How do you keep pushing?

[4forward8back]

I stopped pushing and threw in the towel.

My story:
2001 - CPL and first job (piston sightseeing) for a horrible, dangerous, dodgy operator. I learned a lot about self preservation from that gig.

2002 - Piston charter/survey for a good operator

2005 - I became chief pilot (HOO these days). Like others have said, you do look back at the GA years fondly. I could fill a book with the stories.

2007 - Said company goes bust and I have to quickly find work. I ended up in the corporate world for a large organisation and suddenly saw that I could make a whole lot more money for a whole lot less time and effort. A good job was easy to find, a CPL is still (well it was then) a well regarded qualification outside of the industry. I also found that the skills I had gained in GA were very sought after outside of aviation and easily transferable to an office job. I progressed quickly inside the company. Also, living in the big smoke for the first time came with all of it's associated benefits.

2008-2013 - I actually look back at this time as the most enjoyable of my career. Working an office job can come with great conditions and it can easily become secondary in life, making room for other interests. I always found that flying became priorities 1, 2 & 3 in life, I was never able to succesfully balance anything else. I negotiated going part time at work, 3 days a week and still making more than I had been as chief pilot so the mortgage was covered. The other 4 days a week I was able to do contract/casual flying to satisfy the passion and as a bit of a side earner. I was able to pick and choose the flying (and more importantly, operator) and really enjoyed it. I also met the lovely and got married. Throughout that time, I still envisaged the cockpit as my long term career.

2014 - Wife gets pregnant. I desperately wanted to be an involved father and present husband. Long story short - Having seen many relationships break down because of the pressures of aviation, I came to the conclusion that I could be the husband/father I wanted to be OR fly. I couldn't do both, I had to choose. I chose family and walked away from aviation. I went back full time at the corporate job and wound down the flying. Of course, as the world works, I got two pilot job offers soon after making that decision. Both were excellent flying, dream jobs, the stuff I'd always wanted and had worked years toward attaining. But both invloved long periods of time away, I said no to both, that HURT.

2014 - I grew to absolutely hate the office job, there are just as many c--ts outside of aviation as in it and if you happen to work for one your work life can be s--t. I also desperately missed the flying and resented not being able to take the job offers. The black dog grabbed hold hard, 2014 was a bad year.

2015-2016 - Absolutely love raising the little bub. I'm super involved, present for every single milestone and extremely grateful for the choices I've made. Thankfully I managed get away from the bad boss and to also hold a small flying job with a great operator. While only sporadic flying, it kept the hand in and was the very best flying you could do (in my opinion).

2017 - Kid two arrived, again I miss nothing. But that was the end of flying, not enough time and other pressures. I was still hating the office job, but it's paying the bills and comes with great conditions which support the family and allow my wife to follow her passion.

2017-2019 - Move into a new corporate job, this time within the aviation industry. Now we're talking. I still get the money and conditions, but get to be involved in aviation. Sadly, not at the pointy end, but I get to talk to people who are.....so can live it/love it vicariously.

2020 - The world implodes. Thankfully I have other experience to fall back on. I quickly picked up work back in the corporate world. It's boring, but it's easy and a it's a job (grateful for that at the moment!). Plus I've spent a heap of time at home with the family.

Do I miss flying? Well, I am still legal to fly, though it has been 8 months... and I still visit pprune so.... GOD YES, I miss it dearly, it's my passion. I still look up with severely green eyes every time one of you lucky bastards flies over. But I made my choices conciously and I am happy with them. I can't envisage circumstance that would allow me to go back full time, but you never know.....that's why I stay current(ish)...

That's my story, it is up and down. It suits my strengths and limitations, but probably wouldn't suit others. I just thought I'd add it to show a different path. It was also enjoyable to put it down on a page, so thanks for that.