Hi All,
If you have been following the thread about LIFT academy, you might know that I will be starting training in a few short months. While i couldn't be more excited, i am also apprehensive. I will be leaving a (somewhat) decent paying job with no student debt to take on 65K in student debt for a career in an industry which could be turned upside down tomorrow. In addition, I will be bringing my Fiance along for the ride.

Since i graduated college two years ago and began pushing paper for a living I have come to realize that being a pilot is the only job that I truly want to do. While the voice of reason is telling me to continue on with my current career path, buy a house, and live a normal life. Everything else in me is telling me to pursue my dreams and not settle.

In reality, this could be the biggest decision I make in my life. Because of that i pose the question, if given the chance to go back to the moment you decided to become an airline pilot, would you do it all over again?

Would I become a pilot? Yes, even if I hated my 5-year airline career which ended in liquidation. I didn’t have any debt, worked at an airport to get my CP, IR, ME ratings, then went Guard for UPT. Flying is a great life, just don’t get trapped into one path.

GF

I do it all over again every time I go to work.

I think you have answered your own question. Enjoy the career!

I'm in the same boat. One thing which keeps me wondering is that I want to be able to see my family as much as I can. Yes people say you get more "quality time" when you’re not flying on your days off etc. Well guess what, if everyone you know around you works during the day, and your kids are in school then really you’re not getting all that much “time with family”. At least working "regular" jobs gets you in your own bed every night which is great.

My dad has been driving trucks coast to coast for the past 9 years. He is usually gone for 5-6 days on a regular trip and back home for 3-4 days. He is home, but no one else is. So in reality all that family/ friends time is not so much family at all. But again, everyone's situation is different.

I enjoy being an engineer & CFII and debating if I should go fly for a regional (and personally I have never took work home with me as an engineer). Also have a friend who has asked me to fly for his company 150-200 hrs a year in combo with engineering work but that will start in around 6-12 month. Maybe try and look for something similar, depending on your priorities.

This would be a great point if it wasn’t for the fact that you could bid the time off that matters most as you gain seniority.


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I'm an engineer as well. Curious - how much time have you been able to log on a monthly basis as a part time instructor? I've debated keeping my engineering job and instruct on the side or just instruct full time and bust out the hours.

Some month I was able to fly 80+ hrs but my engineering job was 5 mins away from 2 airports which gave me lots of flexibility and kept me booked 4 pm and up as well as every weekend. I probably averaged 60 hrs/month.

I say keep the job and CFI on the side (although some schools do pay 50k/year here in the NE for ful time CFI's)

There are a lot of things that can make this job easier or harder on a family. Commuting to reserve... bad
Commuting... takes time away from family
Living in base ... goood
Getting seniority and getting weekends off... good
Having seniority and being able to do locals with weekends off (locals are one day trips) ... it’s really good
My wife actually likes when I am bidding reserve at home because I am at home most of the time.

My wife decided to Home school the children so my days off are even more involved with the family. Your mileage may vary.

Wow impressive. I'll definitely explore that option some more. I still have to have a sliver of time to spend with my wife though too haha.