Heck yes man...! That's just the way of life for the other half of us

I have a suggestion. Work for FlightSafety (or insert other training provider) as a part-time ground and/or sim instructor, and fly on the side. It works for me!

By the way, congrats Sean... which was the original topic!

Wow- what a great explanation. I agree w/ everything you said. I am an aspiring airline pilot with only 100TT coming out of an enlistment in the Navy. Have 10 yrs in and walking away to purse this. But, I did get my BA in finance because that field interests me.

Just have a back up plan and try to find a whole lot less expensive aviation university. If it were me, I would look toward a degree in business administration, all around good degree or something else you may like. Aviation is the best industry I have ever been in, but when the feces hits the fan, it gets really bad really fast. I love flying, but the realities of today force me to look at my back up plan which is bidding on city/county contracts anything from painting to demolition work to providing floor mats at goverment buildings to lawn care. (I know a guy who got paid $45,000.00 for a 3 month contract just to cut grass at county owned properties.)- and they pay extremely well, provided your the sucessful bidder.

I left ASA last week. Good job with very nice folks. Will miss the flying but not the lack of paycheck. Going back to school for something better (hopefully).

Good luck, 3 greens. Glad to know I'm not alone!

When you leave the industry you'll probably second guess yourself for a while. But once you get a couple of years down the road you'll look back at your flying as work that, at one stage in your life, was quite enjoyable. But things never stay the same and life changes. So, be smart and adjust.

Think about how you won't miss, month after month, using an airport restroom every other time you go to the bathroom; sleeping regularly on beat-up mattresses; eating poorly, regardless of how hard you try not to; never having a consistent exercise routine; delays, wasted time, sitting on your butt, it never ends; being around hundreds and hundreds of people every day with all of the germs that go with it; not getting paid for the talent and responsibility that you have, etc, etc.

You'll come full circle back into flying someday -- maybe you'll own a new Skycatcher -- and at a level that's a rung or two higher than you are now.

You'll see. Good luck.

took me 13 years....but I came back.....

I'm all for finding someplace where you'd be happier but a section devoted to this would be depressing.
With that said, carry on.

Moved to more appropriate forum.