I'd like to add my two bits.

I fly for a major, probably a bottom barrel major but major none the less. I've been flying 17 years and I'm quitting to buy a business. I've been here 10 years and just missed upgrade. Now we're furloughing and it will be years more. I will make in the $80's this year and that's the most ever. Certainly enough to live on but not get rich money. I fly an Airbus, neat plane, highlight of my day.

I've read both pro and cons here and I actually get both arguments. But I've made a list of what I like and what I don't like and what I truly hate and the bad side is much larger than the good anymore.

So why am I quitting?

My stomach hurts when I continue after so many years to say goodbye every week of my life to my 2 kids and my wife, I miss them terribly. I'm missing almost 1/2 of these precious years of them growing up as I sit in hotels.

I missed my son's first baseball game of his life and missed his whole tournament this weekend. You never get those back. Flying an ILS means less to me than him smiling when he gets a hit and being there to see it. Or being able to coach his team and make a difference in some kid's lives.

I worry about my wife and kids at home if someone breaks in the house, or gets sick. I want to be there when things go wrong.

I want to have time to get involved with charities, or adopt a foster child. Things that really matter in life.

I worry that one of my kids or wife gets really ill and I'm in a hotel in Cleveland and can't go help.

I look in the mirror and see bags under my eyes from years of all night flights, or 2 AM wake up calls and long long days. I literally think the poor sleep is shedding years off my life. I looked at a picture when I started this airline and am horrified and embarrassed to see how I've aged disproportionately to other people my age.

I think that one blood pressure blip, stick in my eye, anything medical related and now I have no income to support my family if I lose my medical.

I can't stand the thought of any more instruction from type A pilots. I've flown a long time, it's tough to still be an FO. Don't discount the comfort the left seat can bring in the frustration realm of day to day flying. Being locked in a cockpit with over controlling types has led to a huge bit of frustration. It's good to be king.

I don't want to miss my son's cub scout events, church music programs.

I want to sleep 10:30-6:30 and feel good again. I want to exercise daily. I want to eat healthy meals at home.

I want to be more involved in charity, my church, my friends. I want a normal schedule. I want to know I have weekends off and plan my life. I want to buy season tickets to the college football team and know I'll be home to go to them.

I want to make some more money, I'd actually like to get ahead. I do fine now but certainly not rich. Nicer hotels on vacation, a better car, nicer restaurant. I'd like to have nicer things, buy some toys.

I get more excited thinking of the business than I do planes. Flying is all I remember as an adult. There is more to life than aviation, variety is the spice of life. We don't live long, I'd like to learn and explore something new. This is a new challenge, new venture and I feel like I did when I was learning to fly, full of enthusiasm. It's really fun!

Crew scheduling, delayed flights, grumpy pilots, packed planes and airports and F/A's, reroutes, etc. Not fun anymore.

Checkrides, FAA, simulators, won't miss them one bit.

Flying planes is fun, to me this lifestyle is horrible. I will miss the neat plane, kids coming to the cockpit, the takeoffs and landings. I will NOT miss this lifestyle in anyway. I believe I'll make more money, be healthier physically and buy tickets now when I want to travel.

Plus, I've done it. While many adults dream of flying I can say I did it, a lot. I have memories and that's better than nothing at all.

Yes, I will miss this some. Face it, pilot's have egos. I will miss kids and adults thinking 'that's cool' (don't deny it, you know it's true.) Again though, flying is fun, this lifestyle is not. I care more about getting my home paid off, college paid for, seeing my family and mostly my health than I do flying.

I will leave emphatically believing this is NOT a healthy lifestyle at all. How many 80 year old pilots do you know? Life span is short. Horrible hours, food, hotels, it's not good for you. I believe that celestial radiation is a real thing. I am sickened by the number of young (50's) pilots passing away from cancer at my airline alone.

If you fly as long as I and still have the love and romance of flying I support you 100%, do what you love. If you think there's more to life and other opportunities and directions to explore, I think that's great too. We're all different, do what fits for you. My life lies in a new destination and for the first time in years I'm actually really excited.