7 Great Aviation Blogs… but no from pilots
When it comes to finding ideas and topics for this blog, reading other blogs is a great inspiration source. I consult dozens, if not hundreds of posts daily. Some get a simple glimpse, I read some other in-extenso. You can find many of them in the “News & Blogs” page.
A specific kind of blog recently attracted my attention. They’re all about aviation and life within the airlines, but they’re not edited by pilots. Despite that, they contain fresh and relevant information often presented in a different way. Need a hint ? Ok, here’s a proverb: behind each great man is a great woman. The bloggers runing these blogs are all married or engaged to a pilot.
The specificities of the job, schedules, days away from home, but also recent concerns about the future of the airlines… being partner of a pilot is not exactly easy. I’m not flying to make a living, but I periodically have to be away from home for professional reasons. This is never easy, and I don’t like do to it too often. From that point of view, I’m not made to be an airline or executive pilot, thus I somehow admire these women.
http://partnerofapilot.wordpress.com/
http://marriagewithaltitude.blogspot.com/
http://ohthelifeofapilotswife.blogspot.com/
http://imapilotswife.blogspot.com/
http://gr2crash-pilotswife.blogspot.com/
http://regionalgf.blogspot.com/
I try to find a “my wife is a pilot” blog, but I could not find any. If you know about some, or about other great blogs, leave a link in comment.
20 Comments, Comment or Ping
Julien
Yes, blogs written by pilots’ wifes and girlfriends make for fascinating reading… makes you think twice about flying as a career option!
I find ATC blogs very very helpful, it’s great to get the other side of the story, especially for private pilots who do not get to practice their radio skills every day:
http://pinguinomalo.blogspot.com/
Nov 8th, 2008
elsja
Thanks for the mention!! I’ve limited my discussions so far on dating a pilot because to date, I’ve had it pretty easy. My bf is home TONS and doesn’t go away for long trips… check back with me in a few months when he is flying long haul and I’m bored out of my brain, writing about how miserable it all is.
Nov 11th, 2008
PlasticPilot
@Julien: thank you for the link.
@Elsja: You’re welcome !
I’m a bit jealous, you both live down under…
Nov 11th, 2008
Julien
Happy to see the number of people you know Down Under grow
Maybe one day it will reach critical mass and you come visit us in Australia. Cheaper flying here than in Europe. Not as cheap as in the US, but cheaper nevertheless. And you can fly on your European licence.
We do not have much mountain flying here I’m afraid. But bush flying is a lot of fun too. There’s nothing like overflying the runway at 100ft to scare the kangaroos away
And for mountain flying New Zealand isn’t far.
Nov 12th, 2008
partner of a pilot
Thank you very much for the mention!
I’m intrigued as to why Julien said: “makes you think twice about flying as a career option!”
Nov 15th, 2008
PlasticPilot
@Partner Of A Pilot: well, the best way is to ask Julien directly…
Nov 15th, 2008
Julien
Hi all,
Happy to answer. When I said “makes you think twice about flying as a career option”, this was not a comment on the girlfriends or wifes of pilots but rather on the family lifestyle that seems to come with having a professional pilot as a husband.
I’m referring to things such as long and frequent trips away, being jet-lagged and irritable when at home, missing special occasions with your partner and children, having a social schedule that does not match that of the general population, etc. There must be positive sides to it as well, but I have to say that the blogs mentioned above mostly picture the negative side of it.
If I took the decision today to (try to) become a professional pilot, this would mean a major change in lifestyle for my wife and myself (no kids yet) and would not translate into more money. If I was 18 and had just left high school I may decide otherwise, but I’m nearly double that age and have a 9-to-5 job that I like and that pays reasonably well. All other things being equal, I would of course prefer flying an airplane to flying a desk. But given where I am in life I would feel selfish making such a radical career change and inflicting the pilot lifestyle on my family. Hence the “makes me think twice” comment, which was a personal comment based on my circumstances and what I believe my life would look like if I made the change.
