Originally Posted by
Airhoss
At the time I never considered any of that stuff a sacrifice.
You know what though, that is pretty much to some degree or another what it takes to make it any profession. I will grant you this however the personal risks are far greater in this business than most.
People like you continue to amaze me. I never thought that I would be an airline pilot and it wasn't the reason I started flying. Airlines were always in the back of my mind but they were never my goal. You guys who have your aviation careers all mapped out before going to some fly boy U are something other than what I was. I was flying because it was what I did what I loved and I took different jobs because I wanted to try out something new, not because I was building the right time to work for a major.
Life has a way of throwing us all curve balls I guess.
In my experience most people start out an aviation career with firm goals in mind. It costs a lot of money and requires a huge investment in ones life just to reach a place where you can fill out an application for a major airline.
I went to Alaska because that is where my trail lead. I would have much rather started at a legacy carrier right out of college. And seen Alaska from a Supercub that I owned.
My priories always were to preserve home, hearth and family. Flying smokejumpers in the bush did not help those goals one bit. It is my belief that most who enter the profession hold the same values and expectations.
Skyhigh