Pilots that decided to hang it up, how’d things turn out?
Posted by Odd_Refrigerator260@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 36 comments
For context, I’m a PPL and have dreamed of being a pilot since I was a kid. However, I’m dealing with some mental health stuff and am seriously considering starting an SSRI. I know that’s not necessarily the nail in the coffin for me flying, but is a significant hurdle.
Curious to hear from those of you who’ve hung it up, for medical or other reasons, how’d it go? Are you happy with your decision? Any sage wisdom you could share?
rocketryguy@reddit
Student pilot, 100+ hours in, and while I could get away with the "don't ask don't tell, don't get the FAA sued" stance that is the current reality, I've decided to hang it up. By current regs, I would not be allowed to fly, which is absurd and based on the FAA's ignorance. If I can demonstrate proficiency, that should be the end of it. (And I have, soloed etc). I'm not interested in pushing my luck and dying, my instructor once said that I'm one of the better students she's ever had. And there a ton of pilots already flying just like me, just deciding to be quiet about inconvenient truths.
It's not that I don't think the rules shouldn't apply, it's just that like equipment certification and also medical in general, the data shows that they have both been needing reform, because they don't actually do much at all for safety, and in many cases make it worse.
Most of the GA fleet is technologically 70 years behind where it should be.
Most pilots have never had a cold over a 40 year flying career. Amazing how utterly perfect they are, thanks to how the FAA approaches health issues, physical or mental. Yes that is sarcasm.
Instead of creating an environment where pilots, who as a group are generally real fucking interested in doing the right thing, can do the right thing, they incentivize doing the wrong thing. Because legal ass-covering. If we don't know we can't be sued, is basically the entire thing.
So I got to the point where I simply didn't want to invest any more time, energy and money into a certificate that would be expensive to maintain, just to see it yoinked if I made a careless social media post. That recently happened to a pilot who did all the right things without even being asked, and got sidelined by a pretty questionable process.
So now I'm going part 103, and will get far more air time, for less money, and it'll be more enjoyable. I don't really have many people who would fly with me anyway, so really how many $200 burgers do I need? Flying a 172 is kinda like driving a station wagon, so I'm going with something that is more connected to the act of flying, with less glass and metal in the way. Half a gallon an hour, instead of 8 makes me feel better on the carbon side too.
And Living honestly feels better as well.
DerFlieger@reddit
Pilots get colds all the time on the 121 side, typically right before their kid’s dance recital. Never when picking up open time at 200%, that’s just allergies.
NonVideBunt@reddit
I’ve never had a cold and I’m practically perfect.
walleyednj@reddit
I bet you’ve never been sad either.
NonVideBunt@reddit
Never. I fart rainbows 🌈.
Regular-Amoeba5455@reddit
What type of careless social media post are we talking about?
Odd_Refrigerator260@reddit (OP)
Yeah, the FAA’s medical policies are a load of crap. I’m hoping there are changes on the horizon that make it easier for us in the future but change is slow…
I hadn’t even considered Part 103. Also, with MOSAIC we could fly 172s under Sport Pilot regs
lemania_lover@reddit
Flying as a sport pilot fulfills 99.99% of the missions I want to do with none of the stress of a medical.
Best choice ever .
ltcterry@reddit
You are a Pilot. Your health - whether mental or physical - is more important than a label. Even one as cool as Pilot. And you’re already a Pilot.
Truly, your wellbeing is more important. And there is good news.
You can do a glider add on. No medical required. I added on glider when the Army sent me to Germany and “I wasn’t going to be able to fly real airplanes.” It was so exciting I did glider commercial while home on leave and initial CFI in a glider a year later. You can progress in a glider. You can have a blast doing rewarding flying. 12 years after CFIG I still fly gliders once a month.
Private includes Sport. If you can find an LSA to fly you’re already rated. If MOSAIC happens as expected you’ll be able to fly what you’re already flying with some minor limitations. Just don’t go blow your medical beforehand or Sport’s off the table.
As a Sport Pilot you may pursue advanced training in many cases but may not execute the privileges w/o the applicable medical.
I gave up a job I really liked to move close to my bipolar son; it was important to be in what I call “the same time zone” as my son (I left Germany early and returned to Georgia). My brother committed suicide. Two Soldiers I was in Iraq with have done the same including one who worked directly for me.
