Losing my drive

[Maximilian_Jenius]

I still think it's ebb and flow.

Like I'm headed out in the morning and I'm dreading going to work. But I'll betchya a dollar once I get there meet up with the crew, I'll have another fantastic time. Drop my bag off in the lounge after the trip and I'll probably be a little envious of people leaving that day across the ocean again.

If you eat, sleep, breathe aviation I think it's a killer. But if you can balance it with non-aviation interests to help balance out the drama, it can certainly be a good career.

It really just depends on who is asking.

I definitely think you have a passion for aviation, but it sounds like from what you said that your fellow employees greatly help make a bad day a good one!

 

[Tangodelta29]

People's priorities can change as they age. I still love aviation, I probably always will but I have recently come to realize that my love of it isn't what is best for me as a career. Instead what I always considered my second choice has always been what was really best for me. At least in terms of a career.

My signigifigant other and I were just over on University looking at planes land and takeoff at KPHX earlier today, we were there for an hour or two. When it was time to go I packed up and left, both mentally and physically, no regrets, no feelings of remorse, or thinking I'm making a mistake. No longings to fly that A320 from PHX-CLT. Just of feeling of it was a cool time to sit with someone I care about, and look at planes.

That's my story, maybe you losing your drive is a tell tell sign that aviation isn't right for you, at least for career aspirations. Maybe you just need a break, and you'll be right back there. Either way it at least definitely warrants further investigation for sure!

Very recently when I flew I felt the same way... Where as I used to care about NOTHING except for the fact that I was about to step on an airliner, I recently took two flights where I just kinda got on, felt a little cooler then normal, then got off.



Doug- thanks, it's good to know that to certain extent the same thing happens on other levels as well.

 

[coa787]

I've felt somewhat like this. When I first started playing MSFS, I did the flights in the Learning Center, and I read everything before flying the lessons. Man, that was a lot of information at the time. In fact, so much information, that I sat around for a couple of days, questioning whether it's even worth it, feeling that I will never become a pilot and that it would be best to just give up.

Well, one day, I sat down and just took in all that information and tried my best to retain it. After that moment, the fire has been reignited, my passion for aviation stronger than ever before, and it has never been anything less ever since--even among all the doom and gloom that is so prevalent in the industry today. Maybe, one day in the future, when I have had a chance to experience life in the aviation industry, will I start to question whether or not it's worth it again.

Maybe....

 

[coa787]

If you eat, sleep, breathe aviation I think it's a killer. But if you can balance it with non-aviation interests to help balance out the drama, it can certainly be a good career.

It really just depends on who is asking.

What he said.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love aviation and flying more than the next guy, but it's not who I am. I don't define myself by it. It's just another one of my many interests in life. If one does pretty much what Doug said about living and breathing aviation, I can see why one would be disappointed, but that's just me. I think that holds true for just about anything.

 

[katiekat]

Wow, it's really nice to know that I'm not alone . I started flying when I was fifteen and went through two instructors and by the time I was old enough to get my private I still wasn't ready for it even after two years of flight lessons (at least one a week for almost every week of the year). It took me another four months after I turned seventeen to actually get where I needed to be to pass my checkride (the instructor I had for the majority of my flight training didn't really do much but flirt with me and show off) and by the time I got my private I was really starting to get fed up. I had been taking lessons for over two years and still didn't feel anywhere close to 100% sure of myself as a pilot. I wanted to go for my commercial and instrument but I needed more PIC time and by then my dad's business was crumbling along with the economy so we could no longer afford a one or two hour block of time every week. So I started working on building the time slowly, only managing to be able to do one xcountry a month. I got three in before my dad's business fell apart completely and it became uncertain whether or not we would be able to pay bills and keep our house so flying for me wasn't going to happen. At least until things turned around or I went to college. I was planning on going for the rest of my flight ratings in college and my A&P certification but about a week after getting accepted I decided I didn't want to go to college at all. Not for flying or for anything else. I turned to my other interest, live sound, which I had been doing for the past four years for my school and about a year for a local rock venue. I'm actually supposed to be setting up interviews in a week or two so that I can try getting a job or an apprenticeship but when I found out the venue I work at is going to be shut down by mid august at the latest, I started having a strong desire to fly again. One of my friends at work had jokingly said something about moving to alaska because it would probably be better than living here and to me that actually sounded like a really good idea. I've been looking up schools in AK and costs of housing and all that for a few days. I'm really considering packing up, moving out there, and getting a couple more ratings and my A&P and trying my hand at being an Alaskan pilot. I'm in need of a major change and I think that might be just the thing.

