35 and just looking into flight school.
06-20-2012, 01:10 PM
#11
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Joined APC: Jul 2011
Posts: 158
Originally Posted by bcrosier
Well, you will almost undoubtedly get B.
You'll probably have A until you realize that after several years of being stuck on reserve and/or a couple of failed airlines you can't do C, and/or you get sick of B, as you'll be gone when you don't want to be.
At that point, you may find you don't really have A the way you once did and always thought you would, you don't want any more of B, and you only have C because your wife has a good job (unless of course she too gets sick of too much B, and dumps you).
Or you might be one of the fortunate ones who gets all three.
You just never know, but I'm not convinced the odds are in one's favor anymore.
Sorry to be a downer, but I believe it's the state of the industry anymore - it's certainly not what I signed up for 20+ years ago.
You'll probably have A until you realize that after several years of being stuck on reserve and/or a couple of failed airlines you can't do C, and/or you get sick of B, as you'll be gone when you don't want to be.
At that point, you may find you don't really have A the way you once did and always thought you would, you don't want any more of B, and you only have C because your wife has a good job (unless of course she too gets sick of too much B, and dumps you).
Or you might be one of the fortunate ones who gets all three.
You just never know, but I'm not convinced the odds are in one's favor anymore.
Sorry to be a downer, but I believe it's the state of the industry anymore - it's certainly not what I signed up for 20+ years ago.
It's difficult to gauge a family's strength of committment to your goals. Answers are easy when it's all hypothetical.
06-25-2012, 02:35 PM
#12
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by rickair7777
Sounds like you are Canadian? Where do you have work privileges? Candada, US, or both?
Most of the advice you'll get here is very specific to the US airline industry, although many of us are familiar with Canada as well. Pay and benefits are probably more reasonable in Canada, especially early in your airline career.
But why do I know that? 'Cuz there are thousands of Canadian pilots flying in the US due to lack of jobs in Canada and I sit next to them on a regular basis. Their airlines are better places to work, but harder to get into to.
It sounds like you can't do much worse than your current job, other than getting into deep debt, but is your wife willing to relocate (and sit the for bar in every new location)?
Most of the advice you'll get here is very specific to the US airline industry, although many of us are familiar with Canada as well. Pay and benefits are probably more reasonable in Canada, especially early in your airline career.
But why do I know that? 'Cuz there are thousands of Canadian pilots flying in the US due to lack of jobs in Canada and I sit next to them on a regular basis. Their airlines are better places to work, but harder to get into to.
It sounds like you can't do much worse than your current job, other than getting into deep debt, but is your wife willing to relocate (and sit the for bar in every new location)?
We've decided (my wife and I) I will be moving forward to flight school.
It costs 36K here in Langley, BC for the entire course and I'll end with roughly about 300 flight hours total. So I think I'll pay the additional 4K and get my instructors cert so to help with my mins for the airlines.
I'll be popping in every so often to ask questions, if you don't mind?
Thanks for your input.
06-25-2012, 03:40 PM
#14
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Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: ATL717A
Posts: 890
Originally Posted by 35yroldbeginner
We've decided (my wife and I) I will be moving forward to flight school.
It costs 36K here in Langley, BC for the entire course and I'll end with roughly about 300 flight hours total. So I think I'll pay the additional 4K and get my instructors cert so to help with my mins for the airlines.
I'll be popping in every so often to ask questions, if you don't mind?
Thanks for your input.
It costs 36K here in Langley, BC for the entire course and I'll end with roughly about 300 flight hours total. So I think I'll pay the additional 4K and get my instructors cert so to help with my mins for the airlines.
I'll be popping in every so often to ask questions, if you don't mind?
Thanks for your input.
You've been warned. You've been given plenty of good advice. This career is not what it used to be.
If you insist, good luck.
06-25-2012, 09:20 PM
#15
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Joined APC: Nov 2008
Position: I'm here, i'm there, i'm everywhere...
Posts: 1,508
Also remember a couple of things...
The price they have listed for their professional pilot program is the MINIMUM it will cost you and a vast majority of the time it ends up being more. The $36,000 figure is based on flying a C152 which depending on how big you are...you might not even be able to do training in it. The weather in your area isn't exactly the best so the program might end up being longer (and more expensive).
I'm assuming this is the flight school you're looking at: Langley Flying School--Main Page. Canadian Professional Pilot and Flight Training for professional pilots and international students located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with Graduates from India Switzerland Kenya Jordan Egypt China Japan
The price they have listed for their professional pilot program is the MINIMUM it will cost you and a vast majority of the time it ends up being more. The $36,000 figure is based on flying a C152 which depending on how big you are...you might not even be able to do training in it. The weather in your area isn't exactly the best so the program might end up being longer (and more expensive).
