Looking for opinions on my options. I'm coming to the end of a non flying law enforcement career and I would like to fly for a regional airline. I have a CPL Inst and ME, with over 2k hours. I know I meet the minimums, but I'm wondering if 57 is too old to get hired by a regional. I'm not interested in flow through to a major, just want to fly, if it's not too late.

 

Go for it. Lot of regionals would love to have you.

 

65 would be too old. If you are younger than that then no, you are not too old. Regionals would take you in a heartbeat because they know you won't go to a major, they'll have you for 8 years.

This is why there will never be a pilot shortage. Plenty of people waiting on the sidelines to start another career...even if it's to just work for a regional.

 

People have been hired well after age 60 (at majors too). Training is likely to be more challenging for someone older than 40-ish who is new to turbine/airline aviation, but plenty of folks manage it.

 

I had a guy that was 63 in my ATP/CTP class that was going to Commut Air. He previously flew Hueys in Nam

Go for it, you'll only regret it if you don't.

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64.5 is too old.
You’ll retire after finishing OE.

57?
Go for it, just expect to fly with a PIC who is 30 years your junior that wears ear buds and sunglasses in the terminal.
Not everybody can deal with that.

 

Yes, and you have to (outwardly) respect the guy too.

 

You might want to consider flying for a fractional since there's no age limit. You can fly as long as you can pass your FAA Class 1. NetJets, XOJet, FlexJet, Wheels Up, etc. Most have schedules that are 8 on 7 off, (NetJets is 7/7) and also have home basing unless you're out in the boondocks. Wide variety of flying, some very challenging airports vs. the "Groundhog Day" experience at a Regional.

I flew at NetJets for over 12 years and it was very rare that I flew a 5-7 day tour and didn't see a new airport. With fractional it's usually just 2 pilots and a jet. Often we kept the same jet for the entire tour. Dispatch handles flight planning but the pilots do everything else, including cleaning, loading bags, stocking, etc. Also there can be a lot of sitting around, that didn't bother me since I could keep myself entertained with my laptop. At NetJets money is pretty good, you can easily do $100K the year after training, if you fly the max schedule it's possible to do $150K. Fantastic free health insurance and a very good 401k. You could contribute $26K and NetJets would put in around $15K.

 

If you want to fly come on over, the water is nice. Not too old at all.

 

[MENTION=93351]olddudepilot[/MENTION],

I just started with XOJET a month before my 58th birthday. Get your apps in! This is a great time for opportunities in aviation...