Do you plan to drive... forever?

Judge · Mar 30, 2026 at 12:02 PM

road_runner · Apr 1, 2026 at 9:16 PM

plynnjr92 said: ↑

I plan to drive until the day I retire, but 2-3 years ago I had actually considered pursuing my #1 dream job.

I've always wanted to be an airline pilot, but over my years of on-and-off research, it wasn't feasible. $100+k tuition, 9-12 months of full time instruction, 3+ years as a flight instructor making peanuts until I earn the minimum 1500 flight hours, then get hired as a first officer at a regional airline making $45k a year. Not a career reset I was willing to make with a wife and daughter.

But then I stumbled across Allegiant's in-house cadet program. I inquired through email and I had an admissions guy run me through the whole program. It'd be $90k, 9 months of instruction, 12-15 months as a flight instructor, and after earning 1500 hours in 2 years, it would lead to a guaranteed job at Allegiant. Not a regional airline earning next to nothing, but a real airline making real money. And in half the time it would take compared to other schools I researched.

I genuinely considered it, talked to my wife about it countless times, and she was onboard with the idea. She was ready to pack her and the baby's stuff, move back to her mom's in Utah while I'd be renting a room at my old meet driver's house in Denver. I almost pulled the trigger, but I ultimately didn't.

We just bought a house in California and just started a family. Pulling the trigger would have meant putting the house up for sale, moving all our furniture into storage, living separate from my family for 2 years with occasional visits from across the Rockies, and I'd HAVE to make this work. Old Dominion likely wouldn't have hired me back unless they were desperate, and they aren't. Plus, I don't hate my job. It's one thing to start a new career because the old one sucks, but it's another thing entirely to leave a job you love to try something new, and you're not sure you'd even be good at it.

Looking back, I guess I'd be flying planes right now if it all worked out, but I can't know that it actually would have. I had a good thing with OD back then, I still have a good thing with them now, so there was no good reason to leave. And I'm happy I chose to stay.

Somewhere in the multiverse, there's a version of me who's flying for the airlines. That's good enough for me. I'll stay down here, tires to the pavement, working towards my first 1 million mile safety award.
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Ever thought about ultralights as a hobby? You get to fly and all you need is gear and a few days of training. It's what I am doing right now to fulfill my life's dream of flight. Plus my one-man deathtrap fits in my garage.

FullMetalJacket · Apr 1, 2026 at 10:03 PM

road_runner said: ↑

Ever thought about ultralights as a hobby? You get to fly and all you need is gear and a few days of training. It's what I am doing right now to fulfill my life's dream of flight. Plus my one-man deathtrap fits in my garage.

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plynnjr92 · Apr 2, 2026 at 2:24 PM

road_runner said: ↑

Ever thought about ultralights as a hobby? You get to fly and all you need is gear and a few days of training. It's what I am doing right now to fulfill my life's dream of flight. Plus my one-man deathtrap fits in my garage.

View attachment 588306
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With my car and my computer, I'm not sure my wallet or my wife would appreciate me diving into another expensive hobby

Spending $500 on a licensed Boeing yoke and throttle quadrant for my PC seems a less risky move. Especially considering I every week I log 2-3 virtual flight hours on a 737 with my current joystick anyway.

BrothaTrucka513 · Apr 3, 2026 at 9:07 AM

Planning to haul heavy through the nine circles of hell like:

#DevilRig

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