Hello all,
I just thought Id add my input. My post isn't a direct reply to anybody but more so and hopefully a touch of inspiration.
Firstly in life id like to think there is no right or wrong when it comes to your personal situations, only what you feel is right for you as an individual.
I fly, Im a 1600 hour pilot (not a lot of hours in 9 years) on the brink of first command. But its taken me 9 years to get here since obtaining my CPL/IR.
Like many before, many now and many after, being a pilot was all I wanted. Literally. I have not been lucky or as prudent enough as others to have been able to obtain another skill or have a previous career that I could potentially fall back on if this all failed me. To that I have to make my flying work. But i'm not bound by that. It will work because its what I wanted to do. It will work because its still what I want to do now.
Granted I have not been around the industry as long as some who have seen many changes. But when I qualified in 2005 it was a great time as a 'newby' to get into the industry. I landed my first job flying business jets 1 month before graduation from the flight school. I've flown business jets ever since.
I've never been part of an airline or airline setup and I would never criticise any aspect of it as I simply haven't done it. I can only offer you my experience.
I started flying business jets because that's what came calling first and I have just stuck with it ever since. Not because I had the luxury to choose between G/A or airlines.
The business jet world is as unstable as the Andreas Fault line (i'm not plugging the new movie). I have been a victim of its instability.I was out of flying for 2 years because of a company folding on the front of the economic downturn.
2 years. It was long, it was drawn, it was pretty much hell. A 700 hour pilot feeling like there was nothing to show for the efforts. But I still wanted to fly. Even after two years. I just never gave up. Ok circumstance was a lot different then, I didn't have a family of my own compared to now and perhaps if I found myself out of flying for a lengthy period again, I'm sure Id be in a different job to feed the family.
I liken my flying as a career to perhaps a lad who manged to fulfill his dream of become a footballer. Getting paid to do what you love. There is no difference. I don't want to upset anybody or belittle what has been said before, but id like to think we didn't sign up to lie on a beach for 4 days but that we signed up for the love of flying the aircraft. I mean we don't sign up for any other job for the amount of coffee breaks or smoking breaks we get.
By business jet standards what I fly may be seen as being small and almost a toy and to that the extra bits that come with the territory such as being on your hands and knees in uniform in +30 degrees cleaning the cabin before the next departure, or at times doing and filing your own flight plans (i guess 'muckin' in is a good term) may seem like 'scratch of the head' stuff. But again, I wouldn't change it. You see there's taking a look over the other side of the fence and wondering perhaps what airline flying would be like or even another operator in GA, but nothing compares to that 2 year lull I had. I'd take the cleaning of the cabin toilet and putting you're own oil in down route over that lull any day of the week.
As mentioned before I am now on the verge of my first command. I get to lie on the beach for a few days sometimes and I'm based in my home country where all my family are. Yep there's always that unsure-ness waiting around the corner but i know if you don't give up and find the angles things will always work if that's what you want.
If you've genuinely fallen out of love with something in life then for sure its time to move on...... and let me just state that in my opinion there's nothing that should come before your family or health, so yes there are times when decisions have to be made.
As a guy in his thirties who was 22 when he qualified and started flying jets, I look up to the older fellas. I take something from everyone who is older than me and been around the industry longer than me. I form an opinion on my own path based on segments from each person. There is never the ideal job in life and sometimes its the people you come across that make the job just as worth while. You all sound like good chaps who will do the right thing, but just know that there are people coming through the ranks now who would tear a limb off to be you or to be in your position. The same people that probably look up to you.
I hope it all works out whatever you decide.
Thanks in advance for reading.