rick7576

I retired from a Part 121 company 5 years ago. I’m 67 now and thinking about returning to the industry in either 135 or 91. I meet all the hiring requirements for most fractional carriers except specific type ratings. Just wondering how much of a factor my age would be, or if I’m just too old now. Any suggestions or anyone who wants to point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to PM me. Cheers

tanker

I know that at Plane Sense they have hired retired airtline pilots, no type rating required. At least two of them are over 70, one is full time on the PC-24 (Plane Sense paid for the type rating) and one is part time on the PC-12.

Dubh

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B727DRVR

Great news, Rick! 67 is the new 50, so your age won’t be a problem.

Coming from a former part 121 guy, my best advice is to be humble, get current, and apply with the same vigor that you did for your Part 121 job. Many former Part 121 pilots have not flown in some time, but bristle when they are told that they need to go get a Flight Review and IPC…. “But I was a BXXX International Captain!!” Get your First Class Medical. Don’t apply until you have completed the above to show that you have initiative. Also, I often hear “Well, I only want to start out as a Gulfstream Captain…”! That is when I have to bring up the painful fact that if they are over 65, that ICAO regulations prohibit those pilots from flying Part 121 or Part 135 to ICAO countries. Our Gulfstreams fly international, so we aren’t going to put you on a Gulfstream. If you want to fly international on heavy metal, I recommend applying to a large Part 91 Corporate operator that is airline-retiree friendly.

Otherwise, just be yourself and remember that you, too, have something to learn. Many of our applicants coming from the airlines have never filed a flight plan, computed performance, or have flown to ASE, TRK, or some of our more challenging, fun destinations. Be able to brief the RUUDY 6 Departure and the ILS Circle at TEB.. I know, definitely not brain surgery, but different from what we were all doing during our Part 121 days.

Do the above and you will soon be flying for a Part 91K Fractional or a large Part 135 Charter airline. One of our Super Mid ACP’s is 75 and looks like he lives on a stair stepper.. You have a lot of flying left ahead of you if you want it..!

Good luck..

GeeWizDriver

Rick, the first thing you have to realize is that flying the jet is the EASIEST part of a 91/91K/135 gig.

The pilot is: The security officer, the catering coordinator, the servicing supervisor, the maintenance expeditor, the flight plan reviewer and filer, the baggage loader, the passenger briefer, the ground transportation supervisor, the cabin cleaner, sometimes the honey-pot dumper, and otherwise the chief cook and bottle washer.

And forget those cushy Part 117 rest rules. It's the wild west when it comes to rest rules, especially with a 134 1/2 operator that LIBERALLY applies the regs on things like rolling rest and tail end ferry flights.

Better spend some time in the gym too while you're getting current. The job is physically taxing beyond common perception.

Enjoy retirement! I hope to join you, and right soon.

followingdreams

As a 60+ year old guy who is doing this for a living.....Its not "that" physically demanding. Can you lift a suitcase into the cargo area, its not that hard (and I am not a gym rat) or line guys will do it for you when they are heavy. Im sure if he is retired from an airlien he is ising his flight benes to take a few vacations that he needs to occasionally lift a suitcase for. It is DEFINTELEY a different job than 121 (if you want to fly tothe same places over and over its not for you), but if you are willing to wake up in the morning and see where you schedule takes you, its a really fun gig. Angry pilots dont do well, pilots who LOVE their job, do REALLY well

GeeWizDriver

Grape or cherry flavor?

tanker

Let me explain the way it works at my 91K/135

Security officer - no more than I (and all Captains at my 121 airline) did when I was a 121 Captain where one of my duties was Inflight Security Coordinator
Catering coordinator - all we do is restock the drawers from the catering stock that we carry on the airplane. Anything special that the passengers want is arranged for by the Operations Center and we pick up from the FBO
Servicing supervisor - at my 121 I told the Ops Agent how much fuel (if different from the Dispatch Release) and let the Fuelers do their job. Now I tell the FBO how much and I still let the Fuelers do their job
Maintenance expeditor - if I have a maintence issue I call Maintence Control and either MEL the airplane or write up the issue and they arrange for a mechanic to correct the problem. Just as I did at my 121 airline
Flight plan reviewer - Yes I do review the flight plan and adjust the route, just like I did at my 121 airline. The only difference is now I select the alternate, altitude, and fuel load. not just review it.
Flight Plan Filer - Yes I select file on the foreflight app for each flight, not that difficult
Bagage loader - normally 0-4 bags. The most I ever had was about 15 bags and one time a load that weighed 500 lbs. Most of the time there is no more than 150 lbs
Cabin cleaner - Yes we do vacumn the airplane and use Clorax wipes to clean. Anything more we call Maintenance and they arrange for a cleaning crew to come.
Honey pot dumper - When it is used, maybe twice a rotation, we pull it out of the lav and have the FBO Ramper dump the pot

As for physicaly taxing as been to the gym at my current company as often as I did at my 121 airline, which is never.

As for duty and rest at my 91K/135 we can't be scheduled for more than 12 hours of duty or less than 12 hours of rest without the approval of the crew, and we get extra pay if we accept.

AA717driver

This X1000. PM inbound, OP.

Size11feet

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