[quote=flyer]
I retired from American before 60 thanks to real estate. Another reason to have a “Plan B.”[/quote]

Well that explains how you’ve done it – pilots make a great living. If you’ve got perfect eyesight and are over 6 feet tall, you’re eligible to attempt a career as a pilot.

I would have never been eligible.

Many of my current and former neighbors are pilots. One of them, an American pilot, rarely ever worked. He always opted for the standby slots and was home almost all the time. Downside: he could never drink because he didn’t know if he’d be called in. Sometimes us neighbors would watch their kids overnight for them (his wife was a nurse). They were great people so we didn’t mind, but he sure made a lot of money for not much work.