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44 year old aspiring pilot-PIPE DREAM?

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Old 09-05-2006 | 03:56 PM
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Default 44 year old aspiring pilot-PIPE DREAM?

Just got back from a family reunion in NE AZ. I found out that my wife's cousin has decided to become a pilot. He plans to enroll at @ Williams-Gateway in Mesa, AZ.

Problem is...he is almost 45 and has 12(yes, twelve) kids from early 20's to newborn. 11 still live at home! He is selling his house to pay for school and will rent a place to live.

He seems to have been caught up in all the hype. "free travel anywhere"
"120,000/year pay", " many openings, lots of retirements", etc.

I am the distant relative that went to flight school at 23 and was dead broke by 25 with only my PPL ME. I bought into the same pipe dream as he has.

Do I step in and stop him from ruining his family? THANKS IN ADVANCE
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Old 09-05-2006 | 03:59 PM
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Provided this isn't flame-bait, YES. He should be ashamed of himself.
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Old 09-05-2006 | 05:58 PM
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What Uncle said.
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Old 09-05-2006 | 07:20 PM
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Something SkyHigh AND SkyBolt could agree on.

Recreational flying should suit his needs better--if it is possible. IMHO
I can't imagine someone of ordinary means doing that.
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Old 09-05-2006 | 07:33 PM
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The guy's nuts. But at least he wasn't crazy enough to consider going to CAPT in Florida. But getting back to your dilemma, yes, you should stop him.
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Old 09-05-2006 | 08:11 PM
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Good lord, stop that man!!!
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Old 09-05-2006 | 10:26 PM
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Duct tape him to a chair and talk him down.
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Old 09-06-2006 | 04:38 AM
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Originally Posted by bigstupidjerk
Just got back from a family reunion in NE AZ. I found out that my wife's cousin has decided to become a pilot. He plans to enroll at @ Williams-Gateway in Mesa, AZ.

Problem is...he is almost 45 and has 12(yes, twelve) kids from early 20's to newborn. 11 still live at home! He is selling his house to pay for school and will rent a place to live.

He seems to have been caught up in all the hype. "free travel anywhere"
"120,000/year pay", " many openings, lots of retirements", etc.

I am the distant relative that went to flight school at 23 and was dead broke by 25 with only my PPL ME. I bought into the same pipe dream as he has.

Do I step in and stop him from ruining his family? THANKS IN ADVANCE
I say, "follow your dream". Don't forget your family, but you can follow a dream. Age doesn't matter too much. You can do it responsibly.
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Old 09-06-2006 | 05:02 AM
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Originally Posted by bigstupidjerk
Just got back from a family reunion in NE AZ. I found out that my wife's cousin has decided to become a pilot. He plans to enroll at @ Williams-Gateway in Mesa, AZ.

Problem is...he is almost 45 and has 12(yes, twelve) kids from early 20's to newborn. 11 still live at home! He is selling his house to pay for school and will rent a place to live.

He seems to have been caught up in all the hype. "free travel anywhere"
"120,000/year pay", " many openings, lots of retirements", etc.

I am the distant relative that went to flight school at 23 and was dead broke by 25 with only my PPL ME. I bought into the same pipe dream as he has.

Do I step in and stop him from ruining his family? THANKS IN ADVANCE

And people here think Skyhigh is crazy. Sounds like a case of mid-life crisis to me.

SkyHigh
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Old 09-06-2006 | 08:58 AM
  #10  
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Sorry, but unless he has another significant income that will allow him to provide for his family, he's choosing to put himself first (you just can't do that when you already have kids!). If he didn't have a (huge) family to provide for then it would be another story, but IMO his first priority should be to take care of them - and this experiment would most likely be a huge mistake. Tell him to get his PPL and fly for fun, but he's gonna put his family in a world of hurt if he tries the airline route.
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