Women - who needs them!!! (or men if Im being PC)

[Flyingspaniard]

Out of interest, how many people out there who have done there commercial training can attribute this to the break up of their relationship?

Just asking as someone who has suffered a break up recently :( - although I wouldn't say it was caused by my training.

Is it possible to stay in a long term relationship when you're a pilot?

Would you want to?

[ 14 December 2001: Message edited by: Flyingspaniard ]

[rbarretto]

Sorry for your break up although it is possible to have a lasting relationship. My husband and I are both airline pilots for freight carriers. We started dating after he signed me off for my commercial. We dated for 3 years and then were engaged for another 3. The marriage is great and honestly I would not want to marry anyone that was not a fellow aviator. Good Luck!

butterfly :)

[F3]

This should be on JB or the Agony Aunt forum I think....but anyway, I was dumped by a girl I thought the world of on sept 11th!!
It didn't sink in for a while 'coz I was so preoccupied with the sad events of the day.
We are at a selfish stage of life I suppose (as wannabees) and these things happen to most people at one time or another :rolleyes: Silly thing is, I would have given the whole thing up for her!..But she did't know, and never will! Now of course, I'm glad. :)
Chin up Flyingspaniard, you will find the right one! Concentrate on your career. That's what I remind myself to do.

[Squawk7777]

I guess it all depends on your character and faith. I dated a girl who is now flying a bigger plane than me. Since she got her new job (with luck that was - not knowledge!) I noticed a drastic character change - from nice to arrogant, so it was time to go missed ... :(

I don't really care what other pilots fly, I respect them all (from C150 to B747-400)

Arrogance means that you don't deserve your job you have.

[Airbus A320]

Watch out for BA girls, as the saying goes:

"You can take the girl out of BA, but you can't take BA out the girl"

[rebeccadblake]

Okay no offence to you male pilots but .......

I have found that most male trainee pilots are VERY selfish.

I have just starting going out with a pilot whos just doing/finishing (awaiting tommorows results) his ATPL's I hope for GOD that he has passed I cannot go though that hell again.

I mean... No sex, No life, praticully have not bf thoughout the 4 weeks before exams... how thats tuff on any relationship.

[Elin Scheffers]

Ahhh, the ever returning topic. Well, here's what I have to say about that. Pilots or non pilots, doesn't matter. Boys will be boys and if it's not planes than it's something else. Women, stop bitching and start living. My point is, if your girlfriend starts nagging about you flying, tell her to find a hobby of her own. If she doesn't than she is not the one for you and she should get herself a accountant or something and not a pilot.

[Speedbird59]

Perhaps relationships and flight training would work if women were more like aeroplanes.....

For instance aeroplanes don't get jealous if you look at other aeroplanes, or object to a pre-flight inspection. Aeroplanes don't get jealous if you read magzines with pictures of aeroplanes in them. Aeroplanes don't object to a touch and go.

Ok my tongue is very firmly in my cheek but seriously now I don't believe it's impossible to combine the two. Most of our grandparents managed to keep their relationships alive throughout the second world war so it stands to reason a good relationship should be able to stand the rigours of an ATPL course!

[Blitzkrieg1]

Can I just say something from a female 'pilot in training's' point of view to the desperate other halves. Trust me women in training can be just as selfish. When you have a dream no matter what sex you are, the only way to achieve it is through sheer determination especially when everything is against you as it certainly feels like in the aviation world at times. So guys, chill out. If they don't understand then they're not worth it - I had a guy once ask me to choose - being a pilot won and it was worth it!!!!

[Flyingspaniard]

F3 you are right - I'm a bit embarassed to have put this on the forum now.

Oh well, its amazing how your feelings change after a bit of time. A month ago I would have quit everything for this girl. Now I realise that I'm free to travel the world doing the thing I love... so it's not all bad.

Funnily enough we got on better when I was away studying than after I got back. She probably stopped getting late night visits from Leroy, the well endowed plumber from next door!!!(joke)

As you all say you have to be selfish to succeed, so from now on that is what I'm gonna do. I think I've turned bitter and twisted!!!

Thanx for your nice words - My chin is on its way up!!! :p

[Autofly]

I reckon it's either one or the other extreme with your other half. My girlfriend is always on at me about my flying and its got to the point where its a total taboo subject. I can't even look up in the sky without her kicking off on one!!!

On the other hand, it you want to do your pilot training with more than enough support chaps, get yourself a replica Mrs. Delta-Wun-Wun ...... I met her at the Gatbash and its a joke the extremes she'll go to to support Mr. D-W-W. SK, your a lucky man!!!

Mind you, these females are few and far between to be honest. At the beginning of relationships, females who don't have any aviation knowledge think its great that your a pilot until they realise that it runs your life!! As a gonnabe, I know it runs mine.

AF

[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: Autofly ]</p>

[Luke SkyToddler]

Hehehe, I think I was the last one who posted a thread having a major bitch about this a few months back ... I had just gone through the same thing.

I've concluded that flying training and wannabe'ing in general, isn't selfish as such but it is a pretty lonely road to follow and you do need a partner that has a lot of patience and understanding ... basically there are going to be certain times (like coming up to your ATPLs or IR test) when you have to totally put your flying first and totally focus on nothing else for a time ... it doesn't mean that you don't still love your partner, but if they don't understand that you're under a lot of pressure and they start getting grouchy and resentful about it, then your relationship is probably not going to last very long.

Anyway I've got the opposite problem at the moment ... I've been seeing a really cool girl for the last two or three months, I took her for a fly and the ineveitable happened, she's had a big revelation and decided that she wants MY job ... she's just quit her own nice earning little job and put her house on the market so that she can go and do her pilot training as well <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

So now it's up to me to see if I can be the supportive partner thing while she goes through all the pilot training nightmare herself ... god I'm dreading it ... should be an interesting social experiment anyway ... I'll keep you all posted :)

[scroggs]

I'm at risk of dragging this topic into almost serious territory here, but I have to say that any field that requires high levels of dedication in the early years will have a detrimental effect on relationships. The committed and genuinely loving partner will recognise that some ambitions just have to be fulfilled, and there may be a financial reward somewhere in the future. You, as the indulged one in the relationship, have an obligation to recognise and reward this kind of support, and to realise that your ambition can easily become obsession - which is most certainly not healthy for your relationship!
Take it from one who screwed up twice: just because you're trying to become a professional pilot doesn't make you special in any other respect - look after your other half!

[Captain Chaos 747]

My partner and I who where together for 3 years broke up after I had done all my training, god bless her I would not have made it if it was not for her love and support.

The reason we did split was because I had a offer to work in Amsterdam but she could not come with me due to the fact she had too many commitments, so I ended up turning down the job offer and that made her quite upset about it, she felt she had held me back from my dream and so ended it her reasons was she did not want to see me waste all my effort in getting the licences and turn jobs down because I would have to move away.

I agreed to it as much as I did not want to but I knew she was right, thankfully I did find a job and we still keep in touch she is the most unselfish person I have ever known and I love her to bits. I hope I can find someone in the future who is just like that.

She has a ppl and does read this site she will know who I am and I just want to say "Thank you darling for the years of support and love you gave me I just wish you were still with me to share my success because it was as much to do with you as it was with me, I know you are seeing someone else now and he seems a nice chap but if there is anything I can do for you in the future or if your in trouble you call me and I will help you like you helped me, speak to you soon". <img src="wink.gif" border="0">