<prompt> Human: So Ive had this idea festering in the back of my head for years. Since I was a kid Ive wanted to become a pilot, but was talked out of it as a teenager due to the training costs and the industry slow down of the 2000s after 911. Everyone told me to go get a STEM degree, which I did: worked full time and went to state school getting out with an engineering degree and a couple grand of debt which I immediately paid off. Now Im a few years in and making decent money, but I am bored out of my mind at my current job aerospace engineer. I feel like Peter Gibbons from office space.nbsp;Current stats:nbsp; 67k a year, will be in the low 70s this year with OT Own a home I owe 87K on, could easily sell for 130K No other significant debt 22k cash savings Single, no kidsnbsp;A few years ago I went ahead and got my private pilot license and have loved the few hundred hours of flying that Ive done. I really want to pursue it as a career. Ive done my research and realize there are some serious drawbacks:nbsp; I need to spend another 20k to get where I am employable as a pilot It would take me approximately 5 years of crappy jobs to get to the point where I am making a similar amount of money to what I do now I am fit and healthy, no family medical issues, but losing the ability to get a 1st class medical would end a flying career Industry instability: way more engineering jobs than flying jobsnbsp;I realize that not many of the people in PF are pilots and wouldnt know too many details of the career, but the way that rflying has been lately, I dont really want to post over there. Also, this has more to do with risking money than actual flying.nbsp;Assuming that it takes 5 years to get back to a comparable level of income Im 29 years old in a risky career, is it a terrible PF decision to try to go for a childhood dream career?nbsp;Edit: I have done plenty of research on the career and know fully what Im considering getting into. Im asking about the irresponsibility of personal finance here... not your opinion on if I will be happy being a pilot.nbsp;Edit 2: Thank you for your responses. While I do appreciate your concern and cautions to try and make me realize what the job entails, I am very aware of what I am potentially getting into. I have spent the last two years talking to many types of pilots cargo, airline, instruction, agricultural, military, corporate, etc to understand the career in detail. I am not making an uninformed decision. To those of you who presented some actual financial perspective, thank you. Id like to respond in detail to a lot more responses, but Im pretty sure coworkers browse PF, so I have to exercise some restraint.  <response>: I need to spend another 20k to get where I am employable as a pilotIf youre just a private pilot with no IR or CPL, its going to cost you a lot more than that. Probably on the order of 50-70k more.Im a private pilot with 150 hours and this is the top reason I havent become a commercial airline pilot. Id put myself tens of thousands of dollars in debt only to make 20k-30k out the gates... and thats after instructing until I have the 1500 hour required minimum for right seat on an ATP gig. You should also post this question to rflying for other opinions from real pilots. 