Well said rickair.

If it really is someone's dream and they know what they are getting into then its nobody's place to tell them not to do it. If they've done their research and feel that they (and their family) are willing to make the sacrifices and assume the risk involved with getting into aviation at this time, then I would say go for it and best of luck!

The people that worry me are those who have not done all the research and will do anything to fly a jet. The kind of people who will allow scheduling and management to violate their contract left and right without defending their contractual rights because they believe they have to pay their dues and be a good company man in order to succeed. This is the type of person who weakens the pilot group and allows airline management to chip away at the quality of life and pay of its pilots.

Some people say that pilots complain too much. I agree that some of the pilots on the top end of the pay scale may be guilty of this but the vast majority of complaints you hear are justifiable. For example, do some research on these forums about Pinnacle Airlines (one of the few regionals that is still hiring). Take a look at the Pinnacle pilots website www.pinnacle.alpa.org and look at the pay rates. If the pay rates for first officers are not something to complain about, I don't know what is. Some people will claim that you are paying your dues as an FO and will make a livable wage once you upgrade to captain. How about if oil keeps rising and hiring/growth stops? How many years should a pilot have to "pay their dues"? Ask any of the senior Comair FOs if they think that they've paid their dues long enough... When the FO I'm flying with tells me that he has trouble paying his bills because he only made $20,000 last year, the first thought that crosses my mind is not "pilots complain too much".