Its Sunday afternoon right now at about 2:42pm. I am sitting in Pittsburgh, PA in yet another hotel room while my wife enjoys her weekend helping the in-laws put up Christmas lights around the house, put up the Christmas tree, etc. Just another example of how this lifestyle is difficult.
As I stated in a previous post, my resignation has since been turned in. I am leaving here with a minor feeling of sweet sorrow. But, honestly I wouldn’t want it any other way. I have never left a job (well, ok, one) where a part of me didn’t want to go back. And so it goes with this one. I loved the actual flying part (about 18% of the total job). After all, above all else in my life, save for a father (eventually) and husband, I am a pilot first and everything else thereafter. There is something about flying an airplane that I just MUST have. A disease of sorts. The first step is to admit that I have a problem.
“Hello, my name is Bryan and I am an aeroholic”.
So, it is this aspect of everyday flying, logging flight time hand over fist, etc that I will likely miss. But, then again, am I actually giving it up? I am working on doing some flight instruction while I am in school. Certainly, the quantity of time won’t be there. But the quality of it will be. I don’t need to log a 1,000 hours a year to scratch the flying itch. In fact, I think I could do it with 100-200 hours per year fairly easily.
Of course, when the CPA is done and I am established at making a respectable paycheck (something I haven’t experienced in 2 years now), purchasing an airplane will be one of the first orders of business.
But, there is so much more to life than flying. Like an alcoholic (an aeroholic in my case), there is more to life than drinking. It is these things that I must focus on going forth and it is these things which have led me to make the decision to leave the airlines. And it has been one of toughest decisions I have ever made.
In the short term, from here, I have to endure the rest of today in this hotel room. Tomorrow morning, is the last day of this non-commutable trip. Tomorrow is a 7 hour flying day (very rare), 2 RDU turns, then back to STL. Southwest Airlines has removed the late night St Louis to Orlando flight, so when I get back into STL tomorrow evening at 7:10pm, I’ve got to spend the night and catch the 7am flight out the following morning, cutting the first of only 2 days off in half. Once I get home, I’ve got 1.5 days of personal time before I go back for the final trip. On the second day off, I am going to head to a local flight school and get checked out in their airplane. I am a bit concerned about that, honestly, as I am not incredibly current with small airplane flying right now. But, I believe it is like riding a bicycle, such that after 2 or 3 hours and a handful of touch and go’s, I’ll be ready to rock and roll. I’ve done it before and I can do it again!
Then it is back to STL on the 11th for the last and final trip. Its a 2 day and a 3 day back to back. I will be back into STL on day 5 at 10am. I just need to turn in my company materials, sign any forms I need to sign, then head home. I might make a swing by the crash pad quickly just to tie up loose ends there before heading out. Since I am required to turn in my company ID, I will no longer be able to jump seat. Therefore, I have a buddy pass that I am planning on using for the final return trip.
After that I’ve got a slew of things to do to prepare for school. I won’t bore you with the details. However, the 3 weeks between the end of this job and the beginning of school will hardly be all fun and games and relaxation, though I deserve some of that. I am wound so tight right now its unbelievable. I can use some time to just unwind and clear my mind.
So, I’ll be home the 9th, gone again the 11th, and back home the 15th for the final time. I am ready to do this, finally. There will be no better time than now to finish this CPA. I do not know exactly what the future holds, and how exactly everything is going to unfurl. But, as facts unfold, I will do my best and try to seize every opportunity to market my aviation abilities, be the best flight instructor I can possibly be, and to otherwise kick ass and take names with this CPA endeavor.