Being a pilot and having a family

[travis73]

I have a question for any airline pilots out there that also have a family. I am currently in the beginning of my training to become an airline pilot. I became interested in becoming a pilot because of the prestige, money and lucrative life a pilot lives. But, recently I started thinking more about having a family since I'm getting to that age where I have to worry about stuff like that and I was wondering; what is it like to be an airline pilot and raise a family? Do you get a lot of time where you are actually at home to see your kid grow up? Or are you always gone flying? If there is a good route to go being a pilot and raise a family could you please enlighten me? I am open to anything, parcel transportation, corporate flying, regional, commuter. Please help me!

Travis

[Mister approach]

Reconsider the reasons you want to become a pilot before you start a family- if the reasons you want to become a pilot are those that you stated , I would suggest maybe just starting a family.

Kind Regards.

[ABO944]

Here, Here!!

Most of us pilots do the job as we love flying ...... not for the reasons you gave ..... although the rewards are nice!

[ETOPS]

travis73


I became interested in becoming a pilot because of the prestige, money and lucrative life a pilot lives.

I think you are a little out of date here. There are hundereds of thousands of professional aviators worldwide and the vast majority of them do not have the "gold-plated" lifestyle you seek.

Most of us thoroughly enjoy our jobs and a few are well rewarded but don't go asuming the high salaries of the past will continue into the future........

[AerocatS2A]

Do you have a wife/partner already?

I think an important point is to make sure that you are both going into this with your eyes open. It may help to have a conversation along the lines of, "This is what I want to do, it will probably involve us moving from state to state (or whatever) every couple of years and eventually I will be spending a week or two away from home at a time, when I get back I'm going to be tired and useless for the first day at least. I may never make as much money as we'd like and I certainly won't be making much to start off with, in fact, you may need to support me to some extent. My career will consume me and it MUST take precedence over any career or job that you have."

If you can both accept those terms honestly then you can have a happy successful marriage. If she has a problem with any of those things then you will inevitably have troubles with your relationship.

It may sound harsh or selfish but you just need to find someone who's desires are compatible with yours. Marrying a lawyer or doctor may not be a great idea!

[Wino]

You will be away from home for virtually every important moment and crisis of youf life.

You will miss the birth of your son, you wife will have an accident and need emergency surgery when you are halfway around the planet. A tree will fall through the bedroom of your house while you are half a world away, your dog will die while you are away for 8 weeks of training. You may have a kidney stone in a far away land with poor medical treatment.

This is just from MY life, and I work for major airlines with VERY good rostering and days off and the ability to trade time and get ANY day off I need just by asking.

The problem is that these things happen while you already a day or more from home. Your wife might have the baby 2 weeks early etc....

If you don't LOVE flying forget it. There are waay to many sacrifices that come with the job. Its a great job if you are single and love to travel and LOVE flying.

Cheers
Wino

[A Very Civil Pilot]

It works well for me. I'm in the Uk working for a low cost airline on an early and late roster.

On the earlies I'm up and away whilst the family are still asleep, and back mid-afternoon when there is still time to see them and do something with the rest of the day.

On lates I'm around until late-morning, or even late-afternoon, so there is the whole day together, and they're all asleep when I get back.

As I live close to the airport standbys are almost a day off, but if I get called its no great rush to get there.

Compared to my non-aviation friends working Mon-Fri 9-5, I see much more of the family than they do.

The down points are not being able to guarentee time off in advance. As most social events are the evening and weekend, you'll tend to see less of your mates than you used to. Theres also the feeling of helplessness if anything happens down route whilst you're at work. It's a frightening thought that if my wife is taken ill whist I'm away, our son will have to get taken into social sevices care until I get back.

[G-Foxtrot Oscar 69]

Are you for real?

If those are your reasons you won't get any where near.

To even get through a PPL you have to want to fly so bad it hurts.

Where do you get the idea of money etc?

Have you spoken to any unemployed pilots recently, because they are easy to find.

I think you have to look at two issues here:-

1). Flying
2). Family

If you have a significant other half, they will probably have to work whilst you are instructing just to make ends meet. Next you then have to factor in child care costs etc.

Perhaps you need to do either or or take the third option and find a wealthy partner.

I have a friend who spent his entire working life as a long haul pilot and missed the birth of every one of their 3 children and the graduations of 2 of the 3.

They at least had a large income as he was very senior, and after the RAF went straight through with one airline.

Remember anything can be achieved but only for the right reasons.

[con-pilot]

Marry someone with a really, really good job. You will need a spouce with a good income to see you through the hard early times that can last up to ten years. As many others have stated to be a professional pilot one must love flying.

Wino pretty well stated my life as a pilot. When anything bad happens (or good, like the brith of a child) you're usually gone.

[B737NG]

If you want to become a Pilot because of prestige and further bla bla bal then stay away. The times are gone. If you LOVE flying and be able to cope with all the hustle you have in the first few years until you fly a Jet and be able to make a living out of it then go for it. The time where you have 3 days at the beach and then fly home to get a week with the family ..... they where rare in the past and you will never get them in the future. As post stated earlier: If FAMILY is your major concern then you better do a Monday to Friday 8 to 5 job because whenever something good or bad happens you are not able to share the same moment with the family as you are away..... to rest or to fly, not at the beach or on one of the ominent Crew party`s as you are the family man.

NG

[GlueBall]

In the U.K. there once was an airline called BEA; it was the "Back Every Afternoon" outfit...where pilots with families would fly. ;)

[PILOTGAL]

Have you thought about WHY it is you want to have children? Be sure, be very, very sure you that you & your wife really want to have children for the right reasons, not just because of social/family expectations.

Have you considered the choice to be "childfree", as my husband and I have chosen to be?? Makes life a whole lot simpler and cheaper, especially with him being a professional pilot.

It's your choice - just remember that there IS a choice

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