Only you can decide what to do. Some here hate the professional pilot career for whatever reason good or bad. Some love it. Is it a long hard road? Yes. Is it worth it? Only you can say. For me, it was worth it. I soloed in 1982 and got hired at a major airline in 2005 with over 10,000 hours. I've done everything (almost) along the way, including years on the ramp. That doesn't sound successful to most, but to me it was an adventure. I had fun. I've never been rich, but I've been happy. I've never been furloughed, divorced, or homeless. I have been downgraded to FO. I have taken pay cuts. Success is measured by you, not others. Do what you like and stick with it.

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Hey Bryris! I didn't realize we were neighbors! :)

I'm pretty much in Orlando proper...

In case you didn't know
 

In case you didn't know I also use to fly the dash 8. I wouldn't be so quick to count yourself as being anywhere yet.

Skyhigh

Yeah, I never said I was...but ok. Whatever makes you feel better about not making it.

You
 

Guys like you go a long way to helping me to feel better. :) I wouldn't count any chickens just yet if I were you.

Skyhigh

What is the definition of making it these days?

The brass ring of a glamorous 50K salary at some Legacy gig? Followed by a commute cross country to sit reserve in a crash pad and then get furloughed? 1/2 of my buds who "made it" wish they had stayed put.

RmTrice, don't worry too much, your only 20. Flying may be a second career for you. I didn't get an Airline job untill I was almost 29. I haven't flown since Late September when I left the job.

But even though I now have some money again I'm finding it difficult to spend it on flying right now. Over my 10 years I have had this happen before. After I got Commercial and after I got Multi. Both times I was without flying for around a year because I had school and work and money was tight.

Don't assume you missed the boat just because you arn't Cap'n by 23 like the 141 kids. It's a Marathon, not a Sprint.

I'd say do yourself a favor and take your favorite CFI up for some maneuvers and see how you feel. Yea you may think it would be better to spend the money elsewhere, but maby you just got in some doldrums and need a little pick-me-up to get your motor running again. And if you hate it and wish you'd spent the money elsewhere, then you know for sure it isn't for you.

Oh and think about getting Instrument before jumping to Multi.

Pilot Life
 

When I first wanted to become a major airline pilot it was very different than today. Back then pilots lived in the biggest houses in town, had sometimes multiple secret families spread out all over the world and hardly seemed to work at all.

Today they spend half their lives living in airport parking lots or hot racking in some nasty crash pad and make just a bit more than mailmen. Imagine what a pilots life will be like 20 years from now?

Skyhigh

In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.- Oscar Wilde

Yeah Sky - I read that book and saw the movie too. Trying to make fact out of fiction? I'm sure there are cheaters in every career field. You're just dragging the profession downhill hill by making such sweeping accusations and suggesting that pilots are worse than anyone else. Shame on you.

USMCFLYR