jetcareers - View Single Post - Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

Airdale · July 5th, 2006, 17:02

Maybe this isn't the right part of the board here, but I need some advice.

Things are getting tough right now. Here's a little backround:

2 years after high school I joined the military (U.S. Coast Guard). I've been with my high school sweetheart for 7 years, we're engaged now with a wedding planned for June of next year. I've always wanted to be a commercial pilot since I was a little kid. She knows this, and she's been extremely supportive. During my 4 year tour in the Coast Guard, I probably spent about 2 years total away from home on some sort of deployment. We worked through it and it wasn't a big issue.

After Coast Guard I went to Jax florida for what was supposed to be 2 months of Private Pilot training but turned into 3 because of weather. I finished that, came home for about a month and a half then hit the road (or sky should I say) for Cross countries for 3 weeks, home for a week then CFI school for 2 weeks. After that I got hired to instruct at the school, went to Jax for new hire training, was there 1 month, got a position at DC and moved there. I've been here for 2 months and have only seen my fiance about 3 times in 4 months. Needless to say this is getting tough. On all sides.

Our relationship is great, and we deal with the seperations quite well - or so it seemed before. Lately both of us have started to question what I'm doing. I'm pursuing this life long childhood dream, but its not turning out to be all I thought it would. I have spent more time training and training others then I have seen her. I drive 3 1/2 hours to see her every chance I get, which is limited. My car is falling apart after putting 6k miles on it in almost two months. It needs a lot of work. To top that off, the pay is so bad, that I'm having a hard time adjusting to this. I make now half of what I made in the military as an E4, and those prior military know that E4 pay isn't great, but it gets you by.

Word on the street and on every internet site you visit is the airline industry is crap. I can expect maybe $20k/year at a Regional and time away from home is probably going to be about the same. I've dreamed of flying passenger jets since I was a child, but now I dream of just being home with my fiance and raising a family. My paycheck damn near qualifies me for food stamps and people collecting unemployment make more then I do. I love aviation, but lately I'm starting to lose the edge. I'm turning into Cougar, who's thinking about turning in his wings for a life with a family. If I wanted to be away from home all the time, I could have stayed in the military, at least I'd make decent money and be well taken care of. I don't even have health benefits. I pray I don't get sick anytime soon or have to visit a doctor. I can't afford it.

I went from enjoying life with my girl, spending time on the water fishing and taking day trips, driving a nice truck and having a good time - to - miserably broke, home sick for the love of my life and scrapping pennies off the floor to maybe get to eat three meals a day. My only joy is when we're off the ground flying. Other then that - Life SUCKS!! I'm about to bail and pull the rip cord. Take up the family business and pay off this flight training loan ($50k) and accept my losses. I've got 300hrs now and have a long way to go before I get to good QOL and pay. I'm starting to wonder if this is even worth it anymore. Sometimes in the middle of the night I just want to drive home to my fiance.

Can someone give me some insight, maybe some words of encouragement, that maybe pursuing my dream of being a commercial pilot is worth it? Worth more then my fiance? She asked me at what point do I just come home to her. She's never said that before, but now she's getting really frustrated about never seeing me. I don't blame her, I feel the same way. I'm affraid she's not going to take this much longer. Its getting rocky and I'm not sure what to do. Help?

July 5th, 2006, 17:02	#1
Airdale Old Skool Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dirty Jerzey Posts: 2,033	Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Maybe this isn't the right part of the board here, but I need some advice. Things are getting tough right now. Here's a little backround: 2 years after high school I joined the military (U.S. Coast Guard). I've been with my high school sweetheart for 7 years, we're engaged now with a wedding planned for June of next year. I've always wanted to be a commercial pilot since I was a little kid. She knows this, and she's been extremely supportive. During my 4 year tour in the Coast Guard, I probably spent about 2 years total away from home on some sort of deployment. We worked through it and it wasn't a big issue. After Coast Guard I went to Jax florida for what was supposed to be 2 months of Private Pilot training but turned into 3 because of weather. I finished that, came home for about a month and a half then hit the road (or sky should I say) for Cross countries for 3 weeks, home for a week then CFI school for 2 weeks. After that I got hired to instruct at the school, went to Jax for new hire training, was there 1 month, got a position at DC and moved there. I've been here for 2 months and have only seen my fiance about 3 times in 4 months. Needless to say this is getting tough. On all sides. Our relationship is great, and we deal with the seperations quite well - or so it seemed before. Lately both of us have started to question what I'm doing. I'm pursuing this life long childhood dream, but its not turning out to be all I thought it would. I have spent more time training and training others then I have seen her. I drive 3 1/2 hours to see her every chance I get, which is limited. My car is falling apart after putting 6k miles on it in almost two months. It needs a lot of work. To top that off, the pay is so bad, that I'm having a hard time adjusting to this. I make now half of what I made in the military as an E4, and those prior military know that E4 pay isn't great, but it gets you by. Word on the street and on every internet site you visit is the airline industry is crap. I can expect maybe $20k/year at a Regional and time away from home is probably going to be about the same. I've dreamed of flying passenger jets since I was a child, but now I dream of just being home with my fiance and raising a family. My paycheck damn near qualifies me for food stamps and people collecting unemployment make more then I do. I love aviation, but lately I'm starting to lose the edge. I'm turning into Cougar, who's thinking about turning in his wings for a life with a family. If I wanted to be away from home all the time, I could have stayed in the military, at least I'd make decent money and be well taken care of. I don't even have health benefits. I pray I don't get sick anytime soon or have to visit a doctor. I can't afford it. I went from enjoying life with my girl, spending time on the water fishing and taking day trips, driving a nice truck and having a good time - to - miserably broke, home sick for the love of my life and scrapping pennies off the floor to maybe get to eat three meals a day. My only joy is when we're off the ground flying. Other then that - Life SUCKS!! I'm about to bail and pull the rip cord. Take up the family business and pay off this flight training loan ($50k) and accept my losses. I've got 300hrs now and have a long way to go before I get to good QOL and pay. I'm starting to wonder if this is even worth it anymore. Sometimes in the middle of the night I just want to drive home to my fiance. Can someone give me some insight, maybe some words of encouragement, that maybe pursuing my dream of being a commercial pilot is worth it? Worth more then my fiance? She asked me at what point do I just come home to her. She's never said that before, but now she's getting really frustrated about never seeing me. I don't blame her, I feel the same way. I'm affraid she's not going to take this much longer. Its getting rocky and I'm not sure what to do. Help? __________________ " Always Ready " The United States Coast Guard in 3 Minutes.