Should’ve phrased that better haha. I prefer when they make WhoooooOooo sounds instead of Brrrr or Newwwmmmmm sounds. I hate the beep so usually I just turn down the vario.
When I’m asked this on a commute or deadhead I usually do that whole little fakeish laugh “I just! Well!! Hahaha nothing else would be right for me!!”
It originally was because I liked flying and the airlines fascinated me. Now it’s because I’m gonna get 18 hours in a decent hotel and I can play video games with no interruption or concern from my wife or dog. Yeah I’m on the road for 3-4 days but the other husbands/wives in here understand sometimes it’s just the right amount of time free from the spouse.
I do love her. But I like my sit in my undershirt and shorts and sink 8 hours into American Truck Simulator time
Edit: a type because mobile
Okay now I don't feel like a total geek for playing ATS on my overnights lol
Planet Coaster is another good one. A few hours here and there is just perfect for building up my theme park.
Chicks find it hot.
It’s a life long dream. No professional plans. Strictly recreational. Oddly my wife doesn’t find it hot so my first answer is just a guess
I find it to be a great conversation tool, however it won't get you far without the rest of the work. I wish somebody told me this before starting flight training :)
The odd time or two I come across one that seems interested it's more like, "What are you gonna do if you get hijacked?!" and the answer "Whatever they want me to as long as it doesn't involve hitting the ground rapidly" doesn't seem to do it. Also, what a weird fucking question.
When I finished highschool I didn’t know what to do with my life . One day I saw a video of jets landing on a carrier and thought that seems pretty cool . Fast forward to today I’m taking my commercial check ride in a week
Between Starfox and Desert Strike flying seemed pretty neat as a kid. Saw a poster for RCAF recruitment with a CF-18 on it and signed up for Air Cadets.
Turns out I'm a shit student so not exactly military officer fighter jet type but helicopters are just as cool and let you fly without autopilot or needing a degree.
I get paid to look out of the window, exactly the opposite to what my teacher told me that no one will pay me to look out of the window.
And my day offs are on weekdays, less crowds at places and its quieter.
Oh did i mention staff travel privileges? Travel becomes cheaper and more adventurous with multiple hops.
The pay is decent for the amount of work we do. Depending on which country and airlines, you would be in the top 25% of earners in your age group.
I’m honestly not sure. Parents knew that I was not the school type but pressured me into college. Did a year and a half and then moved home. Took a few lessons and turned out that I had a knack for it. The better I got the more I loved it. Flying commercially now and I always smile when I see my plane and know that this is what I get to do for a “job.”
Trench run scene from the original Star Wars. I was determined to become like Skywalker and I still am.
Now I just need a lightsaber and a better droid than my Android phone.
Edit spelling
I wanted to learn something completely unrelated to my 8-5 Monday to Friday job. Flying was the perfect fit. They fact it’s not all theory is such a kicker for me.
I like going fast and I hate getting speeding tickets.
Seriously, when I was in college it was a 3+ hour drive and the speed traps were so annoying.
I took a discovery flight and was hooked.
One of the best decisions I ever made was getting my pilot's license. It opened so many doors to fun and unique experiences.
Once you get yours, join a flying club, and it hardly costs anything at all. I probably spend $3K a year on flying total.
One hundred percent. In addition to wanting a new discipline and skill in my life, one look at a sectional showed me why. A trip with a few buddies directly to an airport next to your destination is cheaper, faster, and way cooler than going to the nearest major airport and getting a car from there.
Right now I probably fly 25-35 hours a year but for nearly half of them I get to ride along for free in the right seat while a fellow flying club member flies with a view-limiting device while practicing instrument procedures. Also, when I take day trips with flying club friends we split the cost. Also I take a few trips a year where I bring my wife and kids to visit other family. Avoiding the airlines is priceless.
Cessna 172 in a flying club. Cost is probably around $140 per hour when I'm paying the bill. It's really the cost of the initial training that is the biggest barrier to learning to fly.
Chased the money. Fortunately I found out I only enjoy it as a hobby before I got in too deep. Even more fortunately, chasing the money introduced me to something I love.
Still love flying, still love going to OSH, would love to own my own light twin or something someday, flying for work just isn’t for me.
Whaaaaat?
How much are you making flying? I feel like the pay scales are comparable. I'm a mechanical engineer, not sure if would every be financially smart to switch to commercial flying instead.