Your health is important. You are important. And you have options. Having options means you are better off than many. Hang in there!
Tidbits - my first time to 18,000’ was in a glider. No spam can can do that! My first flight longer than 3-1/2 hours was in a glider. The glider I instruct in is aerobatic. Most spam cans are not. My glider club is full of people who used to fly ASEL or who fly jets now. Not to mention the talented pilots who have only flown gliders.
TheTangoFox@reddit
Got married to someone who wasn't ok with the pilot lifestyle. I'm fine, but I miss it, and watching my friends get their upgrades and talk about their careers just makes playing the "what if" game a little harder.
You'll survive either way.
Ok-Run-4866@reddit
🙋🏻♂️
Same story but for me it was a recurring cardiac issue. Too much time and expense spent trying to keep my medical so I gave it up.
I had about 250 hours and loved almost all of it.
I miss it sometimes but I know that season of my life is over.
No regrets. Just fond memories.
Odd_Refrigerator260@reddit (OP)
That’s a good way to think about it - thank you :)
MelsEpicWheelTime@reddit
By all means, focus on your health. But SSRI are NOT going to magically make you better, have significant sexual side effects, and can actually make you more suicidal or bipolar.
If you haven't exhausted the other resources of therapy, diet (high omega 3, vitamins, and protein), exercise (including heavy weight lifting and long endurance cardio) then you have no business even considering SSRI.
Gloomy_Pick_1814@reddit
Imagine gatekeeping antidepressants with "have you tried eating more fish or running a marathon."
Cass256@reddit
You could get an ultralight, they’re the cheapest way to own an aircraft & great for sunset/sunrise cruises
Reputation_Many@reddit
Before going on an SSRI, try this first...
Most people I know who think they need one actually don’t. Probably 95% just need to fix a few basic things.
Start with a full blood panel. Not just the basics. Check magnesium, vitamin D, B12, iron, thyroid, all of it. You could be low and not even know it. To many Dr's are going to give you something to take over the symptoms and not fix the underlying issue.
Take magnesium glycerinate, not the cheap kind. Add calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and a good electrolyte mix. Take it daily and be consistent. I like: Dr. Price’s Electrolyte Mix (no association with them) I used them on my flights to stay hydrated on the airplane, worked like a charm. Possibly start soaking your body or feet in epsom salt (magnesium) it makes you feel better.
Start moving your body. Cardio, lifting, walking, anything. Doesn’t have to be intense, just regular. You’ll feel better in a week or two. Exercise boosts endorphins which help your mood naturally.
A lot of people feel off because of anxiety, even if they don’t realize it. Cleaning up your habits resets a lot. Get sunlight, drink water, and sleep right. All that matters.
Try this for a few weeks before even thinking about meds. If nothing changes, look at your options. But don’t go straight to something that could kill your career without trying the basics first.
And if you feel like the training it to much are you in a Part 141 school, then get the F out of that craphole and go to a Part 61 school and have fun flying. 141 is awful, and will make you feel awful.
Good luck
iLOVEr3dit@reddit
Ssri is an absolute pain in the ass until you are approved. Once you are finally approved, it's not really that difficult to stay approved
redditburner_5000@reddit
It's working out. If anything, I should have left flying earlier.
Decided one day I wasn't having fun flying professionally and didn't see a future aside from airlines, which is not something I wanted to do. I want to fly little planes low in mountains around fire, but the only jobs that do that are on the road a lot. I didn't want to be on the road a lot, but I did want to make money and a family so did grad school while flying and jumped very shortly after graduating. Stayed on flying part time with a local 135 for a couple years doing local/regional fire stuff as relief but then quit that too. Scratched the itch with instructing here and there. Owned a plane for a while and looking to buy again. If I could find a local 135 flying pistons on ad-hoc runs, I'd be all over it.
Turns out I love flying, but I really don't like the baggage that comes with professional flying. Give me a 310 or Bonanza or 182 for local flying/family trips and I'm set. No OpSpecs, no FAA communications, no recurring checkrides, medical stuff, company solvency, market swings, furloughs, seniority, etc etc. Just flying when and where I want with who I want. That's how it should be.
