Mid-life Career Change
Hey all. I'm a 38 y/o who has spent the last 20 years managing supply chain and financial companies. I flew a lot back in high school (pre-9/11). Loved it. Sat in a flight simulator at a virtual reality store and the itch came back. Went up in a Piper Cherokee (low wing) and the addiction is strong, also the GPS technology feels like cheating.
I just drew the short straw and my branch is being closed due to lease conflict with the landlord. The financial industry is shrinking as more and more content is being offered online and my company has no open positions for me to fill.
So I had been wrestling with the thought of dropping $$ into my flight training to cert up and really do flying full time. I've got a local flight school that can get me up through MEI and there is a large college nearby with a large aviation program looking for CFIs. I'm thinking this could be a great launch pad to a regional.
I've got no illusions that I'm coming at this a bit late in life. I don't need to fly a wide body as a captain making the big bucks. I'm in fantastic health, so no issues getting a 1st class medical. I know money will be tight, but the hiring environment is so much different than what I remember from the late 90s. CFIs make more than fast food wages. Regionals pay their captains 6 figures. Many regionals can promote you from FO to Captain in just a year or two.
So for those currently training and those who are living the life, what's the weather like? What things might I be missing? You're advice and feedback are welcome.
It's actually been reading over these forums for the past month and doing a metric TON of research in challenging my assumptions that has gotten me to this point. So, thank you all for the information you post on this forum and website. It's been extremely helpful.