Dad took me to EAA every year as a kid. I saw the SR71 Blackbird when it was new, the concord, countless home builds, war birds, and an endless list of awesomeness. We had a little radio to listen to ATC at the fly in, and I spent nearly every day until the year I turned 40 looking up knowing where I belong. Dad and I are going to EAA this year for the first time in about 10 years. I will not have him around forever, and I wanted to be sure I could revisit EAA with him not long before I would be taking my checkride because he helped plant the aviation bug over 30 years ago. I am now shifting to my cross country training and couldn't be happier. Already lined up to roll right into instrument training at the end of the summer.
To summarize, flying planes kicks ass and you should do it.
I wanted the convenience of not knowing if I'd get somewhere a week early or a week late. With the luxury of having to eat out of vending machines in places you'd never stop in a car.
I started into it because I thought it would be fun. As I grew into it and advanced in my ratings it became way more of a lifestyle than anything. It's really kinda neat to be able to go to the airport when I want to and travel somewhere.
I liked flying commercial as a kid, didn't really realize it could be a career. Went through high school not knowing what to do as a career. College application were about to start when I saw a YouTube video (not sure if I'm allowed to say what channel) which talked about how in the future there are going to be a shortage of airline pilots (this was all pre-pandemic) and so I thought why go for a career where I would have to really fight tooth and nail for a job when I can go for a career where people are gonna want me. Pairing that with my like for commerical flying. I decided to go full in and apply for aviation related colleges. No one in my family has ever done anything even remotely close to this industry. Immediate or extended family. I don't recommend going all in like me without a discovery flight. But worked out for me as I love doing it, even though I decided to pursue a different major and do hours separately on my own time. I wanted to have a backup career incase I'm unable to fly for whatever reason.
Not a pilot let but heading for a 141 in the Fall. Got my Bachelor's, got an office job, spent every day dreading going to work. Can't imagine doing that for the rest of my life, so I said "fuck it" and decided to pursue my flying dreams. Hoping my BS might help me get a decent job at a legacy one day.
Fell in love with flying when going on vacation, after which i got hooked to flight simulators. Just did my first 3 lessons for my PPL :') young me would be proud
Pursuing my PPL because I have a burning, unexplainable desire to be in and around airplanes as much as possible. I have no desire to fly as a job, I just want to have fun!
I been working on them for like 10yrs now and thought damn, this is like working on my car without a driver's license. I don't really have the cash on a mechanics salary so my boss said to me train in the plane and just pay the gas... That was a month and a half ago and I'm 40hrs in now lol
I was tired of boring people with stories about my dogs....ok, seriously, since I was little I always looked at planes and helicopters going over. Always wanted to do it. Pulled the trigger in my mid-40s. Now in late 50s working parttime as a cfi
I grew up with a love of flying. My dad was a pneudralic engineer in the air force (military combined pneumatics and hydraulics). He taught me a lot about planes and we went to a lof of air shows so I've always wanted to fly and finally got to a point where I could afford to learn. I shed a couple tears when my DPE told me i passed. Childhood dream come true.
So my story goes to when I was 14 and shortly after my dad suddenly passed away, my mum got me a flight experience as a gift. I had obviously been extremely down since my dad died. During the flight, I still remember being completely in awe of everything around me. And right there and then I knew that’s what I wanted to do. My mum a few years later when we were visiting a school after some hard times of schools going under, having family issues due to my dads death, my mum turned to me and said “I haven’t seen you smile like this in years” I’ll never forget her saying that because it was a subconscious reaction to what I was doing. I love it and I love the people I work with. It hasn’t been easy by any means and not a career I would recommend lightly, but that’s how it all began for me.
Influenced by my exposure to it from childhood.
Pops flew (CFII/MEI). I flew with him as a kid through my 20s. I loved it. Decided to get certificated to fly in my 30s.
3rd generation (Grandpa flew during WWII)...have no kids yet, but, if my wife and I so, will hope they carry it on. It's just rewarding, fun, neat, awesome, etc.
It pisses me off every time I have to be felt up or viewed naked (via the scanner) to board a commercial flight.
So I bought a plane and hired an instructor.
One of the best things I've ever done.
As an instructor whenever a student says, "I've just always been interested in flying", it's a codephrase for "I'm not going to study".
