Let it go to hell?

[pa44seminole]

The dream was to get an ATPL and join an airline. Dream is a good word for it. I was raked in by an FTO that knew I had more money than sense (at the time) but I've never said a bad word about them. Now I have a lot less money and a lot more sense. I got my CPL but never moved on to the MEP or IR. Do I bother?
I'm a nice guy who for some reason became the laughing stock of his FTO for pulling out of his course when I saw it was going nowhere. I was unhappy with how I was being treated, heard completely untrue and vile rumours spread by students and even instructors about me. A friend said I'm a bit posh and other people don't like it -Does that make any sense? I'm a bloody hard worker in my current job which involves getting up every day at 3am. People who think plumbers talk like plumbers are the :mad:holes, not me.
I have a job, a home, a relationship... Do I bother? What's the point in finishing it? Will the nasty, ignorant people disappear after I've qualified and got my CV out or is this culture of nastiness endemic throughout the aviation industry? It seems pitifully ill-conceived to spend horrendous amounts of money on a career that will see me made miserable by nasty people. Should I honestly cut my losses, chuck it all in, pay off my debts and never look twice at an aircraft again? Seriously considering it. Regrettably I cannot go into further detail (enough has been said about me). Genuine non-smartass are welcome. :(

[MartinCh]

Would you quit (if you weren't self-employed) a job because of some retarded colleagues? What if everywhere there's handful of people you don't like? You just have to get on with it.

Did you start training for the love of aviation? Or just the image of shiny airline career dream and nothing else? There's more to life than work. There's more to aviation than airlines.

There's not enough detail from your post, but I presume you started integrated training. As you likely know, jobs are not plentiful with SE VFR CPL in Europe, especially UK, without FI rating.

You should base your values on the opinions of those who matter to you, not people who don't matter. I don't know your experience, but remember that integrated courses filled with 18-21yo who either managed loan or sponsored by bank of mum/dad, are there often for one thing. The dream of shiny career/lifestyle. I see nothing wrong with changing your opinion about finishing the training in place that's not the 'right place' anymore.

Whatever you decide to do later, try to get all the documents, training folders etc in place, logbook entries signed/stamped as necessary etc. I guess that should be fine, since you say you did your CPL LST.

If you want to stay in aviation, with SE CPL, think of instructing at small school/club. Far from integrated wannabes and overpriced stuff. It would earn peanuts compared to what you do, but it's doable to combine it with your current profession. Or at least keep current, flying for fun, buying into syndicate etc.

[Aware]

Dont be so hard on yourself and compare yourself to other people, do what you feel best, to stop training and continue with your job is fine. You have CPL add an FI keep your job and instruct on days off. I have too bailed out of training, and people around me have said Im mad, well Im not I am doing whats best for me and those around me. I am now an Instructor, CPL FI never got an IR, but not without lots of thoughts your having, done some quite mad things relating to training because just couldnt finish courses. But I have built about 1500hrs teaching PPL IMC night and ground examining. I have always viewed the flying as a hobby. I have another successful business that pays the bills, and hence difficult decisions of which way to jump concerning the flying. Why its so an emotional decision with flying choices Ive never really understood, but I guess its releated to time effort and money to get the ratings. But believe me I understand your thoughts.

Flying is sometimes about difficult choices, the fact that things expire make it harder, but life has a way of sorting it all out. Do what you can do, within your ability, thats fine. If it all gets too much re-evaluate, thats good business sense.

Some of my students are now airline pilots, and one is flying fast jets with the RAF, but they are not built like me they are different people, thats whats quite strange about instructing many around you will do better than you and get further, thats fine - thats whats being an instructor is all about.

Those who have known me for a while now say what a great balance you now have, own business and you fly when you want, how funny life is.

[zondaracer]

Don´t worry about the other guys and what they think. There´s nothing wrong with being posh. Not everyone in the aviation are like the guys you describe. Besides, there are people like that in other industries too, especially in industries where egos are involved. I know this because I have been there.

There is nothing wrong with packing it all in because you don´t think the risk is worth the reward. You have to do what is best for you and that is admirable. Good luck to you. If you ever decide to keep flying, you will find that the environment is quite different at a flying club. The problem with flying schools and students is that the students are always comparing themselves with others. Students talk amongst themselves to try to see where they stand in ability compared to the other students. It is a normal occurrence amongst flight students, so don´t fret! :)

[Dan the weegie]

Nothing wrong with giving up now. Only if you have any desire to do so get an FI rating and instruct when you feel like it :). You should definitely complete an IMC course though because of the benefit. That is all of course if you plan on continuing to fly but honestly if you have a job and you're happy enough it wont make you any happier because you have 20k to spend just to get you to the point of being employable and then you will almost certainly have another 20-30k to spend on a Type Rating if you want to have any chance of getting a job in the next 5 years.

£50k is a lot to gamble on maybe enjoying something?
The world is full of opinions and asses.