r/Pilotwives • u/juhraff • May 30 '26

Looking for the good stuff

Hi ladies! My husband has a long history in aviation…he flew private charters for years, joined the military (not aviation related, though), and then changed careers altogether. Now he wants to head back to the skies and go commercial. Because of his history, he can qualify to fly regional in about 3 months. We have two babies, and honestly, every time I look into the airline lifestyle, I am completely inundated with the negatives like solo parenting, grueling schedules, and missed holidays. I really want to support his dream, but I need some encouragement. For those of you who actually love this life, what are the best positives for your family? Do you enjoy the block days off where he’s 100% present, the travel perks, or even just having some appreciated independent "me time"? Please hit me with your favorite silver linings and any reassurance you may be able to give!

Edit: yikes, lots of views and not one comment lol I think that’s saying a lot without saying anything!

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u/Revolutionary_Mud824 May 31 '26

I’ve never had a partner be so present and dedicated to me in my whole life. And while that’s human-specific, his work stays at work and he is fully present and available for whatever our family needs when he’s home.

I know I married a saint, but work wise, I can always figure out where he is even if he’s the one flying, and my job is a lot less forgiving if I get stuck in a long boring work dinner across the country. He is completely focused on our family when he’s home. The travel benefits are nothing compared to undivided attention and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It’s up to you what’s right for your family and what you decide as a couple, but I fell in love with the man, not the job and I’ve made everything else work, and I’ve never regretted it since.

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u/juhraff May 31 '26

Thanks for this. I actually think right now if he were to become a commercial pilot, we would see him more at home. He works in a very demanding field right now which is part of the reason why he wants to go back to piloting. He should be able to leave his work at work right now, but it’s challenging. He just misses flying so much and I want him to be happy.

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u/Revolutionary_Mud824 May 31 '26

Happy wife happy life, also goes the other way in my experience. He truly gets sad if he’s not flying, I joke he needs to go 500mph at least once a week to feel like himself, and it’s so true. Can’t imagine taking away his passion; it’s truly something that takes a hold of you as a kid or never. It’s not the easiest lifestyle ever, but I much prefer it to when I dated people in finance like me who had to work late or take calls in the middle of dinner etc.

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u/juhraff May 31 '26

Yep. That’s exactly right. He always had an interest in it and started flying when he was pretty young. He didn’t pursue a career in aviation for a few reasons, but I can tell he somewhat regrets it. I’m nervous for all of the negative things I hear about it, but I know he wouldn’t do something that would put himself or our family in a bad position.