The truth is that this game sucks more and more with every year that passes. Life is too short, simplifying that life is a good start to getting the hell out.
Life ain't a dress rehearsal. This is the real deal. I'm out having done the maths and decided it was possible. I want to die poor, not rich. There were alternatives in work that paid the bills and savings did the rest. Now a couple of pensions have kicked in. The maths were correct and life style/quality of life exploded: that included family time and an ever shortening bucket list. I tried to imagine, especially on a Sunday lunchtime with my mates over a roast, what it would be like to be getting up at 04.00 on Monday for a block of earlies. I started to shake in horror and had another glass of red to calm me down and stop the jitters. Then the memory receded and all was well with the world again. Even my wife smiled at me remembering the gummy old bear that went to bed early and left home for 5 days the morning after. She dreaded the first day of home coming as the 'get it off my chest' saga took longer each time.
It's over and god save whose ever king or queen you support; even a president.
I think that's an interesting post. I've felt like this myself. When you start out, the prospect and emotions attached to the idea of working in the airline world can be a small bit out of proportion. It's easy to smooth over the negatives by the over riding belief that you will enjoy it and all the sacrifices WILL be worth while. Maybe they will for you. Its personal. I love the job but it's caused ramifications in my personal world im not sure im willing to put up with anymore so i'm looking at options. I'll miss flying when I leave but the sacrifice is out of balance for me now and I don't want to peg it and not have had a balanced life as I view a balanced life means to me.
When you get to mid life, have a partner, home, have been furloughed/redundant, fatigued, joined airline "z" on the latest scummy deal then who knows who you'll feel. Some folk don't have this bumpy career path and fair better in the short term. I say short as its a changing world we work in.
Some people no doubt continueing enjoying the job and can make the lifestyle sacrifices work under the state of play as it is at the moment. That's fair play. I respect that a great deal. We're all individuals with individual lives. I like seeing people who are happy.
But what I struggle to understand is how in a world where we're supposed to be emotionally mature, balanced individuals, those same individuals can castigate people for daring to hold their hands up and say "you know what, it ain't working. I'm glad I gave it a whirl, I've no idea what to do next and need to find something because it's making me and my loved ones compromise too much and we've only got one shot here". People who say to give the job up and allow someone who wants to do it for example. You'd expect that of a youngster but not an emotionally mature person. A lot of people got themselves where they are off their own hides and owe the next guy waiting for a seat - nothing. Many would call it a day but need to work out an exit strategy.
Just remember. Folk aren't "pilots" they're people like anyone carving a life, with lives, troubles, births, marriages, joy and illness like anyway else. It's perfectly ok to say it ain't working. Just seems within the piloting field there's folk who believed once you put that label on yourself you've signed into a Faustian deal and need your head checked for even thinking of leaving and are displaying some sort of un greatful misdemeanour towards the Gods who allow piloting for even mentioning alternatives.
Just remember, you popped into this life bare arsed, pink skinned and not much else. You certainly didn't come with a label "life valid only if installed in flight deck"