I am in a similar boat. 46 years old.
I started my commercial training yesterday actually.

I am instrument rated and have about 1050 hours. Wondering if this is possible mainly dealing with the 3-4 year cut in pay and being away from my wife just as we would be becoming empty nesters.
Seems kind of crappy to be 8-5 M-F for the last 23 years and the kids go off to college and I say "I'll be around sometimes but a lot of the time you will be alone in an empty house".

I just HATE my IT career. I am so over it. I really want to find a way to do this. At any rate for now, I am going to keep building hours and knocking out the rating so I at least have the option to jump before I get too stressed in my chosen profession.
Thanks for starting this thread.

 

I envy you, you have two-thirds of the hours already, you could probably be hitting a regional within a year. I feel exactly the same about my current job, I'm starting to loathe it and would like to jump ship before it becomes truly depressing.

 

I just called an AME to make an appointment, but they told me that I can only see them after I get a confirmation number from the FAA, effectively to apply for a medical. I also asked if I could apply for a 1st class now, before I start school, just to know if it continues to make sense to do this before I acquire large debt, and then convert it to 3rd class while I'm learning so I don't have to file for another exam in 6 months but they said no, if everything looks ok the 1st one will get issued now but it will only last 6 months, as it is expected, then I need to go for a new medical (a 3rd class this time) and use that one throughout the time I'm studying.

So no, I won't be able to get a consultation only without actually applying for a medical.

 

For those over 40yr old:

• First Class Medical lasts 6 months
• Second Class Medical lasts 12 months
• Third Class Medical lasts 24 months
• Non renewed first class medicals revert to second class privileges for an additional 6 months, then to third class privileges for an additional 6 months.

 

It can be a bit confusing at first but read the above post. No need to "re-apply" for a third class medical to begin your flight training. Look at it backwards: You can use a first class medical when a third or second class is required but not the other way around. So for you, specifically, if you get approved for a first class medical and use that for your flight training, think of it as having a third class medical for 24 months.

The reason for the advice to obtain a first class medical initially is because that will be required for the airlines (part 121) and if you cannot obtain it for some reason, you learn that before shelling out $50k+ for flight training. Since the medical "degrades" so to speak, (first into a second, second into a third), without the need for the pilot to do anything, it works for all portions of flight training.

 

Yes. Technically a 1C does not "revert" to a 2C or 3C, it remains a 1C. But you can exercise 2C privileges while holding an expired 1C for 12 months, and 3C privileges for 24 months, from original date of issue.

 

Starting from the same place you are, as a 1,000TT CFI. It gets a bit easier when you are teaching, and I've been doing that on the side for more than 10 years. Not looking forward to the pay cut. But that probably won't last forever.

 

famous last words

 

Damn! that's good to know!

atp

 

Similar boat. IT for 30 years with progressively better pay over the years in nonunion jobs that were mostly immune to economic downturns. But I'm very bored. Pushing 52, but I do have 1500 hours and just got a 1C medical so I'm going all in. My airlineapps profile is almost complete once I tally the various hours they want to see broken out. Others may ask "why give up the stable income??" Who was it that said "if you love what you do, you'll never worry about money again".....

However, I am not willing to relocate. I live in NJ within easy commuting distance of PHL, ACY, EWR, LGA and JFK. I'd even be able to extend that to DCA. Several major regionals cover those bases. I'm not in a position to uproot my life and family to move to a new base, and I won't commute. So, I realize that my options are a little more limited. I could get hired by Republic and be placed in IND, at which point I'd have to decline. But from what I've gleaned in these forums that many of the NE bases near my home are junior anyway. I don't care that I may only get 7-10 years at a major and maybe never make captain. The pay and benefits are still above any beyond most jobs out there, including my current IT job where I've been a contractor paying my own benefits and not getting any pay for time off or holidays.