When I was in high school, I wanted to go into the air force. My father was a B17 pilot in WWII, and owned a bonanza when I was little. I loved flying from a very young age. Back then if you wanted to be an "airline pilot", you pretty much had to have military flying experience. They were paid well, the flight attendants (Stewardesses) where all young and beautiful woman, not gay men,no offense to gay men. You were paid well, and usually retired with a million dollar plus retirement. Back then to get an air force pilot slot, you had to have 20/20 uncorrected vision. That knocked me out, so I went on to college, majored in accounting, and had a successful career in banking. I learned to fly, have my commercial ticket, and bought a A36 bonanza which I have enjoyed flying for many years. I have a golf buddy who was an air force T38/T37 instructor, who has been with a major airline for 18 years. He has shared with me the ups and downs of his career, and how his quality of life has been a roller coaster ride. He started out as a flight engineer on 727, then FO on 727. He then went to FO on MD80, for about 8 years, setting reserve the first few years, which as many here know is the worst. Finally after moving up the seniority ladder, he had the good schedules, time off with his family, and decent quality of life, then he upgraded to captain MD80. Back to the bottom of the quality of life scale. He then went international FO on the 777, loved the aircraft, hated the schedule, and went back to FO 737, again back to the bottom of quality of life scale. Took a 40% pay cut like most of the guys here. He is now very senior FO on 737, but does not want to upgrade to captain, because of QOL. He is being offered a check airman position at age 50, and may take it because he will get a nice raise and probably only fly two more days a month. Again his QOL will suffer, but he plans to take early retirement provided his and his wife's 401Ks recover. I have shared with him my dream of having an airline career, and he has assured me that had he the opportunity to do it again, he would take a different route. On a recent trip in my bonanza I was parked at an FBO next to a G5. I was wondering what it must be like to fly such a sophisticated 30 million dollar plus aircraft. I noticed the flight crew walking towards my bonanza, and they asked me what year it was, I told them 1973 model, but I had upgraded the interior, paint, avionics. They said wow, looks like a new aircraft, must be nice to be able to own one. The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence, before you hop it, talk to someone who has been on the other side for a while.