What are the advantages and disadvantages of flying?

[FL390]

Well, I am still at school hoping ot become a BA pilot (PLEASE???) and I am in the RAF Combined Cadet Force. We have been set the task of making a speech about......why it is good to fly!!!! Also, the other half of the group will talk about the disadvantages of flying!!! (Whoopee!)

So, any thoughts/comments that would help me with the speech would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers
:)

[Superpilut]

What about the fact that you're about yo live your dream and do something you always wanted to, and make a decent living out of it? Applies to me at least.. Or: no matter how foggy it is on the ground, 99% of the time we're sitting a few hours in the sun every working day!It's the simple things that can make you happy...
Good luck

[one.dot.lo]

Disadvantages:

Jet lag, dehydration, kidney stones, cosmic radiation, divorce (lots of divorce).

Still wouldn't change it though.

[FL390]

Nothing beats a bit of positive thinking does it one.dot.lo???

[Bleater]

Advantages:
Beats working for a living
You can do it sitting down

Disadvantages:
Once trained you will be completely useless at anything else!

[Sensible]

Not true! I haven't yet met a pilot who couldn't drink like a fish :) :)

[Harry Wragg]

Like everything in life there are ups and downs. At the moment after ten years in aviation I am actually trying to recall the ups! So I'll start with downs:

1) Airline management (or is it mismanagement)
2) Rostering patterns which preclude a life, social or otherwise.
3) Unhealthy lifestyle, food, drink, radiation, pressurisation, DVT's!!!
4) You meet a lot of strange (and dull) people, stop talking about flying, pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaase.
5) Payscales based on "more" supply than demand.
6) Hurry up and wait syndrome.
7) Divorce, alcoholism, and premature death.

Hold on a moment I've thought of something positive:

1) Numerous cups of tea supplied by sweet smelling young ladies.
2) Avoiding rush hour traffic.

Errrrrr, I think that's it. Most dreams are infinitely better than reality. In the end, it's just a job.

p.s. the training years are fun though!

[jetqualified]

I have been flying since 19, i now fly a nice but small regional jet around Europe. It has been and is the best job one can wish for! Everyday the office moves and there is always Blue Skies!(well 95 % of the time)
Go for it, it is GREAT!!!

[ExSimGuy]

Harry,
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">2) Avoiding rush hour traffic.</font>Been into LHR lately? :)

------------------
What goes around . . .
. . often lands better!

[This message has been edited by ExSimGuy (edited 27 February 2001).]