I have enjoyed reading this thread and I have noticed a trend. Lately there has been an increasing amount of statements like:

"You have got to love the flying because there is no money in aviation".

"Money is not an issue for me".

In a recent post someone mentioned being "250K in educational debt". I have always used 150K as an average price for a four year college education and flight training.

If it is true that as a pilot group we have reached a place where people can expect to shell out a fortune in education and training to then be followed by most of a decade of low wage experience building jobs to finally make a bit more than a mailman then lets call it what it is. A hobby job. A personal vision quest. Aviation martyrdom.

Most rational people would not consider blowing a fortune on the returns being offered as a pilot. I do not wish to criticize others for following their passion. I merely think it is important to correctly identify that for most aviation is not a sound investment into your future but a personal life choice that offers few returns other than sunsets and flight obsessed satisfaction.

So if you are miserable in your current position and think that it will get better as a pilot then perhaps you had better think twice. Most here will only get to enjoy a few sunsets for their troubles.

Skyhigh