Originally Posted by cjdriver
LAfrequentflyer, I have to call BS. To say that staying in a $20k/yr job with a wife and kids is a good idea is self serving at best. I grew up in a flying family, have made a living flying, and know of what I speak when I say that a flying career is a selfish, self serving lifestyle. Made at the sacrifice of others. SkyHigh absolutely did the right thing. Some of us just can't hack the 9-5 life of a real job, it's not for sissy's, but sometimes you just have to do what is right for your family. I honestly don't see how anyone with kids can feel good leaving their family for days at a time to go make subsistance wages so they can have fun playing with the big toys.
You can call BS - its your choice.
The facts are when my father immigrated to the US he knew only one thing - how to fly helicopters. The Indian Air Force taught him. He got his commercial helo / instrument ticket (its a long story and a good one, pm me and i'll give you my phone number. I like to tell it in person. It will make you feel good about aviation and pilots...) and went to work in the Gulf of Mexico for 18K a year. My mom had to work at Mc Donalds so we could get ahead by 150-200 dollars a month. My father no only worked his 7 days on but most of his 7 days off at 1.5x the pay to make a better life for his family in the US. My mom told my father the day we landed in America - get a flying job and make yourself happy - I'll take care of the kids and home. Would I have liked my father around more? Sure. Who wouldn't. However, he did what made him happy and what he wanted....
V/r,
LAFF