Although I've been trying to keep my thoughts to myself, the time has come for me to let rip and vent some frustrations. Be warned, it involves money.
Here I am with my PPL and enough hours to start continuing to frozen level. I'm still young enough and I've got a good education etc. Most importantly, when I'm in the air (sometimes with a girlfriend doing indecent acts while I'm on finals into Las Vegas), I have such a grin and feeling of joy that all my worries disappear. Even Bob Marley would have been impressed with this level of elevation.
We all presumably share this unique and amazing feeling each time we walk around our bashed up little Cessnas or Warriors, sucking on the stall warner and wiggling the rudder. But one thing that I am keen to learn more about is how we all feel about the whopping impact our poor sad-looking credit cards take when we land the plane, walk back into the club and, after filling in our logbooks, get the invoice from a (usually) pretty little dame behind the counter. Everybody knows how much of a financial burden this is for anybody undertaking the training (even the rich dads supporting some of the more fortunate guys out there will feel the pinch). But I wanted to express the feelings I have about this and, more importantly, hear how everybody else feels.
I should count myself lucky. I only learnt to fly because the RAF let me. I am indebted to their scholarship because it was the only way that I was able to progress to the PPL aged 17. I saved for a while and went hours-building in California. It was undoubtedly one of the best times of my life. I qualified a few years ago but the money situation hasn't changed since.
After three years of university studying politics (cracking degree, hard work but not very aviation-related), I now have the usual debt issues confronting most graduates. As it stands, there's £5000 as a bank loan, a relatively small £3000 student loan and over £3000 on plastic. Oh, and the rent and council tax I share with my girlfriend is £830 per month. I work in a bank and earn £15,500 a year. Not terrible but I'm not exactly a high roller on that salary. And I live frugally. I don't splash out on stuff as my main priority is trying to hack away at some of the existing debt.
When I think of how I'm going to get the extra £20k to finish off my writtens and get the CPL/IR and FI(R) out of the way, I feel my buttocks suck up the chair and my heart sinks to lower than my shrunken balls. A true 'tail between your legs' feeling.
I told a friend and instructor this and his response was "well, count yourself lucky mate. I left the police on £35k a year, with a mortgage and a wife to learn to fly." His point was that he jacked in a good job paying well with the world's best pension to get his ATPL. Now, two years down the line, he's on just under £15k flying trial lessons for people. Although he wants to move on to big planes eventually, he loves instructing but also points to the frustrations of the regular morons he has complaining that they couldn't fly because of silly things such as a 200ft cloud base and bolts of lightning flying through the air.
That was his perspective. He felt that it was worse for him because, even though the financial burden may have been slightly less, he had left a good job and that must have taken a lot of courage. I am currently in a job which I hate. So, it makes sense to leave. But I already have enough debt to be concerned. Why should I put myself through even more of this? The now-cliche answer is "because you love flying."
Most reactions would probably be "you just have to do it because otherwise you'll regret it forever and forever" and "there is no logic in choosing to fly for a living." These are lovely and inspiring words but my point is, how does it actually feel to have all this debt knowing that another 9/11 could happen? Knowing that another airline will make you pay for your type-rating. Knowing that you could fail your medical. The list continues...
Guys and girls, let me know what your financial life is like. Tell me how you're feeling and tell me if what I've written here makes sense to you.
