I spent the best part of a decade working in an office before becoming disillusioned with the monotony of getting up at 7 to commute to work, sitting next to the same people, having the same moaning conversations over water cooler/coffee machine/urinal then commuting home and getting ready for the same level of excitement tomorrow.
12 years after making the somewhat controversial and almost incomprehensible, to family and friends, decision to pack it all in and learn to fly I now spend 2 weeks a month flying to places I would never have visited and experiencing people and cultures so far removed from my previous life. It’s been hard work getting here but with some great flying experiences along the way - SEPs, multi pistons, SETs and multi turbines. Sure the money’s worse than my previous job but that’s about it.
I fly corporate not airlines. When making the decision of which route to take I couldn’t substantially differentiate between the monotony of my office job and the potential monotony of an airline career. I can fly anywhere, often at a few hours notice and have a much more rounded job than I perceive an airline job to be (I’ve no airline experience but you lot aren’t exactly gushing with positivity).
I’m sure back in the ‘golden era’ when there was a fight in pilots’ pockets between cash and hosties life was peachy. But I would rather fly my 2 year old Global Express at FL450 for a few quid less than transport myself back in time (I’m not sure exactly when this fabled ‘golden era’ was) to fly less reliable aircraft, with less reliable/accurate navigation systems into unknown/unseen weather conditions all in the name of glamour. When I walk through an airport in some far flung part of Africa or the less developed parts of the Far East the respect and ‘glamour’ (if that’s what you’re after) is palpable. Admitted going through security at the Signature FBO in Luton is a massive counter balance ��
Maybe it’s not so much ‘aviation’ that’s the problem but which part of aviation you’re in and how you got there.
Last edited by Humpmedumpme; 9th Apr 2018 at 10:24.