40 year old Career Changer from Wall Street?
 

Hi all,
Apologies for another career changer post but looking for some advice on whether I should become a professional pilot. I'm 40 and I struggled with this when I was 30 and 35 but I figure it's now or never.

A bit about me and my situation:
I'm almost 41. My hours are below but I am a 460 hour instrument rated private pilot (been flying C172s for 11 years) and been flying MS Flight sim since I was 7. I have a wife (very supportive - I understand this is key!) and 2 kids, ages 8 and 3 and live in the NYC area. I don't want to leave the NYC area but I understand that should be easy enough as I understand it's a not-so desirable to base with these ridiculous taxes. Also, I expect to be able to weather the financial hardship that comes with the first few years of flying.

Having said that, my desire to be in the air and my love for flying is like nothing I've ever felt. I've always been obsessed with it and love it. Yes, maybe I'll get bored, but I'm the kind of person who like road trips. Furthermore, I'd rather be in an industry that appreciates age and experience instead of the kind of place that makes you feel old and in the way. I could slog it out but there is quite a bit of uncertainty where I am anyways, and not having the stress of bringing my work home with me seems more important these days as well. But, there I've asked airline pilots in passing and many have said it becomes a job like anything else so your thoughts on that are welcome.

Some questions:
Would it be possible / realistic to base in NYC area the whole time?
Could I end up disliking it?
If so, what things could make me end up disliking it?
Anyone know a career changer (preferably with prior experience) regrets it?
If I were to go for it, and 5 or 10 years down the road, I have some disqualifying medical condition, am I totally screwed or could I be a sim instructor or something?
Any other gotchas?

I only know a couple professional pilots and they both say now is the time to get in, though, some of the guys and comments on the board seem pretty cynical (and hilarious!), which I totally get, so don't hold back :-)

Assuming I decide to go for it, and the goal is to get into the right seat of an RJ as quick as possible, how should I go about training given my current hours?
- Schools like ATP offer a program where they give you "credit" for having your private but not instrument but that's still $58,995. But they also guarantee you an instructor job to build hours and seem to have all kinds of connections/agreements with regionals.
https://atpflightschool.com/airline-career-pilot-program/
- I have an instructor friend with an older twin beech but he works full time and fear it would take forever, though I guess that's another route. Maybe use this to supplement hours? He'll pretty much let me use it with just paying for gas.

What are my next steps/biggest obstacles?
Probably the first thing I should do is get a first class medical? I've had no health issues, however, I did have a DUI (though it was reduced if that matters) just after graduating college but no other issues except for a speeding ticket.

Also, happy to meet in person or on the phone of course.

Thanks all in advance.
-CC

My Hours (rounded)
# Inst. App. 120
Single- Engine Land 461
Multi- Engine Land 0
C182 (Complex & High Perf) 10
Night 32
Actual Instrument 15
Simulated Instr. (Hood) 61
Flight Simulator 14
Cross Country 335
Solo 79
Dual Received 123
Pilot In Command (incl. Solo) 400
Total Duration of Flight 461
Solo Cross Country 66
Cross Country Instruction 27
Rec'd Night Instruction Rec'd 13
PIC Cross Country Inst. 322
Instruction Rec'd Hood or Sim 50
Night Cross Country 24
https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/d...lFTkSuQmCCAA==

You can’t have 461 TT, 400 PIC, and 123 dual.

If you and family live in NYC or nearby on Wall Street style paychecks, good luck with this transition. Can you go five years on $60-$80k pre-tax? You’ll have to find a CFI job within commuting distance, that means on the Island or CT. Ten years w/o kids and NY lifestyle, maybe; now, it’ll be tough.

That said, flying professionally is work, not what you dream it is. It has the same frustrations, challenges, lots of away time as any JOB.

GF

I am looking at my logbook now...ASEL 461.1 Total time is 461.1. PIC is 399.8, Dual received is 122.7. I also keep a copy in excel - those are definitely right. But sounds like I might have some explaining to do? Remember, I got my license and instrument and have been flying for fun - mostly cross country so not much dual since getting my instrument rating.

You must have a good reason for saying that though and probably something I should be able to explain! :)

I’ve been wrong before, and will be again, but I thought
-
dual+PIC = TT

If you are the sole breadwinner you would be crazy to do it. Unless you have a big trust fund or you’ve got a few million in the bank already.

If not no way I’d recommend it if your wife didn’t make at least 200k. Your 40s are when you should be making a ton of money. You’re at minimum 5 years away from making 100k. Minimum.

Life is expensive and being on a budget sucks. This decision ultimately depends on your personal finances. You’d be an absolute fool to do this without a bunch of cash or a high-earning spouse.



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Hmmm maybe my time in the Sim is counted erroneously? I will look into it. Though, I know one of my instructors mentioned something like that a few years ago but it checked out. Either way I will double check.

I realize it’s work. Not afraid of hard work for sure. I guess I would be curious to hear about the biggest frustrations though there are probably plenty of posts on that.

And yes, it would be a hell of a transition. I am in NJ. My property taxes alone are 11k and that’s the cheapest house on the block. But yes, I think I could do it.

I am the sole breadwinner. My wife used to work and possibly could go back to work, but I doubt she’d make anything close to 200 K! My folks would definitely be able to help me out however. And I have millions socked away, but I do have a very healthy 401k and 529 for the kids. Obviously those contributions would stop however :-)

Don’t get me wrong, I know it sounds crazy, and my life will suck for a few years, but is it possible? What would really suck is if I went down this path and then it didn’t work out for whatever reason. It’s the unknowns that scare me which is why am trying to identify as many as possible.

I considered making this transition until I read lots of the posts on these forums. I think I'll stick with general aviation as a hobby. It sounds like flying as a career steals your passion. It becomes a J O B job instead of something you love to do.

I think about how I would advise people considering changing to my line of work. I'd tell them the same kinds of things pilots on these forums are telling the doe-eyed uninitiated that are considering making the change. I TOTALLY get it.

Keep reading you may find you'd be better off keeping flying as a hobby and keeping your day job.