No matter what you do, you're going to hit low points where you don't feel like what you're doing is what you want to be doing. It happens to everyone. I'm only 18 and I know that as a fact. It may take you a month and it may take you several years. If you love it, the desire to continue it will come back. Take a break, think about something else, relax and have fun. Or you could do the opposite and try to think about what it is about flying that makes you want to do it. If it was an external factor that made you want to fly and that factor is no longer there or has changed, then you may want to reconsider trying to make flying your career. Either way, if you can, take a break. If it's what you really love to do, your drive will come back.

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

What he said.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love aviation and flying more than the next guy, but it's not who I am. I don't define myself by it. It's just another one of my many interests in life. If one does pretty much what Doug said about living and breathing aviation, I can see why one would be disappointed, but that's just me. I think that holds true for just about anything.

Hope you have fun trying not to eat and breathe aviation at your aviation university program...

I've heard many stories...

If you join the flying team you're officially a dork and won't get laid. At least not by a girl!

 

[gomntwins]

Good insight. That is the exact way I feel. It sucks to see so much money go at one time when I'm otherwise quite conservative with my money. I've gotten to the point before where I'd wish the weather was bad so I could cancel my flight.

Out of curiosity... how far along in training are you? I see you have a large number of posts so I probably should know, but I don't. Also, when you went into flying what did you want? Did you want travel? The freedom of the sky? The technology of modern airliners? Flying low and slow in a taildragger? I think if you have something to shoot for that helps a lot.

 

[gomntwins]

Another quick response... I apologize, I've been to the bar, but I've been thinking about this thread since earlier tonight and why I've gotten to where I am. A lot of people talk about how much fun high school or college was... but it wasn't high school or college that was fun... it was the memories associated with it that were fun. I can think back to how great high school was and think about how much fun it was fooling around with a few cheerleaders in the back of my SUV. And college how much fun it was going to the bar and getting drunk. And meeting some random women to 'know' a little better. That was fun. It wasn't fun studying for tests or writing a 30 page paper due at midterms. Flying to me was the same. There were a few moments that were fun (spin training and passing checkrides for me), but the majority wasn't too much fun. Now when I look back I remember how much I disliked going in... but it seems like a non-issue. I enjoy the destination now... not necessarily the day by day road I had to follow to where I currently am.

 

[Clearblue]

Don't worry they have little blue pills.....err planes for that now.

 

[Lvnthedrm]

Another quick response... I apologize, I've been to the bar, but I've been thinking about this thread since earlier tonight and why I've gotten to where I am. A lot of people talk about how much fun high school or college was... but it wasn't high school or college that was fun... it was the memories associated with it that were fun. I can think back to how great high school was and think about how much fun it was fooling around with a few cheerleaders in the back of my SUV. And college how much fun it was going to the bar and getting drunk. And meeting some random women to 'know' a little better. That was fun. It wasn't fun studying for tests or writing a 30 page paper due at midterms. Flying to me was the same. There were a few moments that were fun (spin training and passing checkrides for me), but the majority wasn't too much fun. Now when I look back I remember how much I disliked going in... but it seems like a non-issue. I enjoy the destination now... not necessarily the day by day road I had to follow to where I currently am.

I agree with these sentiments completely. The majority of my aviation training seemed like work, therefore I wasn't able to fully enjoy it. After having had a couple of flying jobs now, I can say that it's been a much different, more enjoyable experience post training.

 

[n57flyguy]

I've been through the same exact thing myself, just recently. What got me back into it again was thinking it is all I wanted to do and if I gave up I would only be letting myself down. What keeps me away from the airport alot of the times is drama. When things are good I will stick around and hanger fly with some pilots. When I'm caught in between two peoples argument and have to stay late because of it....I'm going fishing. The good news is I'm flying tomorrow, doing ground tomorrow and the written is Friday.

