Im enjoying this thread..Thank you all..
Im not really qualified to talk about anything other than the instructing side of things, but what I can tell you is that Ive enjoyed the teaching, and more importantly the learning.
I think it helped me being a bit older when I started, but I really enjoy seeing people get the most out of themselves..I dont think I could have said that at the age of 20 (Im now in my 30s) as I was far too much up my own ar$e.
Saying that,I do have plans to get out and charter in the next few years, as I would like to have more freedoms, or should i say different freedoms. I see my friends hooning around the outback, and do have a certain amount of envy
it was always my plan to instruct first, because I wanted to be around a lot of different pilots of different experience levels and just pick the hell out of their brains.
I have no interest in the airlines, but do have a lot of interest in flying seaplanes, something as yet i have not done..Possibly choppers as well.
Do whatever feels right, then be prepared to work hard and you'll get a lot out of it.