Airline Pilot Central Forums

Airline Pilot Central Forums (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/)
-   Flight Schools and Training (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/flight-schools-training/)
-   -   Is 41 too old to be a pilot ? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/flight-schools-training/60432-41-too-old-pilot.html)

ayseaf 07-02-2011 04:31 PM

Is 41 too old to be a pilot ?
 
I am 41y , looking to be a pilot , it is my dream when i am young , do u think it worth it , if yes which schools can give me the licence to be commercial pilot and how much cost , any loans can apply for it ?

Thanks for all

Fr8doggie 07-02-2011 05:16 PM

Not too old, but it would be more difficult to recoup your investment into the career. FedEx has hired many in their mid-fifties as have other majors so it's not impossible to get to a good place for a few years before 60 (65).

Superpilot92 07-02-2011 05:21 PM

It's not ideal but definitely not to old, if it's what you want to do than do it. Life's to short to hate what you do, cheers

TheReelDeel33 07-02-2011 07:41 PM

If you already have $ saved up, and are real serious about this, you could quit your job and dedicate yourself to nothing but flight training and be done in a year.

So by 42 or 43 you could be building flight time instructing. If you did this as your full time gig you could have enough hours to get a "legitimate" pilot job by 45. So if you wanted to be an airline pilot that would give you a 20 year career.

So no, you aren't to old. I don't think anyone would say that you are. It's a matter of are you wealthy enough, because if you are 41 now and made the switch you wouldn't be back to making a respectable income until you were close to 50. (flight instructuting will prob give you 15k a year) (Regional pilot might bring you closer to 20k) (regional pilot after 20 years seniority you'll be close to 6 figures)

ayseaf 07-02-2011 07:56 PM


Originally Posted by TheReelDeel33 (Post 1017128)
If you already have $ saved up, and are real serious about this, you could quit your job and dedicate yourself to nothing but flight training and be done in a year.

So by 42 or 43 you could be building flight time instructing. If you did this as your full time gig you could have enough hours to get a "legitimate" pilot job by 45. So if you wanted to be an airline pilot that would give you a 20 year career.

So no, you aren't to old. I don't think anyone would say that you are. It's a matter of are you wealthy enough, because if you are 41 now and made the switch you wouldn't be back to making a respectable income until you were close to 50. (flight instructuting will prob give you 15k a year) (Regional pilot might bring you closer to 20k) (regional pilot after 20 years seniority you'll be close to 6 figures)


Thanks for all , what about schools , which one is good to start , i heared about delta academy , is it good , is other schools you know ? what about school loans ?

Thanks

threeighteen 07-02-2011 08:14 PM


Originally Posted by ayseaf (Post 1017137)
Thanks for all , what about schools , which one is good to start , i heared about delta academy , is it good , is other schools you know ? what about school loans ?

Thanks

If you considering going into debt and you're 41, you're probably too old to see a return on that "investment."

Judging by the way you type, you probably need a college degree too which is 4 years and a sh*t ton of money...

globalexpress 07-02-2011 11:22 PM


Originally Posted by ayseaf (Post 1017072)
I am 41y , looking to be a pilot , it is my dream when i am young , do u think it worth it , if yes which schools can give me the licence to be commercial pilot and how much cost , any loans can apply for it ?

Thanks for all

Not too old necessarily.

Read the following website so you can save me some typing!

The Truth About the Profession - Home

toomanyrjs 07-03-2011 04:31 AM

If you're crazy enough to actually go through with it, you better have a very wealthy spouse or a pile of gold on a deserted island somewhere. You are going to be competing against thousands of kids for jobs that pay much less than minimum wage. We're talking 10-15k a year to fly nice big rj's. These kids have no qualms about living under an overpass or in their parents basement. At 41, are you ready to bankrupt yourself and your family just to play airline pilot?

rickair7777 07-03-2011 05:08 AM

Everything we told this guy applies to you, but even more so...

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/hi...er-option.html

airline NooB 07-03-2011 06:49 AM

Just my opinions:
You dont mention if your goal is airline, but you are here, so we will start with this presumption.
To get there you will need an absolute minimum of $30k work of training and probably more along the lines of $60k. The FAA minimum for training are nearly impossible at our age. Half way through my instrument training I was getting enraged by kids half my age picking up the processes in half the time I was taking. Their absorption is MUCH faster....our application is much better (eventually). Be patient if you can afford it. But do NOT go in budgeting to finish the process in the minimum time. Budget for it to take double time...if you come out ahead, save it. And, no, I'm not a moron. My wife is a psychologist and I have every "test" known to man. It is well documented that I am significantly ahead of the curve...but simply put, age effects learning. You can teach an old dog new trick, it just takes longer.
You dont mention if you have family. If you do and your relationship if weak...dont pursue airlines. Family Counseling and divoce are not covered in the benefits program. My folks are dead, my siblings are busy elsewhere, I have no rug rats, and I have the most amazing wife anyone could even imagine...but ist still gonna be a strain...if I get a call.
Most of all....examin your motives. Ask yourself why you want to do it.
Really pull at the answer (dont just tease it with a feather duster) tug on it from all angles. If the answer comes apart....reconsider. If the answer holds together....keep researching....reading threads...network with active 121 pilots....and Keep examining your motives every step of the way. If the answers pull apart....reconsider. If through all of this the answers hold together....then you are on the right path. :)
I'm not trying to talk you into or out of anything. But plotting a career change at any point requires a lot of navigation. Plotting a chage at 41 with more than half your fuel-burn behind you...requires VERY CAREFUL navigation. But you can still get there.
Be patient. Have fun. but situation awareness is far more than an aviation term, it should be mantra for life.
Again....just my opinion. Welcome to the paradox. PM me if you have questions that my relative inexperience my be able to help with.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 07:58 AM.


User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Website Copyright ©2000 - 2017 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands