jedinein

Leave Ethiopia out of it. You can be fulfilled without meeting basic needs, although technically, it is your definition of basic needs is different than most people.

A wise man once told me two things: "Do what you love and the money will follow" and "create multiple streams of income."

Those statements have allowed me to be one of the most expensive instructor on the field, on an hourly basis. It has prompted me to have multiple streams of income, so I can easily take or leave potential clients. It allows survival while I gain the jet hours needed to move on to the next instructing level, or decide if that is really what I want to do. And, it allows survival and gives me something to do while I sit on the ground waiting to heal enough to get back to flying and instructing.

WIFlyer

I used to work in a large corporation doing boring IT work. It paid great, I had time off up the wahzoo and the benefits were top notch. Every Friday I would run for the door and every Sunday evening I would get that sick feeling in my stomach that I had to go back to work the following day. I started flying for fun/adventure/challenge/whatever, moved on to flight instructing part time. I realized there that flying was my passion and took a huge paycut to become an instructor. My overall life happiness increased dramatically and I was lucky enough to time it perfectly to get into this latest boom of hiring for the regionals.

So, here I am sitting right seat for a regional 5 years after I started this 'hobby' and I am reminded of what an old co-worker told me. He said that, in his view, retirement wasn't just playing golf. It was finally having the financial security to get the job you have wanted your whole life but couldn't due to money or time or some other reason. So, when I left my corporate job, he told me "congratulations on your retirement!". That has stuck with me. Do I love every aspect of this job: no way. However, it is still the greatest job for me and I feel lucky that I found my passion and turned it into a career.

SkyHigh

Your story isn't over yet. In fact you have just begun. In time you will most likely find yourself back at your IT job.

I don't know if you are married or not but most people work jobs that are less than satisfying because they have something they value more at home.

SkyHigh

ACEAV8R

Who do you work for and what station are you at? I guess you get just as much fun as I do. Not to mention fighting with crew scheduling/dispatch/maint control, dealing with maintenance personnel, working with mainline to try and squeeze 15 aircrafts into 9 gates, and aircraft/crew swaps. Also dealing with my bitter agents, p/oed pax, some crew members that just think we throw bags, scan boarding cards and eat lunch, and being everywhere at once. Oh did I mention there were no hotels in the area and pax aren't gonna fly out for another 3 days. I can't remember the amount of personal law suits and @$$ beatings I have coming for me. All for about 12 bucks an hour. Anyone wanna switch pm me asap. I don't mind being that "low time" pilot who knows nothing because in a few months, I'll no longer be that guy. Everyone must start somewhere. I'll even throw in a vest with a different color from the reg agents so that you are id as the leader.

Carib, I hope the ride doesn't end for you buddy. Fly it till the wings fall off because You'll never miss the water until the well runs dry.

SPDBOILER

As soon as you start taking these posts too seriously!!!!!

kalyx522

I think Hindsight was referring to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which I'm sure you learned about during your initial CFI training (that's where I learned it). It's UNIVERSAL - the basic needs referring to stuff like food, shelter and sex. I disagree with your saying you can be fulfilled without meeting basic needs... how can you enjoy your flying if you're starving or homeless or haven't gotten laid in 5 years? And that's his point, if you can't even afford the basic stuff on regional wage, how can you say you are truly fulfilled because the basic stuff like food and shelter must come before anything else. Of course, he is saying a 23 year old with no family usually CAN support himself on 15k/year and that is why you will find only people like that wondering such questions.

As far as you being able to charge more for your CFI services.. well that is different because CFIs can be independent contractors.. airline pilots are not.
In any case, you state the importance of creating multiple streams of income (which I agree with.) Isn't that in line with what Hindsight is saying? After all, why would you need to create additional sources of income (i.e., additional WORK) if your airline job was truly fulfilling? Even if you don't NEED to create more income, but WANT to (for security or nicer things or whatever), that itself is saying you still aren't fulfilled on some level.

Slice

t-cart

I have no experience in the airline industry, but I have had a twenty six year career in another side of aviation. I retired in December of 2004, after a couple of years of "burnout". I was sick and tired of flying, dealing with customers, dealing with employees, and all that goes with running a business. I walked away from it and sold my business, never intending to fly for hire again. In reality, all I needed was a couple of years away from it. Now, I find myself current again, have bought a small twin to get my multi time built up, and am totally fired up to get back in the game. My plan is to get on with a pt 91 operation locally, and if that doesnt work out, I am seriously considering a regional. Call me crazy, I thought that the "feeling" had left me for good, but all I needed was to catch my breath and now I am just as pumped about flying as I was when I was sixteen years old and just getting started. I will be forty nine next week.

WIFlyer

Sorry man, can't bring me down. Not married, no kids and not going to have kids so that relieves all that pressure to earn for more than me. As I said, I am lucky in that I won't need to work at a job just to provide for my family, that is pretty much taken care of. Yes, I am the minority.

III Corps

Seems to be slightly contradictory in that basic needs are just that and not subject to subjective definition. Wants, however, are the one that quickly get costly.