Interviews
 

When someone asks you as an ab initio why you want to fly for an airline rather than just for pleasure - and let's face it, there is a great deal of pleasure to be had from aeros, racing, bumbling round the counties in a 152, flying to Goodwood for coffee and cake, etc - what on Earth do you say?

I don't buy the story that you want to be a senior manager, travel lots and have a good lifestyle. All of that can be had in 9-5 careers which leave you spare time to drink cocktails in your garden, allow you to sleep at night with your husband/ wife (or someone else's), and give you weekends off and money for flying. If you want to own an airline, that's a different kettle of fish, and you wouldn't even bother becoming a pilot.

Unless you have the cash up front, to achieve these things as an airline pilot is going to take years of debt, anxiety and disappointment.

What truly compelling arguments can anyone out there make for pursuing the 'airline dream' as opposed to getting out and enjoying your private flying and getting all the other thrills you need from an up to date version of MS Flight Sim, enjoyed over a beer at next to no cost?

None.

I thought so.