It's the best industry to work in, bar none.
I spent my younger years in the RAAF. Nothing beats climbing at 28000 f.min.. Flying at Mach 1.6 and seeing the curvature of the earth...
I have been in the 'real world' for a while now. The planes aren't as flash, but the flying is still fun. Most people who work in this industry do so because they love it. This includes pilots, engineers and ops!!
Yeah, there are a few whingers around. Generally speaking, their bad experiences are a result of their own negativity, No sympathy.