Originally Posted by
rickair7777
I'd listen to those who have been there, done that before I'd listen to someone who is still in training. Flight training is a blast...light airplanes are challenging enough to keep you interested but not too difficult to operate and you can have a lot of fun doing cross-countries, etc.
Real-world professional aviation is a different story, especially these days. It used to be worth the effort but they have pretty much removed the payoff for the younger folks, but left all of the dues-paying in place.
That's actually been my other concern - it seems like flying commercial aircraft would have an entirely different feel than flying the Cessna and other personal aircraft found at the local public airport.
Doing charter seems like a good option... I'd have the security and never-downhill (reasonably, anyway) advancement of a regular job, and I could still fly. I wonder how often I'd be able to do it, though.
Unfortunately, no one in my family is remotely close to rich, nor does anyone fly. Seems the more I ask, though, the more I find out some distant aunt is friends or neighbors or cousins with a pilot.