PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - PPL...yay or nay?
View Single Post
Old 23rd Dec 2019, 10:22
  #2 (permalink)  
JRK
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Europe
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Make sure you know what your goals are. Totally fine to pursue a medical career and be a GA aviator enthusiast in your spare time. In fact, I used to have a client who was a very reputable gastroenterologist surgeon and had PPL+IR and owned a small airplane. Was very happy in both worlds. The problem is if you are actually not sure if you want to fly, or if you want to make flying into a professional career. Remember, that once you are in that environment, you'll be around people 99% of whom are pursuing it as a profession. The flight schools/training centres are also in the business of preparing mainly professional pilots, so they might be naturally inclined to sway you in that direction (more money for them).

So, if you have no confusion in that regard - you know you want to make a medical career and flying is just something you are found of - then go for your PPL and enjoy it! If, however, you consider a possibility of trying your hand at professional flying, then I'd encourage you to first do a very thorough research about the whole profession in the current market conditions, before making any long-term decisions and financial commitments. And try to be as level-headed about it as possible while you do: it is very easy to get all watery-eyed at the sight of a big jet taking off, but keep in mind that any profession (including medicine) always looks more glamorous from the outside, than from within.

Best of luck!
JRK
JRK is offline