Did another couple of years in foreign countries, after doing twenty years up to twenty years and one day ago .
Happily hung up the aircraft headphones and a couple of years later put on another kind and now pretend to fly planes in a simulator and get paid for it.
Was there for the very best of Oz aviation, don't bother with a license any more. Get a pole around, occasionally in mate's aircraft and DON'T have to do or PAY for amendments, medicals or subject myself to daily inspections by disrespectful morons who have joined the new industry at airports.
NO back of the clock, no rushed aircraft meals, no stupid airy fairies who feel they should be paid as much as a Senior commercial pilot, flogging a Conquest around the backblocks because they've done a six week course to become a senior FA (or what ever they call themselves these days) or ask why I should have gotten a pilot position and they only got to be a FA when we joined the company in the same group. They wouldn't have minded being a pilot....true stories.
Do I miss it? ... not one bit.
I had twenty five great years looking down on PNG, OZ, Asia and the Pacific.
There comes a time when another magically exciting life can be discovered.
I'm in that one now.