Changes In Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

I’ve noticed a marked shift in M’s attitude over the past month. As I discussed in an earlier post, he spent most of the summer stewing over the state of the airline industry and the lack of upward movement. I can tell he’s come around to fully appreciate the fact that he HAS A SEAT, and it’s with a company that treats him well (relatively speaking by industry standards). Not that he didn’t before appreciate it before, but I think it has really sunk in how fortunate he is. More of his buddies at different companies are hitting the streets with each round of furloughs.

We also have a new view on his flight school loan. Each month when that payment clears, we feel vindicated in our decision for him to train where he did. With the way the economy is, if he went the mom and pop route the only letters he’d have after his name right now would be CFI. Especially now that HR 3371 may go into law, it makes all the difference that he started building hours on a full-time basis when he did. You want to be on the right side of that line.

M’s also learning to stay away from the pilot forums. They’re toxic. The rumors and negative attitude rub off on him. I can always tell when he’s spent some time reading them by his mood. Have any other pilot wives else noticed that?

It helps that the routes get much better in the winter too. As long as a training captain doesn’t snake the trip, E and are joining him on his 2 long overnights in Florida this weekend. Hotels on A1A baby. Sure beats 36 hours in Peoria.

Time to say cheers with a glass half full.