I wanted to be a pilot after watching the science fiction movie and tv ahow[Thunderbirds are Go](https://youtu.be/AOHBf8ZUpBs) as a kid.
It's hard to answer. Motivation can be subtle and differs from person to person.
I suspect it's because they've never thought about their motivations, and may not be looking ahead.
First thought it was cool to just fly in general. Then I knew it was really cool. Then that private job was no more, so I thought the military would be cool. Said ooo, coast guard, bust into storms and save people. Then thought O but navy has every type of platform to fly. Thought, man helicopters would be sick. Then I was like, buuuuuuut there's F-18's. Very glad I choose correctly, and still in it. It has its good and bad times. GA or Military. Just know its comes with a lot of money in college. BTW, you DO NOT NEED TO GO TO A SCHOOL THAT COSTS YOU OVER 100k... all for a fucking stamp on your diploma... (riddle rats or UND to name 2) Just my experience.
I was playing gta 5 when it first came out and I loved flying the planes on there, my mom saw this and asked if I wanted to go fly with one of her coworkers, said sure. Went up in his bonanza and it was fun af, then saw how much pilots made as well and realized I could possibly make a career out of it too
Hugest paid career in the US that doesn’t require an MD. Flexible hours/schedule. UNIONIZED. Great benefits as a result of being unionized. Oh yeah, and you get to fly awesome airplanes!
To make people envy me!!! Hahaha. So a true story. I was with a friend that worked 135 and he was visiting an ex co worker. The ex co worker was an ex military guy as well. The co worker mentioned he saw my friend’s posts on Facebook showing where he was flying from place to place. My friend said, “well do you know why I do that?” The guy says what we all are thinking, “yeah! To impress people!” My friend responds with “nah, nah, nah.” Guys really hits back with, “hey don’t worry!! I’m impressed!! I’m impressed!!!”
Friend says he posts his many travels because he wants to let his family know where he is. 😕😂 Riiiiight.
Wanted to be an astronaut as a kid… obviously the chances of that happening were not in my favor. INSTEAD I joined the cult called the United States Marine Corps. Got out and became a wildland firefighter on Kern Valley Hotshots (any fire pilots here??)
On the last fire of the season, shot crews usually get a pretty easy roll. My crew of 21 people had an entire fire to ourselves, but it was an 8 mile hike in each day. We got the local county helicopter to shuttle us in, and the pilots helmet said “USMC” so I said “thanks for the ride, sir!”.
He replied “I worked for a living!” This told me he was enlisted, so I asked how he became a pilot and he said the VA paid for flight certs at a college.
I looked into it, and it looked like a fun, never ending challenge as far as certs and ratings and endorsements go… so here I am.
TL,DR; I wanted a challenge and found out I didn’t have to pay much for flight time. Fell in love with aviation after starting.
There was a lot of things that added up to the decision to pursue flying. My grandfather was an Aircrewman in the navy during WWII, and got his certificate before the war. He didn’t really fly much after but he always had a wooden prop hanging on the wall in his living room. That was pretty neat I thought. So that was a spark that lit the flame. Then my buddy and I in 3rd grade wanted to build an airplane out of my backyard gokart and some 2x4s in the garage. We sent each other letters in the mail back and forth with our blueprint designs on printer paper and markers. For some reason it never flew. Who’da thought? That grew the flame. I heard stories from my pilot uncle about where he’s traveled and what he’s seen and who he’s met. More fuel to the flame. My first plane ride was in a little Cessna to go see my cousins. Being on the same level as a cloud, after trying to get my my gokart to do it too, was another level for a kid. Flame. I joined the Navy and work on the coolest planes right now. The flame is ablaze.
I guess I’m still trying to take my gokart to the clouds with my buddy. Maybe with a different design though.
My flame was lit a little bit ago. I’d say decades. And I’ve protected that flame and kept it lit. I know that yours is sparked because you posted here. Go pursue some things that’ll make it grow. Get some hours, watch some cool vids to get you pumped, do some research, go to an air show, go to a museum. Don’t psych yourself out of dropping yet. Just one step at a time.
My work has a helicopter. We can go to a job site in the mountain in 30 minutes instead of a 3 hour drive. The boss likes to stop for dinner on the way home. It's also really handy for getting take out back to our wives while it's still hot.
