Second Career
 

I am a career federal employee at the senior executive level. I will be retiring in six to ten years old at the age of 50 or 54. Is it possible for me to fulfill my lifelong dream to be a pilot in an airline either with a major, regional or corporate airline? At present I am finishing my PPL and have intentions to have my employer pay for my training to the commercial level. My employer operates numerous single/multi engine, turbine helos and business jets. Afterwards I intend to pay for my training after that to the ATP level. Is this worthwhile if I am to retire at the age stated above? Any advice from anyone in a position to know is welcomed.

Thanks,
Nicky NueGuy

This is sorta a joke. Spend one month and buy tickets on flights during all types of hours, early morning/late night/redeyes. Spread out the 90 hours of flying over about an eighteen day period.
When on the road remember to only give yourself about a ten or eleven hour period for your "overnights". Remember to pick random places for your overnights. Sure you can throw in a San Fran, Boston and Miami. But also add Detroit(not any of the nice areas), Lubbock and Tulsa.
Yeah no other pilot or FA's. Just pick the random guy next to you and make small talk the whole day. At the end of the month ask yourself if you want to do this every month for about $20k-$25k/year.
This way you can see what its like and its cheaper and less time consuming the becoming a pilot.

No. If you are truly a SES level employee, with the benefits that you will be getting at retirement, then have your employer pay for the training as you stated and then buy a stake in an airplane and fly for fun while you enjoy your retirement.

USMCFLYR

Your too old. Don't do it, you will be fried to a crisp in 5 years. The novelty of airline flying will wear off in 3-5 years and you will look back and wonder why you ever did it. What you should do is, keep up the flight training as a hobby and enjoy the side of the hobby that only hobby pilots can enjoy. Buy an airplane, get your teaching certs and have fun for ten years. You will see the best aviation has to offer this way. There is no way to have an airline career past 50 without major heartache and you are too old to do it now. It's a young man's game. I entered aviation at 35 and even then had the sense to see it was too late to make it work, yet I have enjoyed the second best (and possibly the best) aviation has to offer by teaching, testing, and designing airplanes.

Thanks. Truly appreciate it.

Thanks Cubdriver, you answered the big question in the back of my mind. All the best.

Nicky NueGuy

If you really want to keep yourself busy in retirement you could always instruct or buy your own plane and do Angel Flight type charitable work. That way you have a 'reason' to fly, but you won't have to join the ranks of underpaid new-hires at an age where you could probably use some decent quality of life.

As in many careers, the romantic conception of commercial aviation often overlooks many of the negative aspects of the career. There's no reason though why you can't find years of fulfillment in general aviation. Best of luck

If you were going to pursue any type of flying I would suggest corporate type work at your local airport, if that did not pan out.... fly for enjoyment.