Don't let it get to your head, just relax. It really is all mental.

 

[Firebird2XC]

I love flying.. but some days, I'd just rather be doing somewhere else.

Once it becomes a job, sometimes it's not as fun as it could be. That's because you're not flying when you really want to, and the lack of choice becomes grating.

Otherwise, as I enjoy the view from 10,000 and climbing, I remember that my job still beats life in a cube ANY day. At least in my opinion, anyhow..

 

[Qgar]

EVERY career, hell every RELATIONSHIP, has its ebbs and flows. There are some days you think you're the luckiest person alive and there are others you wish you could have stayed in bed with the covers over your head. As others have said, maybe you need a little breather. Sometimes you need to take a step back to reevaluate. You, and only you, will know if flying is something you want to continue. If you decide to chuck it all, at least your life was richer for having tried it. There's nothing worse than having regrets later in life. Just my .02...as they say...your mileage may vary. Good luck!

 

[CaptainTeezy]

It is probably more that reality is just starting to check in...which is a good thing. As a pilot you never really just hop in a plane to go see friends on a 1 hour flight when it would normally be a 3 hour drive.

Commercial flying on its own really isnt fun after you have been doing it for a living after a few years. It is the hardest job in the world 5% of the time, but 95% of the time it is the easiest job in the world. The pay is great...sure the regionals arent as great as the majors, but if you stayed at a regional and topped out around 80k-100k a year you would have a better life than 90% of Americans and 99% of people in the world. Once the flight is over and you are out the door...there is nothing left to do.

The intial training, interviews, FAA, TSA, Medicals, ramp checks, checkrides, ignorant passengers and media scrutinizing aviation, furloughs, crooked management, and being asked to do things borderline legal start to wear down a guy over the years. There are soooo many places to run into a snag.

Long story short, for me, flying is all about not really having to do any real work, like reading books, going to board meetings, sitting at desks, answering phones, and whatever normal people do, while still getting paid a lot more money than most people.

 

[coa787]

Hope you have fun trying not to eat and breathe aviation at your aviation university program...

I've heard many stories...

If you join the flying team you're officially a dork and won't get laid. At least not by a girl!

Nah, I've never had any intention of joining the flying team. It's not as bad as you think. You can listen to as many stories as you want, but unless you've actually been here, then I don't wanna hear it.

 

[BCTAv8r]

Out of curiosity... how far along in training are you? I see you have a large number of posts so I probably should know, but I don't. Also, when you went into flying what did you want? Did you want travel? The freedom of the sky? The technology of modern airliners? Flying low and slow in a taildragger? I think if you have something to shoot for that helps a lot.

Was finishing up private. What Firebird said below is how I feel too. At this point in training, flying seems to be only about getting certain mauvers down and meeting requirements (going up to get some more hood time, solo time, etc). Then at the end of the lesson I get to be a couple hundred bucks poorer.

I love flying.. but some days, I'd just rather be doing somewhere else.

Once it becomes a job, sometimes it's not as fun as it could be. That's because you're not flying when you really want to, and the lack of choice becomes grating.

Otherwise, as I enjoy the view from 10,000 and climbing, I remember that my job still beats life in a cube ANY day. At least in my opinion, anyhow..

 

[awf]

Long story short, for me, flying is all about not really having to do any real work, like reading books, going to board meetings, sitting at desks, answering phones, and whatever normal people do, while still getting paid a lot more money than most people.

If only that were really how "real" work was I'd be happy. The truth is even worse. As a Bank Manager my job is 95% about meeting unrealistically high sales quotas and 5% the other things you mention.
Most time is spent hard selling checking accounts and loans to everyone you come in contact with and constantly calling people at home to convince them to come into the branch so you can sell them something. Senior management is constantly threatening you with your job for not meeting quotas and praising your peers who use unethical or even illegal tactics to blow out the quotas. When you do by some miracle hit a couple quotas all you hear about is the other 7 catagories you didnt hit and what your "action plan" is to make sure you hit all 9 next quarter. When you're not selling something your being broken down by angry mean spirited people who think that because you work for an "evil" bank your an agent of the devil and not worth the space you consume. All the while you put on the biggest fake smile you can muster and enthusiastically regurgitate the garbage fed down to you by senior management to your own staff knowing full well it's all BS.
The pointless meetings, and sitting at my desk reading training manuals are the only parts of my job I look forward to.
I would gladly haul cow manure in a 182 with rust holes in the floor boards for the next 20 years if it meant I'd never step foot in a bank again.

