JoeyMeatballs

It's never too late, even if you don't get hired until you are 40, you still have 25 years left. Also, it doesn't hurt being a female

Ewfflyer

No it is not, I know guys that didn't start flying charter until they retired from their regular jobs, although it was still early due to economic buyout type of retirements

You have plenty of time

galaxy flyer

Wingal

You used "teaching experience" as showing you are ready for low wages and long hours. Point 1: get ready for a pay cut and much longer hours. No summers off, no holidays, no PTA days, either. Teaching is a walk in the park by comparison and I know lots of teachers.

Next, be ready to spend 70K or more just to get qualified, Comm, ASMEL, IR, CFII is the minimum to start on the civilian track, probably considerably more. Point 2: merely spending this money guarantees exactly nothing--no job, especially.

Once you have those licenses, time to get 1,500 hours, somehow. CFI was the traditional way, but student starts are LW, slow building experience. Pipeline patrol, glider tugging, banner towing gigs exist, if you have those options nearby. Point 3: this process is required wherever you get the licenses--FBO or ERAU-type school. Point 4: the full -up school will cost more, but be quicker. Can you borrow, realizing the risk, that much money, IF a bank will loan it.

Airline hiring is very unpredictable. The majors haven't hired appreciable numbers in 12 years. The Regionals boomed in 2002-2004 time frame and stagnated; likely to shrink over the next 5 years as 50-seaters retire. Timing is EVERYTHING and it is in controllable. You could front the money, get the ATP and be faced with something like the last 10 years or be at the beginning of the next boom OR at the end. Six months, one way or the other might mean quick captain or furlough.

Right now, there are plenty of pilots competing. One another forum there is a 42 year old former airline pilot, instructing in Cessnas because he lost his company.

Outside of airlines, aviation is very network-oriented. Lots of jobs are entirely word of mouth. Very tough to break into.

Do you have time? Sure! Get a FAA Medical, try a few lessons, see how you like it. Read all you can, good and bad. Flying is a lifestyle, a calling that makes people give up lots to pursue. Legal crack, in a sense. Forty years after I solo'd, I had almost nothing of what I dreamed of on that snowy 16th birthday, but has still been good.

Good Luck

GF

PW305

Here's a shortcut. Start flight training. Get a job at a charter or management company in the office (scheduling/sales/accounting etc..). Be upfront when hired that you'd like to fly for them someday. Finish all your ratings within a couple years and start instructing on the side. Ask to sit in on company training sessions in your free time (Basic indoc, airman/aircraft specific etc...) Take initiative and show passion. Perhaps work your way onto the aircraft first by observation (maint runups/flights, checkrides etc.) Know the airplane as well or better than the new hires. Work towards the right seat. I bet you'll be flying full time out of a local airport within the next 5-7 years. Work hard, be persistent, be humble and network like crazy. Enjoy your career

Sonny Crockett

I wouldn't say airlines are a "dead end"

The days of "quick upgrades" and getting on with SWA after 1000 PIC and type from Higher Power are over.

The regionals are slowly going back to the old days of short haul hub and spoke, the Majors are putting the furloughed guys back to work with hiring starting to pick up.

30 is not too old. If you want to FLY AIRPLANES and that is your passion go for it.....just understand that nothing is easy in this business.

slujaime

Wingsgal, I am a teacher and flight instructor on the weekends, after school and in the summer. I live in a great place to instruct, Texas. Florida offers the same great weather year round. If you are under contract for the year, start your training at a local fbo. Then when the summer hits, go to a fast track program. You should be able to get your private and instrument done during the school year. Then start working as a CFI. Just FYI, I talked with ATP about instructing for them last week. They are not hiring right now. I really enjoy instructing

Ray Blaszak

I am a recent graduate of the ATP ACPP program. There are lots of Pro's and Con's to going to ATP and I will list a few as this might help lead you to the right decision.
1.) If you are ok with studying on your own and only getting lessons when you ask your instructor a question ATP is not for you. They do offer digital ground schools now but keep in mind some locations have 2 instructors and 8 students so the instructor isn't always around.
2.) If you are looking to get your rating fast you can do it provided you work hard. I completed the entire program (I didn't get my CFI's because I disagree with how they teach that program) but I finished ME PPL-both commercials in a little over a month. Me and my instructor flew more than any one else but I had all my knowledge test done and I had a few years to study when I was in the military.
3.) The whole we promise you a job deal is gone. In fact, ATP is currently using that scheme to get students to enter their brand new SE ACPP track where they will pay for your ME ratings. OK I don't see them hiring for a while so there's just one of few of ATP's empty promises. All the instructors were hired knowing they were guaranteed a job for six months yet there are instructors who have been there for years.
4.) I wouldn't want to work for that company. I trained at JAX and they treat the instructors like crap. Bottom line you will work like a slave for very little money (which is all part of paying your dues) however, there were several instances where my instructor was reprimanded because the DPE didn't like the way he taught me something. For example, on my IRA check ride I hit one more button to load an approach than needed because I didn't know the short cut and that almost cost him his job believe it or not (no that wasn't made up either).
5.) Trust me if you go over flight time you are paying for it. You are buying a very strict set flight time for that tuition. If you need to more flights to get you to solo guess what if you aren't paying for it they will start taking flight time from other areas. On the flip side if they owe you flight time they will make an excuse not to pay you that money. I used 6 out of my 14 hours I was allotted for the CSEL. You think I ever got refunded that money. Sure didn't because I originally elected to do CFI school but later changed my mind when I found employment at a sky diving place that later didn't turn into fruition when I lost my medical with a problem that was never discovered.

Now to make myself perfectly clear I am not pro or anti ATP I simply disagree with a lot of the empty promises they make to young "kids" that later get screwed in life. I was probably the only one that didn't go in there thinking ATP was going to call me a week after I graduated saying congrats bud your hired. I did my research and I asked all the right questions and I had no intentions of ever instructing there. Again for as little as they pay you I've never seen a company treat it's instructor's like crap. They get away with it because guys simply need to build time so they will tolerate it. The instructors could fly good, most knew their stuff, and to an extent the program was as advertised. I don't regret my decision to go there but certainly wouldn't lead any of my friends to kick down the front door.

wingsgal

Thanks again, all. Good to turn over the rock and see the worms, so to speak. I'm happy to hear I'm not out of the running age-wise.

I'm giving all of your responses a lot of thought. At present, I'm leaning towards going for my PPL and talking to anyone in and around the industry/making connections/looking for pt work at FBOs so I can get a feel for the job forecast specific to South Florida.

If anyone can recommend a fantastic instructor working out of the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood area (or perhaps tell me who to avoid!)- that would be great.

wingsgal

Ray B, I'm sorry to hear about the skydiving job. I'm a beginning skydiver and would certainly consider gaining flight time at a DZ.

I'd be interested to hear how you fare going forward. I appreciate your honest assessment of ATP.

wingsgal

Great to hear from a fellow teacher. I'm taking a break from the classroom this year to re-evaluate things and appreciate your advice. If I could combine my love for teaching with aviation...well, that sounds simply blissful.