I'm assuming this is the flight school you're looking at: Langley Flying School--Main Page. Canadian Professional Pilot and Flight Training for professional pilots and international students located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with Graduates from India Switzerland Kenya Jordan Egypt China Japan
06-25-2012, 09:45 PM
#16
Underboob King
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Guppy Commander
Posts: 4,412
Originally Posted by Ottopilot
Good luck. It took me 23 years from solo to a job at a major. I never failed anything and had experience in everything. Just know what you are getting into.
this industry is all about hard work, sacrifice, timing and alot of luck. With the retirements coming up in a few years he may have decent luck in moving up the chain, as always though, there will always be what ifs....
06-26-2012, 07:47 AM
#17
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Joined APC: Nov 2008
Position: I'm here, i'm there, i'm everywhere...
Posts: 1,508
A DL pilot was showing me the number of pilots coming up to mandatory retirement age at Delta. The numbers are about 300+ per year until 2018 then it jumps to 600 and from 2020-2023 it is over 800 per year.
07-07-2012, 05:00 PM
#18
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Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: Dream within a dream
Posts: 1,306
NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK! Have I been clear enough?! Every job I've landed has been because I've known someone, NOT necessarily because I was the most qualified pilot out there. The pilot with the most hours or best experience does not necessarily get the job.
Do yourself a favor and buy "Job Hunting for Pilots" by Greg Brown.
Do yourself a favor and buy "Job Hunting for Pilots" by Greg Brown.
07-11-2012, 02:16 PM
#20
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,722
Originally Posted by 35yroldbeginner
I want the flexible schedule.
I just got married with no kids or mortgage.
My wife works in a law firm so we are doing alright.
We live in Vancouver, BC. I have some friends that work at YVR. They have told me that even the FO's for the smaller airlines make a decent living. That's all I want.
I hate my job now.
I'm work with kids.
There is absolutely no way if something happened to my wife, could I afford to support a family. The benefits are crap and I'm just done with working with other peoples kids.
What do I want to get out of being a pilot?
I want to:
A) Love what I do. (I have a feeling that I'd love this immensely)
B) Travel.
C) Have the knowledge I can support my wife and our future kids.
I have a friend who is a pilot for Air Canada and he's been doing it for 24 years and makes a killing. (160K +) and he still loves it. seeing as we are a lot a like, him and I, I know I would too.
So I guess that's where I'm at. I don't think my wife would want to pack up and move, even though China is paying pilots a crazy amount of money right now, I don't see us moving.
I just got married with no kids or mortgage.
My wife works in a law firm so we are doing alright.
We live in Vancouver, BC. I have some friends that work at YVR. They have told me that even the FO's for the smaller airlines make a decent living. That's all I want.
I hate my job now.
I'm work with kids.
There is absolutely no way if something happened to my wife, could I afford to support a family. The benefits are crap and I'm just done with working with other peoples kids.
What do I want to get out of being a pilot?
I want to:
A) Love what I do. (I have a feeling that I'd love this immensely)
B) Travel.
C) Have the knowledge I can support my wife and our future kids.
I have a friend who is a pilot for Air Canada and he's been doing it for 24 years and makes a killing. (160K +) and he still loves it. seeing as we are a lot a like, him and I, I know I would too.
So I guess that's where I'm at. I don't think my wife would want to pack up and move, even though China is paying pilots a crazy amount of money right now, I don't see us moving.
35 is old to start, especially if, as you said, you want to make a descent living. You won't make a $160K killling like your buddy until you too have put in the same 24 (+) years he as put in...so...if you start now, you -might- make $160K by the time you are...59.
You want what your buddy has, but ask him about what his first 10 years were like, and how much it cost him to get his tickets (then tripple it for today's prices).Now, you mentioned one other issue, that last sentence above, "....I don't see us moving."
Well...ask any airline pilot if he has had to move for his job and the answer is, of course! If you want the job, you go to where the job is! Unless you live in a major hub, for the same airline you (hope to) get hired by, you will have to move to chace the job, or commute, which really wipes out a lot of your days off.
If you really hate your job now, then you'd better get going on flying lessons, if you ever want to early $160K before you age out. I heard Canada is going to lift the age 65 mandatory retirement limit, to NO LIMIIT, so...you might be able to get a job and keep it until you are 70+!
So, are you too old to start? No, but it's going to cost you a small fortune to do it, and I don't think you are going to get your buddy's job or pay rate in the next 5-10 years either, so set some realistic expectations and go flying, it still beats working with snot nosed brats all day...sort of, because you WILL be flying co-pilot for guys half your age, so you may want to bring some kleenex.
