What are you doing now, instead of Flying?

[HarleyD]

Planky,

I take a little exception to your claim that we are all pilots just because we are here on prune, couldn't disagree more. there are plenty of wannabee's and ppl's that have read a few books and played flightsim that think that they can put ther two cents worth in on any subject, regardless of the opinions of some very experienced people here.

The real pilots, or at least the real professional pilots are those who have made their career and life, and lifestyle commitment to earning their daily bread in this sometimes thankless industy. Still, when i am sitting in my office above the clouds, far above any earthbound executive's office I would not swap jobs regardless of mere financial rewards. my licence will be prised from my fingers against my will and only then will I think about what cames after this life.

Oneday_soon asked what those of us commercially employed pilots who have left the industry are doing now, not whether we are all one with the wannabees and flight simmers, very different question. It is very easy to pick the real pilots from the 'sciolists' we are warned about.

I have been flying for a long time and don't intend to stop anytime soon, despite the occaisional burst from wifey (number 2, number one couldn't hack the lifestyle of an ag pilot's wife). sitting above ayre's rock, the simpson desert, baby krakatoa, the bay of bengal, the tasman sea, the andes (beside the andes really), the grand canyon the black hills of dakota, the carribean, the amazon or orinoco rivers, mt wilhelm , the whagi or ramu valleys, clouds (any clouds) or a heap of other places, or belting along at 3 feet spraying u nder wires and between treesis a workplace that is so far beyond the comprehension of those who deliberately choose serve behind a counter in a bank (no offense intended) rather than to grasp the nettle firmly and take the lumps for a few years, that it is difficult to dignify the claim that we are all pilots because we peck a few posts of a forum from time to time....hellloooooo.

To those who have tasted the life and been compelled to hang up the headset for significant reasons, please post on,, for those simmers who like to see their name on a post, please read the starting post and enter at your (ignorance and) peril.

I also have pile of amendments to attack soon, still, its not all blue skies and tail winds every day is it??

Best Regards to all retired Professionals,

HD