Vdaff,
I know your frustration, we all felt it once at least.
Lucky I have been pilot, and tried a A320.
So let me explain some things, you may feel better.
- pilot is not a real job with real skills. Those skills are not transferable.
How I know that ?
Because my ocntract has been ended last year, and I had to find another business to do. Glad I did.
but I noticed that when you only know how to fly a plane, you are stuked.
Let's face it, we do not know really to manage a team and set up projects, like in enginering. A pilot is just a "complex bus driver". You are an operator or technican, but not an engineer who has deeper knowledges.
- It is not as pink as you think... After few months flying airbus, I felt a bit boring though. Same routes, same clearance, same flights, same altitude, same strategies, same headings, same repetitives SOP's, same hotels etc etc.
Geting up at 3 am to start a flight at 5 or 6am, it is not funny at all.
- There is no futur...sadly, you would start in a LCC (like I did) and once you are there, the first thing you want, is to get out ! How ? you don't know.
yeah, you may go in the M.E, to get high cash
but honestly I do it only for money...but living in ME, it is not my cup of tea.
So it's not a job but a bohemian lifestyle that become truly tough after 30 y/o.
It is a nice job for a single and young person. When you want a real life and normal life, with a minimum of stability, then god bless you. It is all about luck and Casino.
- You are piece of chess game for the airline.
You're right to not encourage youner aspirants. I do not even recomend this job to my own children.
but, move on Vdaff, don't cry here so long. I encourage to start another real career and fly for FUN.
When I was pilot, I did not have time for flying for FUN. because in Asia, there are no flying clubs most of the time. And anyway you don't have time.
become engineer, (you can work in aviation, railway, cars....) get some real skills, and rent a plane. You will be less frustrated and will find the love of flying.
Good luck!