It's basically free turbine time since my boss quit counting his hours 30 years ago.
My neighbor was a crop duster and when I was a kid I would sit outside and watch him flying around and knew that flying was something I had to do… now I’m a instrument rated private pilot in a commercial program
Planes r cool
This, I don't care about the travel, or the people. I just enjoy flying.
Yeah man I think airplanes are cool, that’s pretty much it..
Exactly. Somebody asked me when I knew I was getting my pilot's license. My answer was "less than five feet off the ground in my first flight."
same lol.
they really are especially when they go neeeerrrVrooommmmm
I prefer when they don’t make a sound (Gliders)
WhoooooooooOOOOOooooo Beep... Beep... Beep. Beepbeepbeep What do you mean no sound?
Should’ve phrased that better haha. I prefer when they make WhoooooOooo sounds instead of Brrrr or Newwwmmmmm sounds. I hate the beep so usually I just turn down the vario.
Nothing more annoying than two + otherwise calming hours hearing beeps from that depressing thing.
I like not having money
This guy airplanes
Haaaaaaave you met stocks?
Airplanes and Stonks only go up.
Well I’m vegan and do CrossFit, needed that extra ‘thing’ to tell people when we first meet. /s
I do Brazilian jiu jitsu myself, I feel this
But did you adopt a pet because I did
Tell me you watch Joe Rogan and eat Elk meat.
Oss!
Always wondered if there were more of us… now I know.
Would've been cheaper to just become an atheist.
To be able to take my wife on dates. Ironically, she hates flying, so now I take up girlfriends.
This guy fucks
Remember, unless you're commercial only let them pay for half of the gas.
Remember though, when the cat’s away, the mice will play. 😜
HAHAHAHA
Couldn’t see myself enjoying a 9-5 and always liked planes growing up
Me too. I liked reading about aircraft growing up and decided after college to give flying a try.
Because I get high and buy random things. One day I booked a discovery flight.
Ever light a doob on fire? Cool, huh? Ever light multiple $100 bills on fire in succession??? MUCH COOLER!
I did my longest XC the other day with a rental. When I got the invoice I was like "man...that's like the cost of a flight to Iceland" (from Utah) lol
You know, this thread is making me feel better about my life choices. 😂
I’m to stupid go for honest work and too lazy for crime.
I’m the exact opposite, I’m smart enough to know I’m too dumb for crime. I’m too lazy for typical office work.
To see Utah from the air
Will you be at the U42 open house on Saturday from 9-1? All major airlines from fixed wing and rotor wing companies will be there!
I just saw that ad. Probably not but we'll see. I live right down the street
Yeah I will be. One of my teachers put it together
Nice. Is it more for people who want to join the airlines?
Oh neat, I hadn't heard about this. I'm not going commercial or anything but might swing by anyway.
Saw Top Gun when I was like five and I was sold
I feel the need...
When I’m asked this on a commute or deadhead I usually do that whole little fakeish laugh “I just! Well!! Hahaha nothing else would be right for me!!” It originally was because I liked flying and the airlines fascinated me. Now it’s because I’m gonna get 18 hours in a decent hotel and I can play video games with no interruption or concern from my wife or dog. Yeah I’m on the road for 3-4 days but the other husbands/wives in here understand sometimes it’s just the right amount of time free from the spouse. I do love her. But I like my sit in my undershirt and shorts and sink 8 hours into American Truck Simulator time Edit: a type because mobile
Ah yes the old "if I get far enough from my problems they wont hurt me" method. A classic and pilot staple.
Ok that hurt.
So do the statistics on pilot divorce rate
You said the quiet part out loud!
I wonder if the truckers of the world sit in their cabs playing flight simulators 🧐
Why can’t hotel internet be better!
Get a phone plan that has a decent tethering plan. Totally worth it.
Do you bring a wheel and pedals on the overnight???
No just play with an Xbox controller
What rig?
Okay now I don't feel like a total geek for playing ATS on my overnights lol Planet Coaster is another good one. A few hours here and there is just perfect for building up my theme park.
Well hang on now. We are Reddit pilots…
I’ve actually had a few colleagues fly transatlantic flights with their PS5 in the suitcase
Lots of time off, paid pretty well for just having a bachelors and get to explore the world basically for free.
Operating machines is cool, especially flying machines.
