35yroldbeginner

So I'm sure this question is asked a lot, but here goes anyway...

I'm 35 years old, is it too late to get into a career as a pilot?
I know that it's a tough go for the first 5-8 years while trying to get flight hours up into the acceptable range for most airline companies, and one starts at the bottom... IF... they get hired onto an airline, but my question, is do you think it's too late for me to get into the feild?

I've always wanted to do it, but it felt a bit out of my reach. I'm a very determined man, who will lock myself away and memorise all the textbooks before I even enter the classroom.

The motivation is there, but worried that I will be too old before I actually make a decent living at it.

Does anyone know of someone who started around my age?

rickair7777

No simple answer. You're not too old per se, majors and regionals have hired guys right up until their late fifties/early sixties.

But what do you hope to get out of it?

If you just want the tee-shirt (been there, done that), you're not too late.

If you want a flexible work schedule, it's not too late, you could get a regional job, advance up the list rapidly, and just stay an FO at $30K (maybe more depending). Then you could upgrade when you have enough seniority to keep the good schedule and make $60K (maybe more depending on aircraft and company).

If you want to "get ahead" financially, you will need to move very quickly and get hired by FEDEX or UPS. Of course you will need some serious connections to get on with those companies. SWA might also be an option. Since these three are the most competitive your odds aren't good...you will be competing with ex-fighter pilots and instructor pilots from regional airlines.

Even "breaking even" financially will be a challenge at this point.

Also are you single and mobile? If you have a wife, kids, mortgage, odds are very low that this would be a good idea unless wife is very flexible, independent, supportive, and has a lucrative career that is very portable (ie Doctor, Dentist). She will need to take care of business, family, and pay for everything while you are breaking into flying. She may also need to pack up and re-locate every time your $25K regional job moves your base.

How much flight experience do you have? Instrument rating?

Grumble

Do you currently

Like your job?
Have security?
Make good money and benefits?

If you answered yes to two out of three, I'd think twice!.

FlyBoyd

That's good advice right there...

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.

Grumble

You wouldn't have the requiste experience to work in China anyway. Just to get your tickets and small amount of experience you're looking at an investment of $100K or more.

If you hate your job, and your wife is making good money as a lawyer, Id' say go for it. But you have a lot of reading to do before you jump in. Start reading this forum from end to end. Buyer beware and make sure you know exactly what you're getting yourself into. Your friend is the minority. For every guy out there making bank with a solid job there are hundreds scrapping by, getting laid off, living on top ramen, with nothing to show for 10+ years of effort.

If/when you do decide to take the plunge there are several universal truths in flight training:

Don't believe anything you hear from a flight school about how rosey things are going to be or anything related to "guarantee job/intervew."

Never pay a flight school a large sum of money up front no matter how good the deal. There are literally thousands of people out there that have been screwed over by a school shutting their doors. It's an ugly business and a training location can go from booming to bankrupt literally overnight.

Do it as cheaply as possible. Your licence doesn't say what you trained in. A licence is a licence. Paying top dollar to do everything in say a Cirrus gets you no further ahead than the guy that did everything in a C-152.

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.

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.

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)?

GoPats

Great advice. I hope you're taking notes.