I’m looking forward to bloggers who are partners of a pilot to write more about the good sides of it. Apart from the lifestyle, what makes living with a pilot different than with a non-pilot? What do you find in your pilot partner that you did not find before in non-pilots?
Julien.
Nov 16th, 2008
partner of a pilot
Well, you might like my most recent entry then! I wouldn’t change Bf’s job, even with it’s lifestyle flaws!
Nov 16th, 2008
Cpt J's Wife
Thank you so much for the mention. I have been some how related to the aviation industry since I was born, so there are few surprises.
I love my life and wouldn’t change it for anything. Yes, I bitch and moan about crappy schedules, lack of income and time away from home… But, with Cpt J life never seems to get boring. He is an adrenaline junky and I can’t help but get excited about things he talks about. He has passion for everything he does and wants to tell everyone about it!!
While he is not very handy, he is so smart and I find that to be very attractive. People think he is so cool and interesting, it makes me proud even though I know what he has had to sacrifice to do what he loves.
Nov 17th, 2008
PlasticPilot
@CPT J’S WIFE: you’re welcome, I enjoy reading your blog. Is not the whole life about finding trade-offs ? I’m glad to read that you’ve found a good balance.
Nov 17th, 2008
PlasticPilot
@Julien: I think you should check that: http://partnerofapilot.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/more-about-the-good-sides/
And by the way, thank you all for the interesting discussion.
Nov 17th, 2008
partner of a pilot
Julien,
I wrote a post just for you… It’s called ‘More about the good sides!’
http://partnerofapilot.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/more-about-the-good-sides/
I hope that adds some balance!
Nov 17th, 2008
Julien
@Partner of a pilot: awesome post! Thanks so much for taking the time to write it all down.
I can relate a bit to item number 5 (randomness of roster) since when I was a child my father was working shifts. It’s true that overall I had probably more time with my father than other kids did. One just has to learn not to jump into the parents’ bed at 8AM when Dad just came back from the night shift
And items 8 and 12 brought back memories of dating a student nurse a long long time ago… Enough said 
Damn, now that I have read about the good sides, I will have to think not twice but thrice about that professional pilot career
Nov 17th, 2008
KJ
I’m honored to mentioned in your Seven Sites.
However I do need to correct you as I’m either married or engaged to a pilot, just seriously dating one. Hopefully someday engaged and then married. (Just had to give you a hard time)
Anyway, Thanks again.
I look forward to reading your site.
KJ
Nov 18th, 2008
Someday
Thanks for the shout out. I’m so glad that I’ve kept my blog going for the past two years. It’s been an interesting ride and I never could have forseen the hurdles we’ve had.
There is no information out there at all about what it’s like to potentially lose the career you love or how to get through the bureaucracy of medical leave and get one’s license back. Our journey now inspires me to blog even more in hopes that it helps someone else out there in the same situation.
K
Nov 18th, 2008
PlasticPilot
@KJ & SOMEDAY: thank you for running your blogs, and sharing with the rest of us, pilots, and even non-flying persons…
Nov 18th, 2008
Pilotswife
Thanks for the above mention!
It sometimes can be challenging having a hubby as a pilot, but after 14 years and two kids later.. we wouldn’t have it any other way.
My favorite question many women ask is “How do you handle your husband gone so much?” my reply is always the same,” How can YOU handle him being home so much!”
Being a Pilot’s wife, has allowed me to become the woman I am today. I know now that I am a strong, independent, self sufficient, woman who loves a man who is never boring, always passionate, and continues to surprise and amaze me. That isn’t too bad, now is it?
Nov 24th, 2008
Nicole
Man! You tag all my other pilot wife ladies, but me! Diss! Not that my blog is terribly aviation focused, but still…
Nov 29th, 2008
PlasticPilot
@Nicole: I’m sorry for that… I found the others via some directories, and links from other blogs. I don’t know yet why I did not land on your blog.
Nov 30th, 2008
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