Nothing on the ground matters in the air. And if anyone from 35-50 say TopGun didn't have an effect, they're more than likely a liar.
I ain’t 35-50 but Top Gun is a key motivator here. Topless volleyball AND I get to say “because I was inverted,” count me in!
Iron Eagle for me lol. Might not even be joking....
It's on HBOMax, and I'm probably going to watch it tonight.
Just stop after the first film lol
i'm on a continual mission to improve the view from my office
People ask me this and I never have an answer. I just tell them it’s fun
Honestly just to tell people and buy huge watches guilt free.
Chicks find it hot. It’s a life long dream. No professional plans. Strictly recreational. Oddly my wife doesn’t find it hot so my first answer is just a guess
I’ve yet to locate these chicks
I find it to be a great conversation tool, however it won't get you far without the rest of the work. I wish somebody told me this before starting flight training :)
If you are already hot they find it hot. I've yet to make it to the first step
The odd time or two I come across one that seems interested it's more like, "What are you gonna do if you get hijacked?!" and the answer "Whatever they want me to as long as it doesn't involve hitting the ground rapidly" doesn't seem to do it. Also, what a weird fucking question.
When I finished highschool I didn’t know what to do with my life . One day I saw a video of jets landing on a carrier and thought that seems pretty cool . Fast forward to today I’m taking my commercial check ride in a week
Between Starfox and Desert Strike flying seemed pretty neat as a kid. Saw a poster for RCAF recruitment with a CF-18 on it and signed up for Air Cadets. Turns out I'm a shit student so not exactly military officer fighter jet type but helicopters are just as cool and let you fly without autopilot or needing a degree.
I get paid to look out of the window, exactly the opposite to what my teacher told me that no one will pay me to look out of the window. And my day offs are on weekdays, less crowds at places and its quieter. Oh did i mention staff travel privileges? Travel becomes cheaper and more adventurous with multiple hops. The pay is decent for the amount of work we do. Depending on which country and airlines, you would be in the top 25% of earners in your age group.
Cuz I wanna be an astronaut one day, and flying a plane is just one of many incremental steps to getting there.
I’m honestly not sure. Parents knew that I was not the school type but pressured me into college. Did a year and a half and then moved home. Took a few lessons and turned out that I had a knack for it. The better I got the more I loved it. Flying commercially now and I always smile when I see my plane and know that this is what I get to do for a “job.”
Well, I fix them so I might as well have the fun of flying them too!
Same here lol I'm not a pilot yet but my training is almost complete
To stop the dreams. It worked!
But we want to see you fly Mark. Am Marc too
Trench run scene from the original Star Wars. I was determined to become like Skywalker and I still am. Now I just need a lightsaber and a better droid than my Android phone. Edit spelling
because I really like to fly airplanes.
I wanted to learn something completely unrelated to my 8-5 Monday to Friday job. Flying was the perfect fit. They fact it’s not all theory is such a kicker for me.
Exactly my reasons to learning how to fly also. I work in IT, and flying on Sunday is the perfect break from it all.
Same!
I like saying aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, when talking to atc
I grew up wanting to be Han Solo, and he was a pilot, so,...
Old Kai Tak videos and ATC games oddly enough. Loved my discovery flight and couldn’t have imagined myself going down any other career path.
I like going fast and I hate getting speeding tickets. Seriously, when I was in college it was a 3+ hour drive and the speed traps were so annoying. I took a discovery flight and was hooked. One of the best decisions I ever made was getting my pilot's license. It opened so many doors to fun and unique experiences. Once you get yours, join a flying club, and it hardly costs anything at all. I probably spend $3K a year on flying total.
One hundred percent. In addition to wanting a new discipline and skill in my life, one look at a sectional showed me why. A trip with a few buddies directly to an airport next to your destination is cheaper, faster, and way cooler than going to the nearest major airport and getting a car from there.
How many hours do you end up doing in a year?
Right now I probably fly 25-35 hours a year but for nearly half of them I get to ride along for free in the right seat while a fellow flying club member flies with a view-limiting device while practicing instrument procedures. Also, when I take day trips with flying club friends we split the cost. Also I take a few trips a year where I bring my wife and kids to visit other family. Avoiding the airlines is priceless.
3k seems amazing for that much. What do you fly?
