Looking back at the original topic, I recently came across one of the more extreme versions of "Why I left an airline pilot career". When I was a teenager I would watch those World Air Routes/Just Planes videos where they ride with a crew on a trip in the cockpit. At the time I thought they were so cool and my favorite was the United 777 from ORD to Heathrow. This was around 2001. I recently came across the shortened version on Youtube and it brought back a lot of great memories. I always thought the captain on the trip looked really young so I did some research out of curiosity to see if he had retired yet. Come to find out he was 43 when the video was shot and ended up leaving United in 2003 at 45 years old to take a job as a salesman for a printing company. Even with all the turmoil at United after 9/11 he was to keep his left seat in the 777. However, he decided it was a good time for him to leave the industry as he had lost his love for it. Below is a quote from him. I was floored when I found this out as he was he was somewhat of an idol for me as a teenager when I was working on my PPL (like
@Derg!). And, quite ironically, I am a salesman in my early thirties often wishing I had become an airline pilot like I had intended. Mind blown!
"It's not as cool to tell people I sell printing, but I think I'm happier," the 45-year-old said. "For me, the romance of it was gone. If I was going to secure a future for my family, this was my chance."