Oftentimes, I am asked the question, “Do you miss flying for the airline?” I sense an expectation that the reply should be an affirmation that my profession defined my identity. For some pilots that might be true. Perhaps the type-A captain mentality has become ingrained in my character. (Camera pans to spouse and friends: Chins nodding; eyes rolling.)
The simple answer is, “No, I don’t miss the airline.” Most folks assume my response is because of COVID-19, inclusive of lunatic passengers, inconsistent schedules, and more. I don’t envy my colleagues, but virus protocols wouldn’t have dictated my early departure had I still been employed. The industry is not a stranger to turmoil, nor are we strangers to the resiliency required to perform the mission of safely flying people, regardless of distractions.
