satpak77

the flying, is cool, but hotel rooms, being on the road, getting sick in third world countries, working on X-Mas/Thanksgiving for umpteen years, tend to take some fun out of the fun

FrankCobretti

I gutted it out for five years in a corporate job while nobody was hiring. I had a big office, I made a lot of money, and I drove a nice car.

I hated every minute of it.

I've been with a major for a little over six years now, and I love everything about it other than red-eyes. I like my coworkers, I like my view, and I get more personal gratification from handling an emergency or greasing a landing than I ever did from writing up a PowerPoint that the CEO really liked.

If you choose to pursue an aviation career, I can't promise that you'll enjoy it as much as I do. I can't promise that you'll wind up with a stable company or retire comfortably or any of that - life just doesn't work that way. I can promise that if you love flying now, you'll probably love flying later.

As for me, there's no other job I'd rather do.

Lobaeux

After spending twenty years in the military, I'm loving this airline life.

tsquare

I love my job, but until recently hated the industry. Since the managements finally learned supply vs demand 101, it's a great industry now. You are in a position to have a career that most of us only dream about. Get your tickets punched, come to a legacy airline, and relive the glory days of this profession. I'd trade places with you in a NY second.

captain152

I love flying and can't imagine doing anything else. The thought of sitting behind a desk 9-5 M-F makes me cringe.

I've got the smallest office in the world, and the best damn view every day that no CEO in the world can match on their best day at the office.

The satisfaction of breaking out on an ILS at minimums, or fighting the thing all the way down in 25 kts direct crosswind getting the crap knocked out of you and grease the bird on is one that just can't be explained.

The time away is rough, but I'm grateful to have a wife that is very independent and it works well for us.

JoeyMeatballs

Love/hate relationship still love it majority of the time. Can't imagine doing the 9-5 thing.

Skubajet

I think its somewhat of a human tendancy to complain or think the grass is always greener. That's probably why u hear of some pilots that hate their jobs. Its a great job but it has pros and cons like everything else in life.

Pros: see different places, flying airliners is cool, pay can be very good especially if you are at a major, get more days off than a normal job, don't have to deal with the politics of a normal job, travel benefits

Cons: time away from family, commuting, paying your dues can take awhile (either from the military or a regional), lack of camaraderie (like u have in military)

PerfInit

Loved the job before kids. Then hated it. Now doing something else that pays comparably and keeps me home most nights, all weekends and holidays. Work/life balance is really important to me now.

gripen

This profession is not for everyone, but I have loved it starting with flight instruction, charter work, night freight, "commuter" airline all the way to legacy airline. I loved the GA airplanes, the light twins, the BE-1900, SF-340, DC-9, A-320, B-747, B-757 and the B-767. Have there been bad days, yes, but when you close the cockpit door and there is just the 2/3 of you and the "mission", there is no office like it. I would agree that a non-aviation degree as an "out"/backup is advisable.

SongMan

As a father of two little ones looking to get into airline...this post is very discouraging...