IMO it’s the coolest job out there and when you pass a ride you do feel like you’ve accomplished something many could not. When things go right it is the best thing out there apart from being able to be a formula 1/GTE race car driver.

Here’s a few downsides. You asked for it though some may think are hyperbolic. This does happen

The pilot mill aspect. Training is hard on your body working 6 days a week and the 7th is split between studying and catching up on chores. The stress of testing for the rest of your life gets people. I have seen students pass PPC IR COM then fail multi add on from stupid mistakes or can’t pass an oral and get kicked from programs.

Pilot mill CFIs get paid nothing and work their asses off and if you had 3 students in a row fail their check you’re fired. Happened to a guy I knew had 8 signoffs pass then 3 fail. He got fired and is now working refueling and applying elsewhere.

Management at these places are brutal too. Incentives are made to keep money flowing into the business. Students overworked may call out sick or fatigued. At a school near me if you call out it’s automatically $150 feet taken from your account unless you have a doc notice. So you have students coming in sick getting others sick FLYING sick but not telling anyone because they don’t want to pay the fee.

Instructors I heard it’s also a nightmare. 5-6 days 12hr shifts waking up at 2am for 4 days and on the 5-6th are scheduled till 2am. I have a report of a CFI documenting this where on his 6th day he got home at 1am and had to report to work at 6am the next day (filled out a report for diverting and had to stay late yet it wasn’t paid) so it’s not on the schedule. He called in fatigue the next morning and the management said that “he’s finding ways to get out of work” that person still came in to work the next day out of fear of being fired but cancelled the flight and only did sims/grounds. He later was threatened to be fired for saying no he cannot fly. Same thing happens to another CFI same school. Called in fatigue. Refused to drive to work and management said “that sounds like a you problem” he quit. there’s a reason why professional aviation has unions. Going the CFI grind it’s tough to get employed after going through the hell of checkrides. But many schools know you are desperate and are not unionized so they take advantage of you.

Professionally? Don’t expect to be home every night. Expect on your last leg of the week that there’s been delays or cancellations and now you’re stuck on the other-side of the country for 2 of your 3 days off. And you’re still required to report back the next week on the same day.

Anything in life can happen and if it affects getting a medical then your career is over. Someone rear-ended you at a light and now you have a concussion and eyesight is in question? You’re out for at least half a year and possible ineligible to get a new medical: basically your career can end in a second after all of that work you put in.

Family time is not happening unless you find a unicorn job or have good seniority. It’s why you hear about aviation employees: pilots and flight attendants get cheated on/are the cheaters more than many other professions.

Standby/on call - you can’t be more than a certain. Distance/time from your base or airport in case you’re called in. Sometimes it’s every day of the week sometimes it’s 5 days and no call but your phone can ring at any moment and you must be ready.