Took my first lesson when I was 18. While going to college for a degree in ATC I worked at an FBO to pay for my ratings at a Part 61 school with two airplanes. By my junior year I was able to get my CFI. I started teaching and got lucky enough to get a gig flying a Navajo for a guy without his medical. After teaching and Navajo'n for about a year and a half I was able to get hired at a regional and based about 30 minutes from where I lived. Spent a year there, got furloughed and went back to instructing full time. The navajo is parked b/c of the economy. I'm 23 with my ATP and about 2000 hours (400 of which were at the regional). I spent about $25,000 on my ratings.