Sorry about the rant... not sure where that came from.

 

[KLB]

It kind of depends. When I was in college, I really didn't enjoy training at all. Answering "14 amps!" and having a instructor say, "technically, it's 14.7 AMPS, we're going to have to XT you on electrical systems" has a way of sucking the life out of you at 0530 when you'd rather be mountain biking or recovering from beer funneling from the previous night.

The level of baggery that goes on at aviation universities (particularly mine) never seased to amaze me! It was one of the reasons that I got the heck out of there as soon as I graduated and moved far far away to instruct. I could not conciously associate myself with those types. I loved my university, but I really disliked the flights ops department. It is also partly the reason I chose to go 135 rather than 121. The vast majority of the people who graduated from there went 121 and I couldn't imagine having to deal with them again....and then I went to my current company where all of the training captains were former Riddle'rs. Ain't that a B!? It was a little bit better though.

Hope you have fun trying not to eat and breathe aviation at your aviation university program...

I've heard many stories...

If you join the flying team you're officially a dork and won't get laid. At least not by a girl!

Thats a big negative. I did the flight team and I can tell you that the ability to get laid was totally dependent on the individual. Flight team was an activity not a lifestyle. I still was at the club fashionably late just like everyone else at the university on Thursday nights and Saturdays after the football game. I still went to step shows, attended greek probates, and crashed house parties! Thats the things you remember from college. I definitely don't remember all of the going to class, Alpha Eta Rho meetings, and flight team practices. And I was captain of the flight team and vice president of Alpha Eta Rho!

I can think back to how great high school was and think about how much fun it was fooling around with a few cheerleaders in the back of my SUV.

I drove a 1991 Chevy blazer around during high school and I have to say that it was pretty roomy back there when you lay that back seat down! Find yourself a nice secluded spot and it was darn near better than a hotel!

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

Nah, I've never had any intention of joining the flying team. It's not as bad as you think. You can listen to as many stories as you want, but unless you've actually been here, then I don't wanna hear it.

Thats a big negative. I did the flight team and I can tell you that the ability to get laid was totally dependent on the individual. Flight team was an activity not a lifestyle. I still was at the club fashionably late just like everyone else at the university on Thursday nights and Saturdays after the football game. I still went to step shows, attended greek probates, and crashed house parties! Thats the things you remember from college. I definitely don't remember all of the going to class, Alpha Eta Rho meetings, and flight team practices. And I was captain of the flight team and vice president of Alpha Eta Rho!

...it was more a joke guys. But, I know a lot of Riddle, ASU and UND grads and current students.

Besides most of them calling their aviation departments "the gayviation" depatment due to all the gay in flight training they always tell me that the dorks join the flight team. And that those dorks are the ones that live and breathe aviation. I'm not sure if it was Jace or maybe Angel but I heard stories about dudes on the flight team who were actually invited to parties and were talking aviation to their fellow classmates and also to new chicks at a party...

Lol, lame..

 

[KLB]

...it was more a joke guys. But, I know a lot of Riddle, ASU and UND grads and current students.

Besides most of them calling their aviation departments "the gayviation" depatment due to all the gay in flight training they always tell me that the dorks join the flight team. And that those dorks are the ones that live and breathe aviation. I'm not sure if it was Jace or maybe Angel but I heard stories about dudes on the flight team who were actually invited to parties and were talking aviation to their fellow classmates and also to new chicks at a party...

Lol, lame..

One of the big things is that I went to a university with a small aviation department. There was only 110 flight ops students. So the rest of the university was all other different type of majors.

I was the guy who put on the music that got the girls up and dancing. Oh hell I'm still that guy!