SkyHigh

I noticed that my career satisfaction plummeted once I got married and had kids. Hotels and mid-night flights are all fun and games until you have to leave a family behind. Not only is it sad to have to leave them but when you are single and come home after a red eye and its 10 o'clock in the morning you can put up your black out shades and get some rest.

As a family man you are likely to come home to a wife and kids at the door who are eager to get out and do stuff with you.

SkyHigh

Icelandair

It could be that the sons of pilots who chose to go into that profession did so because their dads did it in the 80's and 90's, before the profession took the nose dive that it did today?

rickair7777

Probably several reasons...

They were always around aviation, and starting thinking about it from a young age.

It was more realistic for them since they had relatives who had done it. Many kids who might like to be pilots have no idea where to start.

They are used to a certain lifestyle...travel bennies and flexible time off.

Like someone else said, they probably have access to instructors, maybe airplanes, and a ready-made job serach network.

Bottom line it's easier for them than for an outsider. I bet some of them wouldn't be doing it if they had to scrounge to pay for training and make their own way in the business.

BBflyer

As the son of a legacy pilot, I'll try to answer this. My dad always told me "its a great profession but terrible career" I was told to go to college major in anything but aviation, get a "real" job, use that to pay for flight training, have no debt/save money, then if you still want to do this by all means have a go. So I'm 26, a part time CFI with no debt and a good full time job, just saving up and waiting for things to turn around so I too can pursue this career.

Why? many of Skys points are dead on. When you're born into the lifestyle you really never know anything else. I want this lifestyle because I'd rather not be home all the time. My mom has even told my dad that when he retires he better find something else to do or else he'll drive her crazy always being around. Some relationships just work better that way I guess, but I can see how many wouldn't. Growing up I would say my dad made it to about half of my games. Not bad I think, any successful business man who travels frequently probably couldn't do much better and xmas was celebrated on the 26th twice if I recall. My dad has his own part time business also, as will I when I make the jump because I know thats the only way I can afford regional fo pay, and I realize that developing a skillset outside of aviation is critical to peace of mind. So I guess with proper education in this career and planning it still is a worth while shot for some to take and sons of aviation families are probably in the best position to understand that. FWIW I have a brother and sister who want no part so it works both ways. and yes the already established aviation network, as sky mentioned, is a good benefit

hindsight2020

In other words, it's a family-unfriendly career prospect, a financial hardship to those not connected (non-legacies), requires secondary income to develop the ability to aspire to livable wage aka a defacto hobby job (nevermind 30-year amortized stable employment) , which further disadvantages those who are not set up to have ready access to free airplanes. All for the non-economic valuation of having the satisfaction of getting paid in takeoffs and landings. I could make the case such outcome could be attained flying a cessna without the economic sacrifice, but the point is noted.

The reality is that it [aviation] is the true poster child for opportunity cost and is not for everyone. I can tell you from my part if military aviation hadn't been available to me I would have never pursued 121 flying because I recognize all these opportunity costs. It amazes me how I continue to see peers so confidently assert their airline aspirations without much concern for all these intricacies, talk about having the opportunity of foresight and ****ing it away...

I dislike the fact GA is so unaffordable, I truly believe if GA was more accessible a lot more people would be discouraged from pursuing airline work and honestly make the commercial side of aviation a little more labor friendly. At any rate for my part, as someone who truly enjoys aviation and plans on making a livelihood on the military side of things, I didn't find the opportunity cost of progressing through an airline career worthwhile the hardships and shortcomings it bestows on the median pilot. Furthermore as someone who disavows the idea one should benchmark one's professional expectations on the statistical outliers (de727's of the world) I find the proof of such hardships as a palpable reality for the majority, as opposed to the "it's what you make it" crowd that aims to dismiss that very few are making it on the shoulders of the majority who is living the full cost of said opportunity costs. For that reason I feel the career is toxic, but yes it is up to the individual to make those determination so long as people GENUINELY acknowledge and recognize they are hedging their bets on the HOPE their outcome, personal love for aviation considered, is that of the statistical outlier and not the median. If the majority of people would base their career aspirations based on the outcome of the current median pilot and NOT the outlier, we wouldn't be having these discussions at all. That in itself says a lot about the profession.

ufgatorpilot

I am in sort of the same situation. I am a 27-year old full-time lawyer and I started flying in September 2007. By the end of November 2008 I had both single and ME commercial ratings and no debt. Though I think that I have done my ratings rather quickly despite a relatively demanding full-time job, it still is frustrating to see others who started after me pass me with ratings and flight time. It wasn't until the economy really started to slow down that I realized how blessed I am to have my job, especially when I read on here about how everyone in aviation is struggling so much. I am now working on my initial instructor rating. Unfortunately that has been frustrating too because work has been busy and has not left much time for studying and flying. I would like to pursue my aviation career full-time at some point, but I will be glad that I have another good career and some savings to fall back on if I ever want to or need to. I would also like to get into aviation law on the side at some point, perhaps representing pilots that get violations.

Neither of my parents were pilots, but my mom is a 30+ year flight attendant and my sister was one for about 7 years before getting hired as a pilot for a regional. My mom was definitely gone a lot when we were young, but we still turned out okay. I think she was a better mom for it honestly. Obviously I won't know exactly what I am getting myself into until I just take the plunge and do it, but I think that an airline career does work out for some families, like mine.

Learflyer

You are doing it the right way! I say go for it once you have all of your quals. You have the law thing to fall back on. BTW, are you a Litigator? Or office Attorney? You mentioned you were very busy. Just curious because my wife practices commercial real estate law, and is now watching paint dry when she goes to work!

block30

Seems like you also have an excellent fall back of being a writer if the military thing doens't work out.

ufgatorpilot

I actually do business law, specifically mergers and acquisitions, but there is not a whole lot of that going on right now (except for the airlines of course!). Last year was very slow which allowed me to have more personal time to pursue my ratings. January is usually our "dead" month because everyone tries to get their deals done by year end and then takes a breath in the new year. This January, however, we have been very busy. I was hoping to make a lot of progress on my CFII (which I am doing as my initial) this month, but at the same time I'm grateful that it is busy because I feel like I have a little more job security. Though, I still get a little nervous every time my boss sits down in my office, especially if he closes the door for some reason, or if he asks me to come see him in his office. I think, omg, this is it! I have also had to take work from other departments in order to keep busy, so I'm lucky to be at a firm that is diversified! Some of our departments are slow (like coporate and real estate), but others are very busy (litigation and bankrupcty).

Ski Patrol

This comment peaked my interest so I ran a spreadsheet. The assumptions I utilized are as follows and are not weighted avg's.
Legacy = 13yr capt's and 5yr fo's
Major = 10yr capt's and 4yr fo's
(as APC defines a major & a regional not the way pilots define it)
Regional = 7yr capt's and 3yr fo's
All based on 85hr credit/month.
Enjoy
Legacy
Capt $169,320.00 FO $98,502.86
AVG $133,911.43
Major
Capt $112,136.25 FO $53,486.25
AVG $82,811.25
Cargo
Regional
Capt $60,824.21 FO $30,940.00
AVG $45,882.11

Median 121 pax pilot = $87,534ish

It should be noted that is the median pay amongst a sharp/educated/highly skilled crowd.