Hi!

I have been through three careers since I met my wife. So far, she's likes the airline career the best, overall. Her favourite schedule is 14 on/14 off, or similar. She likes it when I'm home, and she likes being on her own to do her own stuff.

I had family travel on Midwest in my last US job, and she flew on them all the time, all the while when almost everyone I knew said the loads were full and it wouldn't work to travel non-rev...she loved it!

The hardest part has been when I have been unemployed. The 2nd hardest time was when I spent 9 months straight during an overseas flying job.

cliff
GRB

Ever thought that maybe the wife doesn't want to be lonely while the hubby is flying the wild blue yonder. We all know that women have way more of an emotional attachment to friends and family, whether they admit it or not, so why snatch her away from that for paltry pay which means a harder living for the both of you?

Neither will being an airline pilot...

Red,

You are 25. Plenty of time to be hosed by aviation. I flew a citation in my 20's as well. Give it a decade.

Skyhigh

Maybe not even that long Sky. You have to have a thick head to continue in this industry when it has kicked you in the ba$#s so many times. Good luck Red, maybe it will be a success story for you as it has been for many others.

so basically, after reading this thread. There are two basic sides to aviation. The one side where there are bitter old farts who didn't have the best of luck and now if they have it their way, no one else will do this. And the other side of the guys who have had the best of times left seat on a big jet............. well, I will be going into aviation despite both sides because it is something that I love and I will continue to try and love through the good and bad times. Oh, I am also ready for the " you have no right coming in here with 5 posts and having never worked at an airline."

Really any job on a regional FO salary would turn me negative, but there are too many facets to aviation to make a blanket statement that the entire career field is a bad choice.

There are tough times for sure, but my wife and I have learned never to take our time together for granted. I don't think I'd be able to say that with as much conviction working a 9-5. That being said I have turned down job opportunities that would offer amazing career advancement, purely because they would be so straining on home life. Luckily we all have choices.

Me thinks you are mistaken. We are just giving you the "facts" of this profession. As you can tell, their are many positives and negatives regarding a career in Aviation and this forum is just one of many places where you can get different opinions. Whatever you end up doing, good luck, I hope it turns out better then you could have ever imagined.