1. What is the best part of your job?
The flying part, but that is obvious. Satisfaction of knowing I am doing exactly what I want to do.
2. What is the worst part of your job?
Probably the things any person finds tedious with their employment regardless of profession... nothing specific to aviation in my view.
3. Any regrets in choosing your career?
Absolutely not... I wake up every day and get to go flying again...
4. How long have you been in it?
10 years / 3,500 hours.
5. If someone you knew was considering getting their commercial license, would you recommend it to them?
Absolutely, but you have to REALLY want to succeed.... if you're just in for a "cool" job that you can brag about OR perceive this as a cushy thing to do you're wasting your time AND and a whole pile of money. REAL success in this field requires perseverence, tenacity, patience, honesty and hard work.
6. What advice would you give to a multi-talented, low-time pilot with a couple hundred hours under his/her belt and few years' experience in the industry, potential for a family, and considering pursuing some other career instead of the glorified chopper pilot?
Work hard. Be honest, both to those around you AND to yourself. Accept constructing criticism and be wary of anything that sounds too good to be true... it probably is. Most of all, I think you need to identify your own version of the proverbial carrot on a string... by that I mean identifying the goal you wish to achieve in your flying career... visualise it, stay focussed on it and keep aiming for it.
7. Do you consider yourself successful? Why or why not?
Totally... I set out to achieve something and I did it. My goal was crystal clear to me and I just kept at it until I achieved it.... everything since is a bit like a bonus. I now get paid to do exactly what I enjoy every day. It was a bit like retiring from my former career and now enjoying my favourite activity and having someone pay me to do so.