside of the airlines and it is not all bad.
Skyhigh
I appreciate your helpful commentary.
Being out of sync is a good way to describe it. It seemed like while flying, everyone was always trying to get home, but it was an endless negotiation of trying to minimize life disruption and lost time.
Another interesting point you make is with earnings. Many pilots I flew with argued that no job had the earnings potential of an airline career, but there are many opportunities that have a higher income potential because they aren't capped by seniority pay scales of an hourly trade job.
The only area I differ is that I don't miss the flying career. While I enjoyed the camaraderie, coming back to the real world felt to me like returning from being deployed in the military. I've made phenomenal friends in my new workplaces, and the work itself has been more challenging and fulfilling without those level-off career points in the airline where I'd start feeling bored and stale.
It sounds like you were forced out, while I voluntarily left after a solid 6+ years. If I had to guess, that might be part of the reason you're still torn between careers?