May I ask how old you have been when you made the transition? And whether you had family or not? Because I learned that this significant change in lifestyle is a lot easier the younger you are and the less other commitments you have. Respect so for becomong an aviator, that definitely isn't the easiest career path.

And I could imagine that a former naval aviator who is also a programmer has a bright future in the defense and aerospace industry if you want.