Interesting thread. I'm doing an ATPL but am able to do so with mimimal risk to my standard living (yes, I am very lucky I know) but I would like to make the following points if I may be so bold, as I am worried about how this thread might read to other wannabees who will be taking on massive financial risk
1. Some experienced airline pilots who speak on this forum seem to find ambition/dreams/starry eyes disturbing. Not exactly the spirit is it which got man to the moon is it.....hmmm? naive maybe, but humans need a driving force.
2. While I think people should be informed of the degree of risk they are taking, and its potential consequence to famly life, I suspect some shoud try harder to differentiate between what maybe their own personal negative experience and unbiased sound object advice which is lilkely to relevant to others.
3. If being a professional pilot really isn't "worth it"...lets hear exactly why not in more detail pls?!.....
4. I find it hard to believe employers in the airline industry are really that bad. They are employers like any other in industry, and are goverened by the same laws as the bank I am working for as I write. Yes, you are a resource - you need to realise that, but employers generally do not go out of their way to shaft people at their first opportunity. If I am wrong in the case of aviation ( I accept some locos may be borderline at best here), then pls enlighten me/us; but I sense employee paranoia here to be honest.
5. All this talk about not being able to feed the kids, put a roof over your head etc etc if it goes pear shaped...has go to be a complete exaggeration. C'mon this is 2007, no-one is going to starve if their dad fails to get a flying job surely?!!
There said my bit! comments welcome!