How can you say it's a convoluted, twisted path to a career?
How many other careers state all the required competencies upfront? How many have the competencies and skills so transparently measurable and regularly checked?
Try drawing a similar career path structure for a bank manager, politician, professional musician or research chemist. Betcha can't!
I say follow your heart, and fulfil your dream. Until you sit in seat0A ever so gently, if not very quietly, lifting 60,000 kg of metal, fluid, people and baggage off the runway and safely to FL310 and beyond, you haven't really lived.
Sure there are boring and scary aspects that plenty of people here will delight in pointing out to you.
But it's better than waiting for the clock to reach 5:30 and the only thing to look forward to, is whether there something new on the telly tonight.
Just my 2 penn'orth.