Well after a few years in the industry I have started being honest with myself. What I mean is whilst in flight school and during my first couple of jobs I was surrounded by other pilots telling me that all of these experiences are just a stepping stone to get to something with two jets and two pilots.
I love flying in bush operations, the people the heavy loads, crap strips the basic aircraft in some far flung place on earth. But I was dragged along with all the others and started to convince myself that only drop kicks stay in GA and after 1000hrs you are to good to be on a single piston!
It has taken me quite a while to realise this of course is a bunch of crap and actually its some of the best flying you can get. I still get more excited at seeing a muddy C185 unloading rifles and backpacks than I do seeing a 777 inbound from some exotic destination. This is not a rant or disparaging of airline pilots whom I have the greatest respect but its just me telling you how much better I feel now I'm doing what I want not what I think is correct for my career. In fact I try to avoid companies that have lot of singles and a couple of twins because they tend to attract the guys who would kill there own family for twin time and often don't enjoy the journey getting to the RH seat and they are no fun to be around.
Before someone comes on here and says you can't fly GA for ever with a big loan well I have the big loan and it is hard at times but money is not everything. When I'm fishing off the floats of my aircraft I have to smile to myself, its a great job.
I should have recognized the signs early, when the other students wanted to fly the new a/c with the glass cockpit I was in the cub and loving it.
So are you going to head for the airlines because you really really want to or is it because it is expected of you in this career and your peer group and the imagined prestige you think it will bring. How many times have you been asked "do you fly those big ones" when telling someone you are a pilot.
