Originally Posted by 742Dash

Not just cargo, virtually any career as a pilot is going to involve working holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. Airplanes move 24/7/365. And at the same time your neighbors will talk about how you never work because they saw you mowing your grass last Tuesday at 10 AM.

But a more important subject for a young person considering aviation is the nature of a successful aviation marriage. Your partner needs to be ready and willing to deal with broken cars, sick kids, leaking plumbing, parent/teacher conferences and so on while you are away. And you need to be ready to pick up all those things when you are home. Finances need to be an open book to both parties.

IMO traditional role models and an aviation marriage are not compatible. All of the successful aviation marriages that I know involve strong, independent spouses and pilots who do not try to micromanage the home from another continent.

Not to discourage you; with retirement on my horizon I look back and am grateful that I have been able to pursue this career. But go into it with your eyes wide open.

EDIT: In reading back over this I realize that it has a negative tone. There are upsides to this aviation lifestyle. More than once my wife has explained to people that "When he is home he is home." This is a job you don't drag home -- you are not sitting at the dinner table stewing over some comment your boss made today (and in many aviation jobs you can go for a year or more and not even talk to your boss). And the random blocks of days off can be better than just Sat/Sun off.