Started flying at 17, flew jumpers in college, did the RJ thing at about 22, furloughed a year and a half later. Currently a Dash FO.

It's been a roll of the dice so far. I think everyone's flying career is in some aspect or another. Had you told me 5 years ago my timeline would have looked as it does, I'd have said you were crazy. I've had some setbacks, but I've been very lucky too. Work hard, try to stay positive and network as much as you can. Hopefully the economy will improve and hiring will resume; that seems to help the 'dice' land more where you want them.

You want to be at a Major by age 30. This is assuming the airline does not go under. That will give you ten years to upgrade to captain. At age 40 you will be a low end captain. By age 50 you will be a high seniority captain at max pay or near max pay. Then you have 10-15 years to have max pay with a great schedule. If you dont make it by about age 35 it probably wont be worth the sacrifice...Just my personal opinion when you look at it strictly by the sacrafice vs. reward.

However the corporate world is always up in the air when it comes to finacial success. Which is where I would advise someone who has bad luck in the airline industry to go.

More importantly, TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH.

More and more of our careers are being shifted to later years. Tremendous amount of the stress, lack of QOL, poor eating habits on the road and sitting still all day long. I am still surprised at how many lose medicals in their 50s. While in many instances it is just bad genes and unavoidable, it is probably the biggest personal investment you can make to your career and family(and the airline can't f^ck with it ).

My 2 pennies-

KC

Actually, just to show the other side of the fence (right now), United has 11 year F/Os still on furlough and most 10 year Delta guys are Narrowbody F/Os so this is a little optimistic (Even SWA - right now top of the heap pax pay scale wise has stagnated/stopped their progression and guys I know there freely admit they are overstaffed). So make sure you enjoy what you're doing on you way to a major. 15 years ago (not that long) Cargo (FEDEX/UPS) were considered also rans amongst most applicants (still do a LOT of back side of the clock flying), then they were the hottest thing (highest paying) and now UPS on pilots on the street. Bottom line -good job (travel, decent pay), terrible career - your skills are not transferable (as in real professional civilian jobs) - if you leave/get furloughed and decide to go elsewhere you start at the bottom again - e.g. many guys furloughed at Delta/United went to UPS/SWA and now they're stuck at the bottom with no progression in sight.

Good Luck.

Its always a roll of the dice.
I have had my app in at DL/AA (with recs) for 12 yrs now, when I first hit my 1000TPIC and still no call for the interview.

I started at NWA at 26 and I'm senior to this ^ guy.

Yeah you're 1 of the 7 people in front of me that are barely younger than me and senior to me, so just know i'll be watching your health for the next 31-36 years

I wouldn't focus too much on age. You do have some great things going for you. Around the 2020 time frame, almost all of the major airlines are going to be retiring pilots like crazy. If you can just get hired in the first half of that wave (about the first five years or so) you will be set. Your first five years at the airlines would look extremely different as compared to someone that's been hired over the last decade (just bad timing for the 2000-2010 hires). As others have stated, the airline pilots have really been kicked in the teeth that last ten years. 9/11, outsourcing to RJs, bankruptcies, Age 65 etc... causing little growth and few retirements. The pilots hired at the majors between 2018-2025 are going to really going to have great progression, IMHO.

I made it at 24 (but very much on the backside of the hiring wave).

Good luck to you!

Well said!

I was hired back in '79 right out of college and my older brother had the same thing happen in '78, but what you said about being a right seat guy that gets his first choice is spot on.

My neighbor was a 767 Capt. and wanted to see his kids grow up so he jumped back to the right seat on a 777 and has a great schedule.

Eventually, we'll all end up retiring and you'll get a seat at a major.

In a perfect world maybe...

I was hired at UAl at age 29 was a captain by age 40 and am now a very junior F/O on the 757/767. None of this stuff is scripted.