Do what you love!!
 

We all love donuts but does that mean that we would love working in a donut factory?

You might enjoy preflighting the C-152 and piloting it around the home patch but how does one really know if they would "Love" working as an airline pilot until they are strapped into a RJ and spend a week doing it?

It is a huge investment and large waste of time to find out later that the job isn't as much fun as the hobby. When people mention doing "what you love" they are not necessarily giving license to indulge in ones hobbies and fantasies. It takes a more holistic approach in order to more accurately find your destined career path.

Doing what you love as an occupation doesnt mean doing what you enjoy. It means finding work that complements your natural abilities, interests and lifestyle.

SkyHigh

SkyHigh, I'm actually going to say I agree with you. I have had a number of friends who were private pilots start training at a university only to have thier enjoymeny of flying sucked out of them. Others finished training and went on to the regionals. After hard times at the company, furloughs, and/or pay cuts they do not have the same desire to continue on in the airline world. One such friend has left the airlines and gone on to a part 135 company were he is now happy flying once again. Keep in mind the airline profession is not for everyone and even if you love aviation you may not like the airlines. Don't let that keep you 100% from aviation because there are other jobs for the professional aviator. Even those don't provide the same freedom and joy as going where you want when you want how you want.

Right on. That's what drives me nuts when people justify crappy pilot pay with "well, I'm doing what I love though." <gag> That's great. Subjective evaluation of a job (whether or not you're having fun) shouldn't be a factor in pay.

The same could apply to any career! The beauty of the seniority system, pay your dues and it can easily become a part time job. I personally know plenty of guys that do it, and they are perfectly contempt flying 12 days a month for 75K a year.....all day trips by the way!

Would that be true of a proctologist say vs a gynecologist

3yrs and 10 days off last month. How long untill this becomes part-time?

agree w/ the post. If what you love is to fly, then maybe you should look to flying as a career, but don't be limited as to what type of flying you're going to be doing.

Someone might think they'd really enjoy litigation or law, and they don't enjoy it as soon as they start digging through legal documents to help "build" the case. Everything has it's ups and downs, find something you enjoy to do, and do it...aka, find your NICHE in aviation if aviation is your love.

That sucks dude, I was holding 11 days off when I was on reserve! As a line holder I always have at least 13 days off a month, maybe more, maybe less, it depends on how much I want to fly.

Thats true, some lawyers make like being in court defending people, but hate submerging themselves in all the paperwork. The same thing with a pilot, you make like the actual flying, but hate the time away from home. It's part of the job and we have to learn to cope with it, or quit and get out.

Regular people only have 8 days of a month and I dont see them complaining. :confused: