I did not say 90% of the job, I said 90% of the flight, now that was probably slightly exaggerated, I can admit that!
Oh dear! Did I misquote you?
"Flying is hours of boredom, punctuated by moments of stark terror."
Here I am today, "living the dream"
Yet the dream does not feel like a dream anymore! Maybe my message should also go as a stark warning to those "older wannabes", who believe this is what is missing in their life!
Against most odds, I got into the business, which was my "dream" - however already on my first observer day, my dreams was shattered to pieces! 4 sectors across Europe in one day on the jump seat, I was destroyed when I returned to my bed to have a rest! Guess what, not a long rest, I barely had closed my eyes, before I had to wake up again, and go for another day of observer flights!
Now this has become my everyday life - and feeling what I do now it makes me wonder, was this really the dream I thought it was?
Yes I am living the "dream!"
Looking back over the years, the sacrifices, the money I spent, the fractures of my relationship, the time I am loosing with my daughter, the things I could have done with that "money" that I have already spent!
I get up 3.30 in the morning, and get back at 17.00, and than next morning up again 3.30 - vow... yes, I am flying a shiny jet, vow... what a dream!!
And how much money did I make for those hours of work? Hmm. Hard to give an exact number, but probably around £150, seriously, are you kidding me, you might think that is great money!
However I had a business, still have it by the way, where I make more money in an afternoon, I actually was home few days last week, and made £1500 with few hours work within 4 - 5 days
Now what can I say, I got what I wanted, or so it seemed, do I enjoy it? I enjoy parts, but are those parts I enjoy worth all the hours I am stuck in that metal tin?
I am not meaning to offend anybody, but besides the Take Off / departure and the Approach / Descent - and landing, 90% of the job is DEAD BORING! It does my head in to sit there for hours and hours, doing nothing, besides read some FCOM or some other "useful" literature, to enhance my aviation career!
Now I do admit, maybe if I got home to my family a bit more often, and maybe if the pay was better, I would not feel so let down by what I thought was my "dream" - however that does still not cover over the fact of all those hours of boredom!
But thinking about the "freedom" I have lost, the income from the job, the loss of family life, commuting lifestyle, where of course your roster will never be adapted to give you the chance to travel home on your working day, you always have to commute on your off days!
So you "older" guys specially, who are considering to follow your dream, beware - it might not be exactly as you imagine it to be! I do miss GA, and in many ways think I probably would have had more fun flying around in a small PA28 - than again back in 2006, when I started to think about startng to fly again, a friend of mine, who was a 74 captain, tried to tell me that it was maybe not as it seemed!
But did I listen? Of course - not that much, and neither will probably you either, but considering the facts with the cost of training and time lost with family and friends!
Can you imagine the pleasure and fun I could have had with my family, if I had spent the money on them, instead of CPL / ME/IR + + , do I now have regrets?
I can't have regrets, because if I had not tried I would never have known, I got what I deserved and what I asked for!
Having known the facts I know today, would have I have done something different, probably yes, but maybe not!
I am still in a very fortunate situation compared to many other people, as I still have my business running slowly above idle, and I know in myself if I feel to much BS coming my way, it will cost me nothing to say STOP! But that's not really want I want to do, I want to give it a go, until 1500 - 2000 hours TT, but if this is it, well than I am not so convinced anymore!
I would be surprised if I am the only one feeling like this, but I think many are to proud to admit it, because it would be making yourself admit that after spending all that effort, time and money, it was not just all that!
No, apparently not! However, even if you find 90% of
the flight "DEAD BORING" then you are still not doing it properly. As has already been mentioned, your posting history (in all of it's many guises) seems to involve a lot of you, shouting to the rest of the world, a lot of utter nonsense. Perhaps you should allow your brain to catch up with your fingers
before you reach for the keyboard. Actually, that would be good advice in the flightdeck as well.
Do you remember writing this barely 12 weeks ago? Maybe you should remind yourself.
I admit, in the past, I have said stupid things on these forums, some maybe misguided, lack of experience, but the more you get into this business, the more you see you want to learn and know, and the more you understand how little you know!