

The advice I read when starting flight training was to keep a backup career choice open in case a medical issue prevents you from flying. Well, by the time I’d reached the point of choosing whether to do flight instructor training I was making enough in tech that taking a pay cut for years as a flight instructor, then years more of a pay cut at a regional airline, made it an easier choice to have flying remain only a fun hobby.
A big part was work-life balance; a decade or two of lowered seniority, pay, and less ideal schedules is about how long pilots can expect it’ll take to be captain of a wide-body jet for a major airline. I currently work from home and learned I do actually prefer learning about technology every day. Much of commercial flying is more similar to being a bus driver in the sky, while also being vigilant for the rare occasions when the plane tries to kill you.