My thoughs are this - dont stop flying because you are no longer a career pilot. I know I could always scrape together a few bucks each month to go for a burn in a 152, or a Cub. Take the time to go to the Dero club for a few ales. There is a comraderie (sp.) between pilots that exists long after our medicals expire that other industries could only wish to have. It's something very important to me personally
AGS99, good advice indeed. I know for one that I was a little bitter when my career path took up a different heading, mainly due to the lack of flying activity but also because I thought one of the consequences would be losing some very good friends that I'd met along the way. Of course, what it made me realise was who my good mates really were, despite not being able to catch up as often, and as I said before, I get to live vicariously through them. Sometimes it's hard not to get a little p!$$ed off (why is it that ASICs, medicals and documents all expire in the same month?
), but these days I cherish every second behind the controls; the planned half-hour flight rarely stops at 0.5 - just one more circuit to see if these landings get any better.....