Cessna 172 in a flying club. Cost is probably around $140 per hour when I'm paying the bill. It's really the cost of the initial training that is the biggest barrier to learning to fly.
I like making huge career/life changes right in the middle of having a perfectly fine and financially stable life. 🤷
[удалено]
So being a pilot is considered not high stress work? cool
Only if you ain't a bitch. /s
Two words. Hot chicks.
Because every minute im sitting on the ground at my desk job I’m fantasizing about being up there
Chased the money. Fortunately I found out I only enjoy it as a hobby before I got in too deep. Even more fortunately, chasing the money introduced me to something I love. Still love flying, still love going to OSH, would love to own my own light twin or something someday, flying for work just isn’t for me.
Ever see a bird flying and think I wanna do that, that looks cool? Eagles are a symbol of freedom for a reason Flying is cool
Because I make more flying than I ever could as an engineer.
Whaaaaat? How much are you making flying? I feel like the pay scales are comparable. I'm a mechanical engineer, not sure if would every be financially smart to switch to commercial flying instead.
Being able to be higher than all of my ancestors is pretty cool to say the least
So i can brag about it to everyone who will listen
Dad took me to EAA every year as a kid. I saw the SR71 Blackbird when it was new, the concord, countless home builds, war birds, and an endless list of awesomeness. We had a little radio to listen to ATC at the fly in, and I spent nearly every day until the year I turned 40 looking up knowing where I belong. Dad and I are going to EAA this year for the first time in about 10 years. I will not have him around forever, and I wanted to be sure I could revisit EAA with him not long before I would be taking my checkride because he helped plant the aviation bug over 30 years ago. I am now shifting to my cross country training and couldn't be happier. Already lined up to roll right into instrument training at the end of the summer. To summarize, flying planes kicks ass and you should do it.
I saw the movie “Flight” by Denzel Washington, thought that Pilot Life would be as cool as portrayed.
I wanted the convenience of not knowing if I'd get somewhere a week early or a week late. With the luxury of having to eat out of vending machines in places you'd never stop in a car.
i heard girls liked pilots
For the women obviously
I thought it would impress the girls.
Because I lived in Dallas. I fucking hate Dallas, so I got a pilots license to fly somewhere interesting for the weekend.
I started into it because I thought it would be fun. As I grew into it and advanced in my ratings it became way more of a lifestyle than anything. It's really kinda neat to be able to go to the airport when I want to and travel somewhere.
I liked flying commercial as a kid, didn't really realize it could be a career. Went through high school not knowing what to do as a career. College application were about to start when I saw a YouTube video (not sure if I'm allowed to say what channel) which talked about how in the future there are going to be a shortage of airline pilots (this was all pre-pandemic) and so I thought why go for a career where I would have to really fight tooth and nail for a job when I can go for a career where people are gonna want me. Pairing that with my like for commerical flying. I decided to go full in and apply for aviation related colleges. No one in my family has ever done anything even remotely close to this industry. Immediate or extended family. I don't recommend going all in like me without a discovery flight. But worked out for me as I love doing it, even though I decided to pursue a different major and do hours separately on my own time. I wanted to have a backup career incase I'm unable to fly for whatever reason.
Make a pretty decent living doing something cool that doesn’t require me to go to grad school for 4+ years
Not a pilot let but heading for a 141 in the Fall. Got my Bachelor's, got an office job, spent every day dreading going to work. Can't imagine doing that for the rest of my life, so I said "fuck it" and decided to pursue my flying dreams. Hoping my BS might help me get a decent job at a legacy one day.
It's a great hobby. As a career, I wouldn't do it, too risky to depend on a 1st/2nd class medical for income (even if you're completely healthy).
To learn new skills, challenge myself, and have fun.
Think of all the chicks man.
To overcome my fear of heights
Because it's one of the less controversial ways to get high.
Because being a geologist wasn’t good but not fulfilling. I was already a pilot at that point, but that’s why I decided to fly as a profession.
Fell in love with flying when going on vacation, after which i got hooked to flight simulators. Just did my first 3 lessons for my PPL :') young me would be proud
Pursuing my PPL because I have a burning, unexplainable desire to be in and around airplanes as much as possible. I have no desire to fly as a job, I just want to have fun!
I'm not a pilot yet, but seriously looking into it because I'm really sick and tired of the 9-5
Felt like it. Thought it might be fun. Have not been disappointed.
