most people don't go into aviation for the money.
or for convenient family life.
Rather, setting off for an aviation career, rotary especially, has an impact on both personal finances and family life (whether barriers, work/life -crazy saving- balance or just time spent with family)
planning on doing 'something interesting' when you're gonna get bored by boring job and no kids to take care of? Well, that one doesn't need comment
some people go into aviation to fly BIG JETS and/or with the carrot on a stick of earning BIG BUCKS later on down the line.
I can't tell how many people actually decide to embark on rotary career for either of the above, especially given the nature of job and differences with airline jobs.
Wife, kids. So you don't consider J1 and USA for two years. Well, you can always do hectic flying during summer or winter and do fATPL in the UK as many do.
I ALSO SUGGEST READING 'WOULD I DO IT AGAIN' THREAD.
Highly informative. I also came across some threads comparing RW and FW career routes, pros and cons. Also useful. Can't tell the heading. Search it.
You look at it as someone with commitments (family, stable income) or someone calculating 'investment return' on a venture?
Well, it's your life you'd invest the money in. Quality (or as some may say, lack of quality in following 2-3+ years) of life.
I'm sure zillions of wannabes and sometime-to-be-pro-pilots-in-the-making-right-now would only start to be envious of your 'options' especially availability of funds.
Some of us (me incl) struggle to finance, or even to draw realistic budget and plan for the coming years of 'getting there' ie first instructor job which still isn't proper 'there'.
Putting up with stuff, working too much, putting off other stuff. Spend and are willing to spend anything just to do something we REALLY DESIRE/DREAM OF WITH WHOLE HEART AND MIND.
Without any guarantees in the future.
Some just catch the bug later, but it's as strong as for someone adoring pictures of anything flyable or better still, some real machines around.
Don't take it negatively, but I'm not sure you'd find yourself in many aspects of what I just mentioned. Or understanding WHY.
Maybe it's just an impression.
As some say, a person with well paid job can afford to fly privately for leisure. The rest of us did/will/do work hard on a career out of flying knowing it's too expensive otherwise. Although is so expensive to get into.