So, what's it like?

A few weeks ago, someone came up to me and asked "Are you a pilot?" Part of me wanted to look at the uniform I was wearing and say, "No... Damn it! This is the last time I get dressed in the dark!" Instead, I kept my childish humor to myself and simply said "That's what they tell me!" I was then asked in a very genuine and unexpected manner, "What's it like... to fly for a living?" I took a deep breath and went to answer. However, every time I went to say something, my mind jumped to something else. After a few seconds, I realized that I didn't have a simple answer.

"It's a lot of things, actually..." I began. "It's frustrating, challenging, boring, hectic, exhausting, satisfying, deplorable and enjoyable." I have a feeling the person who asked, was looking for more of a glorious answer. After all, most of the public only sees the glamorous part of the job. We walk through the terminal, looking sharp in uniforms with stripes on the shoulders, stripes on the sleeves, and maybe even a hat. Then, we head down the jetway, before everyone else, climb up front office and grab the reigns of a multi-million dollar aircraft and commandeer it into the sky with all those passengers' lives in our hands. We appear fully in control and command of our world. One must admit, it does appear to be quite the life when viewed in such light. Also, most people still think ALL airline pilots are paid $100k or more each year. After all, that uniform, those planes, all those lives in their hands... surely that kind of responsibility has to command a mighty paycheck!

I didn't want to let the sour side of the job taint my answer, because I could see and feel that this person was looking up to me. Even though, they were my age, perhaps a touch older, I could see the kid inside them coming out when they asked the question. They seemed to be reflecting back on their lives and how things might have been different if they would have make different choices or followed a dream rather than listen to others. Truth be told, I don't think they were really looking up to me personally, even though I am quite a handsome chap. Rather, they were more looking up to the career, the position, the title of Airline Pilot. Someone who doesn't sit at a desk all day. Someone who doesn't live in the 9-to-5 world. Someone that commands an aircraft. Someone who lives in a world where big mistakes don't mean the office loses the account or they don't make the sale. It means that people might not return to their families ever again. That is what they were looking up to.

Now it's never fun when your dreams get crapped on, so I wanted to make sure I answered the question in both a factual and considerate manner. Since then, I have spent a little more time reflecting on just what it has been like. It's not quite the dream I had in mind, but it's not a complete nightmare either. Sure, there are those days, but that's not the norm. It's certainly not like every other job, but it's more like every other job out there that I imagined. There are good times and really frustrating times. But, if you figure that any job is going to have its days from hell, then that kind of all equals out. What you are left with is what you experience most of the time, i.e. what your average day is like.

I don't sit in boardroom meetings for hours on end. I don't sit in rush hour traffic everyday to and from the office. I'm not on the phone all day calling people trying them to buy something. I don't occupy a cubical. I do have a fantastic view from my office window. I do get to see some really neat places. I don't get paid very much. I don't get to be home every night, either. I don't get holidays. Some people I work for are complete and utter douche nozzles. But at least I don't have to see them face to face every day. I'd likely smack the crap out of them if I did for some of the things they pull when it's my certificates on the line, not to mention my own life and the lives of all my passengers and fellow crew. I think they completely and totally lose sight of that when they sit at their desks all day getting bitched at by their bosses. They attempt to rule pilots with threats and intimidation as most of them lack any other management or interpersonal skills whatsoever.

All in all, it's still a good gig, at least from where I sit. I do know of those in similar positions as me who got the crap end of the stick and are now furloughed because of events that transpired completely beyond their control. I might very well have a completely different outlook if my seniority number were different. Of course, it could always happen in the future. I don't think a pilot is ever truly safe in that regard. Still, I don't regret my choice to become a pilot.

When I was looking to make the jump, everyone said it was foolish and that I shouldn't do it. Most pilots even said not to do it. Only 2 people said I should go for it, if that's what I wanted. Financially, it's been harder than I thought, and I knew it wasn't going to be easy in that department. Then again, I never took this job to be rich, at least in a monetary sense. Things have not quite taken the path that I expected either. But, I still can't say that I should have stayed where I was, in the cube farm. I didn't belong there. So, I moved on. What I moved to isn't perfect, but it's certainly a whole lot better than where I was and what I was doing. I'm happier for it. And, I'm better at it, too. Which is a good thing!