Fatboy097@reddit
Out of curiosity, what career field are you in now?
redditburner_5000@reddit
I negotiate the deals to make everyone involved happy, or equally dissatisfied.
Ashamed-Charge5309@reddit
How did that path go for you?
redditburner_5000@reddit
I loved the work. It's what I wanted to do. But it didn't pay what I needed and the schedule is tough if a family is part of he plan. Career progression would have fixed income gap but there's no workaround for the schedule.
Using my degree nearly doubled my income overnight and had me in my own bed every single day. No brainer.
Dependent-Place-4795@reddit
I remember you on this reddit a couple years ago.
KneadAndPreserve@reddit
Got grounded when I had brain surgeries in 2020. Was a PPL and wanted to go further. I am still sad about it but I’m glad I didn’t go further career wise. I ended up focusing on starting a family and my husband is getting his license so I can still be in the air. Overall, I’m glad life worked out this way because I am happier with a simpler life - I wouldn’t have known that at the time though. It just accidentally worked out. I still long for the sky though. Hoping my children will have a love of flight.
Background_Idea9968@reddit
You know I feel like this is such a good part of being a pilot is that you would actually need to be healthy and not be doing anything wild. It’s so easy to get into substances or be depressed or not take care of yourself, not get regular health check ups.
If you know that your job is to be happy and healthy so that you can do something you really love you’re more likely to cheer yourself up and seek help ASAP so that you don’t feel depressed or get into bad shape ever.
radiohack808@reddit
PPL and former owner of a C172. At around the 500 hr mark, I hung up my spurs. I flew all over the western states, and enjoyed the challenges of small airfields in remote places. It was an expensive hobby and I was balancing that with a desire to retire at 50. It was a hard decision, but I sold it, bought a sailboat near Seattle, and spent the last 4 years living aboard, sailing 10k miles to Panama. I do miss it, but if I ever move back to the US, I'd like to try an ultralight or open cockpit kit plane...something rugged enough for backcountry flying, and inexpensive to operate
SpartanDoubleZero@reddit
Between injuries I had while active duty that lead to medical retirement, being a single dad to a kid with special needs, and the demand to be gone frequently. It just wasn’t in the cards. I still love flying, and maybe it’s the fat splash of autism my dad gave me from the gene pool but aviation safety is pretty fucking cool, so I’m chasing that degree path right now.
StarlightLifter@reddit
Ended up going to exclusively simulator flying. Figured I didn’t want to make flying a career but I still love the procedural aspects of it all and whatnot. And the scenery in 2020 is still fucking awesome.
But what’s more is that I’ve learned to fly some really cool shit I know I wouldn’t have learned otherwise.
I am convinced that with my background and my hundred if not hundreds of hours in the B737-800 I could bring one down and not kill everyone on board.
ThnkGdImNotAReditMod@reddit
People underestimate how good chair flying is at home nowadays. The software on all (most, cough p3d) major sim platforms is really advanced now and there are many great third party add-ons. The barrier to entry with physical hardware is also becoming a lot better, and many more options are available for consumers.
StarlightLifter@reddit
The amount of money I saved by stopping flying has easily paid off what I consider at this point to be a quite advanced sim setup
globesdustbin@reddit
I walked away due to a medical issue. I’m glad I did it but it sure saves me a lot of money not flying!
Odd_Refrigerator260@reddit (OP)
Yeah…. My bank account will definitely thank me!
pattern_altitude@reddit
Haven’t hung it up and have no plans to, but you’ve gotta look out for you. It’s a choice between taking care of yourself and coming back to flying later or trying to stick it out and leaving yourself in a dark spot to try to stay in the cockpit.
Odd_Refrigerator260@reddit (OP)
Yeah for sure. Even thinking about it feels like breaking up with the love of your life haha, but gotta put my health first at the end of the day
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
For context, I’m a PPL and have dreamed of being a pilot since I was a kid. However, I’m dealing with some mental health stuff and am seriously considering starting an SSRI. I know that’s not necessarily the nail in the coffin for me flying, but is a significant hurdle.
Curious to hear from those of you who’ve hung it up, for medical or other reasons, how’d it go? Are you happy with your decision? Any sage wisdom you could share?
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Hi, I'm a bot and it looks like you're asking a question about medical issues: mental health.
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