Thanks to everyone here,

A lot has been said and I have read every post and am thankful for your opinions. CO777Driver mentioned how everyone that he knows has been enjoying a good career. One of my positions is that these days one really needs to be born into the job in order to be assured an easy ride. Perhaps it is no coincidence that all he knows are good times?

Ranger likes to criticize me for bringing family into the argument and it seems to me that they are often short changed in pursuit of the career. I feel justified in reminding pilots of the price they often pay. I agree with Ranger and believe that one in twenty make it to a good position in this industry. A simple introduction at a barbecue can make all the difference but if you are on the outside looking in it can be devastatingly disappointing and frustrating. Out of my peer group of over 30 pilots I can honestly say that more were killed in the attempt than those who made it to a major airline.

It would seem that I am a rarity but I would say that ex-pilots surround us everyday, they install fences, are business owners, plumb our homes and work in offices. My opinion is that they outnumber the successful by a powerful margin. I have many friends who sit quietly in cubicles never telling a sole about their past as a bush pilot or in night cargo. The shame of disappointment keeps them anonymous.

It is easy to assume that everyone who signs up eventually reaches their goal, but nothing could be farther from the truth. My mission is to speak for them.

SkyHigh