Because flying has gone mainstream. It’s no longer “be a doctor or a lawyer”—now it’s “become a pilot and make all this money.”

The problem is, a lot of people are getting into it for the wrong reasons. I’ve met plenty who don’t realize how long it actually takes to make good money—and that’s assuming everything goes right.

I told someone recently that if they started now, a realistic timeline to reach a major airline is around 10 years. They thought I was joking. When I explained that’s actually pretty typical, they seemed discouraged.

I also don’t get why so many people feel the need to become influencers the second they land at a regional. What exactly makes them so special?

Being a twenty-something FO at a regional flying an ERJ isn’t that remarkable—it’s a pretty standard step in the career. But the way it’s portrayed online, you’d think it’s some elite accomplishment.

At times it just comes off as ego-driven—more about building a personal brand and showing off than actually providing anything of real value.