Originally Posted by
Scottman
Excellent thread! I am 33, have recently earned a multi-Engine commercial/inst. certificate. Up until about a year ago I had never really entertained the thought of an airline career. Sure, I've always had respect for pilots when I traveled and momentarily thought about how cool it would be to work in the cockpit. The smells of Airplanes and Jet exhaust sparked my imagination of a challenging and rewarding work envirionment. After earning an instrument certificate two years ago I began to think about how much I would like to learn to be a professional and work in the NAS everyday. I've been plugging away at it ever since. I know that it will be a challenging journey with no guarantees, but I'm old enough to know that there are NO guarantees in this life. Right now I have a decent job, and many of the folks in this forum would recommend staying where you have security. The truth is I am no less vulnerable than the guys hired at American Eagle last month. My plan is to learn as much as I can about this profession and give it everything I've got.
Assuming you have a degree, you are in a lot better position than the original poster (younger too). Early thirties is about where I would draw the line...after that you really have struggle to justify the dues paying vs. the payoff. All you have to do is spend a few weeks to earn a instructor rating or two and you can start building time...even keep your day job while you do it.
But at your age make up your mind quickly.