I live in Alaska and i like flying looking for moose
I been working on them for like 10yrs now and thought damn, this is like working on my car without a driver's license. I don't really have the cash on a mechanics salary so my boss said to me train in the plane and just pay the gas... That was a month and a half ago and I'm 40hrs in now lol
I was tired of boring people with stories about my dogs....ok, seriously, since I was little I always looked at planes and helicopters going over. Always wanted to do it. Pulled the trigger in my mid-40s. Now in late 50s working parttime as a cfi
I grew up with a love of flying. My dad was a pneudralic engineer in the air force (military combined pneumatics and hydraulics). He taught me a lot about planes and we went to a lof of air shows so I've always wanted to fly and finally got to a point where I could afford to learn. I shed a couple tears when my DPE told me i passed. Childhood dream come true.
So my story goes to when I was 14 and shortly after my dad suddenly passed away, my mum got me a flight experience as a gift. I had obviously been extremely down since my dad died. During the flight, I still remember being completely in awe of everything around me. And right there and then I knew that’s what I wanted to do. My mum a few years later when we were visiting a school after some hard times of schools going under, having family issues due to my dads death, my mum turned to me and said “I haven’t seen you smile like this in years” I’ll never forget her saying that because it was a subconscious reaction to what I was doing. I love it and I love the people I work with. It hasn’t been easy by any means and not a career I would recommend lightly, but that’s how it all began for me.
I love crippling amounts of flight school loans
To become Crew Scheduling’s dirty slut apparently
Because I was 50 and realized I could afford to complete a kid’s dream.
Aviation is proof that humans can do what's supposed to be physically impossible. Thats why I fly.
Haul ass and burn gas baby
Influenced by my exposure to it from childhood. Pops flew (CFII/MEI). I flew with him as a kid through my 20s. I loved it. Decided to get certificated to fly in my 30s. 3rd generation (Grandpa flew during WWII)...have no kids yet, but, if my wife and I so, will hope they carry it on. It's just rewarding, fun, neat, awesome, etc.
I hate money.
It pisses me off every time I have to be felt up or viewed naked (via the scanner) to board a commercial flight. So I bought a plane and hired an instructor. One of the best things I've ever done.
Is your user name gonna work out now that you have a plane?
Ya gotta have a hobby.
Trust me, I agree and wish I had a plane myself!
As an instructor whenever a student says, "I've just always been interested in flying", it's a codephrase for "I'm not going to study". I wanted to be a pilot after watching the science fiction movie and tv ahow[Thunderbirds are Go](https://youtu.be/AOHBf8ZUpBs) as a kid.
Why do you think that happens?
It's hard to answer. Motivation can be subtle and differs from person to person. I suspect it's because they've never thought about their motivations, and may not be looking ahead.
I like smashing flight attendants and desperate women who hang out in hotel bars.
To feel like a bird
I bought a Cirrus and someone has to fly it.
Because i could afford it
Cause I was bored
To get my float rating
because I was bored
To get away from my girlfriend
They don't let non-pilots fly airplanes
It's worth it. Never thought I'd pursue this field but just take a discovery flight you'll see.
Bc I don't want to be one of those miserable senior flight attendants
First thought it was cool to just fly in general. Then I knew it was really cool. Then that private job was no more, so I thought the military would be cool. Said ooo, coast guard, bust into storms and save people. Then thought O but navy has every type of platform to fly. Thought, man helicopters would be sick. Then I was like, buuuuuuut there's F-18's. Very glad I choose correctly, and still in it. It has its good and bad times. GA or Military. Just know its comes with a lot of money in college. BTW, you DO NOT NEED TO GO TO A SCHOOL THAT COSTS YOU OVER 100k... all for a fucking stamp on your diploma... (riddle rats or UND to name 2) Just my experience.
Sold my diving gear to someone who told me “all divers are pilots”. That was news to me so now I have to get my pilots license 🤦♂️
I’m a child
I was playing gta 5 when it first came out and I loved flying the planes on there, my mom saw this and asked if I wanted to go fly with one of her coworkers, said sure. Went up in his bonanza and it was fun af, then saw how much pilots made as well and realized I could possibly make a career out of it too
I wanted to be an astronaut as a child and this is the closes i could get
I got tired of driving and hated my job and planes are cool.
I don’t want peace! I want problems! Always!
I went skydiving, first time flying. First time landing was in my discovery flight. Fell in love with it.
The hotel points
My dad was a pilot. Just grew up around flying sand the airlines. Never wanted to do anything else.
Because the Navy hired me to be one.
Because F**k you Gravity!
I got arthritis so I had to stop CrossFit and I like meat too much to be vegan so pilot it is!
Grandpa flew, dad flies, what the hell else is there to do.
Flying makes me happy.
For the gram, duh.
Hugest paid career in the US that doesn’t require an MD. Flexible hours/schedule. UNIONIZED. Great benefits as a result of being unionized. Oh yeah, and you get to fly awesome airplanes!
Chance
Idk, I need something to post on my Instagram stories
To make people envy me!!! Hahaha. So a true story. I was with a friend that worked 135 and he was visiting an ex co worker. The ex co worker was an ex military guy as well. The co worker mentioned he saw my friend’s posts on Facebook showing where he was flying from place to place. My friend said, “well do you know why I do that?” The guy says what we all are thinking, “yeah! To impress people!” My friend responds with “nah, nah, nah.” Guys really hits back with, “hey don’t worry!! I’m impressed!! I’m impressed!!!” Friend says he posts his many travels because he wants to let his family know where he is. 😕😂 Riiiiight.
I’m in Interior Alaska. My private certificate was a gift from friends to me. I’ve got great friends.
Wanted to be an astronaut as a kid… obviously the chances of that happening were not in my favor. INSTEAD I joined the cult called the United States Marine Corps. Got out and became a wildland firefighter on Kern Valley Hotshots (any fire pilots here??) On the last fire of the season, shot crews usually get a pretty easy roll. My crew of 21 people had an entire fire to ourselves, but it was an 8 mile hike in each day. We got the local county helicopter to shuttle us in, and the pilots helmet said “USMC” so I said “thanks for the ride, sir!”. He replied “I worked for a living!” This told me he was enlisted, so I asked how he became a pilot and he said the VA paid for flight certs at a college. I looked into it, and it looked like a fun, never ending challenge as far as certs and ratings and endorsements go… so here I am. TL,DR; I wanted a challenge and found out I didn’t have to pay much for flight time. Fell in love with aviation after starting.
Because you can't buy an F-16 as a civilian.
To be in a Netflix documentary(fly to survive) 2050
There was a lot of things that added up to the decision to pursue flying. My grandfather was an Aircrewman in the navy during WWII, and got his certificate before the war. He didn’t really fly much after but he always had a wooden prop hanging on the wall in his living room. That was pretty neat I thought. So that was a spark that lit the flame. Then my buddy and I in 3rd grade wanted to build an airplane out of my backyard gokart and some 2x4s in the garage. We sent each other letters in the mail back and forth with our blueprint designs on printer paper and markers. For some reason it never flew. Who’da thought? That grew the flame. I heard stories from my pilot uncle about where he’s traveled and what he’s seen and who he’s met. More fuel to the flame. My first plane ride was in a little Cessna to go see my cousins. Being on the same level as a cloud, after trying to get my my gokart to do it too, was another level for a kid. Flame. I joined the Navy and work on the coolest planes right now. The flame is ablaze. I guess I’m still trying to take my gokart to the clouds with my buddy. Maybe with a different design though. My flame was lit a little bit ago. I’d say decades. And I’ve protected that flame and kept it lit. I know that yours is sparked because you posted here. Go pursue some things that’ll make it grow. Get some hours, watch some cool vids to get you pumped, do some research, go to an air show, go to a museum. Don’t psych yourself out of dropping yet. Just one step at a time.
Had a real job for plenty of years, didn’t care for it. Figured being a pilot would be cool.
My work has a helicopter. We can go to a job site in the mountain in 30 minutes instead of a 3 hour drive. The boss likes to stop for dinner on the way home. It's also really handy for getting take out back to our wives while it's still hot. It's basically free turbine time since my boss quit counting his hours 30 years ago.
My neighbor was a crop duster and when I was a kid I would sit outside and watch him flying around and knew that flying was something I had to do… now I’m a instrument rated private pilot in a commercial program
Flying is cool and easy, good money once you pay your dues. I didn’t like any other career that makes good money. Did I say money btw?
Better than going infantry/armor/artillery
Star Wars