Originally Posted by
gbntpilot
Everybody has some kind of story like this. Just remember the grass always seems to be greener on the other side.
Aviation wasn't my first career. I have a business degree from a good university. I worked in operations management for three different Fortune 500 companies, and a sales manager for another. I made about as much money as I would as a fairly junior captain at your average regional, but had to work 10-11+ hours per day, usually six days per week. And, even then, that ONE day off per week was spent either worrying about my next project, performance goals, how to fix my P&L analysis, what to do about some random situation, pleasing the boss, etc. I basically never had a day off, hated my job to the point of feeling sick every time I pulled into the parking lot, and had absolutely no life. Plus, in just a few years I had already gone as far as I could go in my business career without going back to school for an MBA. At least in aviation I actually enjoy my job (for the most part), and there's no way I can take work home. Compared to my previous career, I get TONS of time off. Try having four days off per month with a "real" job, and work to take home on top of that.
I hate making generalizations like this, because I know somebody will respond back with a contradiction; but, I have a feeling that most of the people who do nothing but complain about their flying job haven't really done anything else. I'm not saying everybody, but most of those people are the ones who spent their parents' life savings to get a worthless aviation degree, and have never experienced anything other than aviation jobs. You may think another carrer would yield much higher pay and a happier life, but there are serious downsides too. I'm sorry, but despite some of the crap we put up with, I just find it hard to complain about any full time job that only makes me work two weeks out of the month (total).
I've had three different careers and I can tell you flying will turn in to just another job within a year. Try having 11 days off and not being able to get home for some of your days off due to commuting. Have you ever worked for a company that makes you bring a doctors note for calling in sick 3 times in two years? In the non aviation world have you ever worked for a company where you lose your job that pays $55 an hour and you get the same job at a different company with starting pay at $21 an hour? If you like flying there is a good chance you will learn to hate it. I never use to complain but I've just been worn down too much by this industry. If I had it to do all over again I would not have tried to fly for a living. I would not recommend this profession to anyone. There are many people that feel the way I do, there is a large exodus of regional pilots leaving the industry for careers that are stable and where one is treated with respect. If you must fly, find a way to do it with little to no debt so you when you do leave you don't have a $80,000 gorilla on your back.