Hello,

I am interested in a career flying commercially. Let me provide some context:

I am 20 year veteran of New York State public schools, serving a variety of teaching and leadership roles. For ten years, I have been fascinated by the airline industry and commercial aircraft in general, and the thought has cycled through my noggin on multiple occasions about spending the next 20 years in the cockpit.

I love talking about, reading about, studying, riding, driving motor vehicles ranging from jet skis to motorcycles to snowmobiles, logging thousands of hours and miles on all the above. I think it is my DNA to operate motor vehicles.

I have 0.0 hours of flying time; never done a Discovery flight, never sat in cockpit outside of the Smithsonian.

With 20 years of service in our state pension system in another year or so, I will be eligible for 40% of my final average salary at age 62. Education careers are back-loaded deals; I do have a lot of incentives to stay, such as 25 years triggering a health care retiree incentive with coverage from age 55-65.

Seems crazy to think about, but you only live once...may as well go out with a bang and have done everything you want to do.

I guess I am just looking for a little guidance from those who have lived the industry and what you can tell me about making a significant career change at what would be age 44; what it would look like, where I would start, am I crazy, etc?

I'll be interested to read any replies...

-Chris