Climbto450

I agree completly. I am 37 I fly a Gulfstream 450 for great money and I would give it up for my dream job (Delta) in a heartbeat.

forgot to bid

As far as hiring booms within the next 5 or so years, given retirements and assume a strong economy, which airline is most likely offer the best option for a new pilot in terms of fast progression up the seniority list? AMR?

NuGuy

Heyas,

FWIW, you can hit all the "sweet spots" in your career and still came up short. It's still largely a matter of luck.

I had my CFI and ~300 hours TT three weeks after I graduated from college. Did my CFII and MEI ratings 6 months after that. Had my contacts all lined up in the pipline, and what "should have happened" was I do my 15-18 months instructing, get that check run job, do that for 6-10 months for multi time, and nail that commuter job by 22-23. Do that for 12 months, upgrade, get 1000 PIC and be on a major at 25, right?

Wrong. Instructed for 3 years thanks to Gulf War I/Recession #1. As soon things started picking up, got a job at commuter #1. QoL was horrible, so after upgrading and putting a notch in that stick, left to go for Commuter #2. with a much better QoL, but totally stagnant list with bitter, miserable people. Sat there for 5 years.

Still wound up at a major...barely by 30...1 month to 31...but still 2nd youngest in class.

Things were good, three digit pay rate in year 3, fully paid insurance, fully funded retirement, going to retire in the double digits and was told I'd upgrade in 5 years (at 35-36). Ahh, salvation at last, right?

Wrong. Then 9/11, Gulf War II, Bankruptcy, age 65, merger, recession #2. Going on 43, and no upgrade in sight, managed to keep my seat, but got slammed on forward movement and now looking at retiring in the four digits with the added bonus of having to go another 5 years to get there.

The moral of this story:

1) DON'T get hung up on "the gateways", because even if you hit them just right, totally unanticipated events can still screw you.

2) Enjoy where you are. Don't go through life being a miserable tool just because your career progression isn't where you think it should be. Get a hobby or something you enjoy.

Nu

Airhoss

As an example.

Look up any and all posts by Skyhigh.

hair-on-fire

Agree with you 100%. The hiring wave is more important than age. I got hired at TWA at 23 and UAL at 24 and both equate to being furloughed 10+ years later.

Sink r8

...and so if you read the above, you can gather some very good advice:

1) Stay healthy, and stay happy for the long term. It's not a sprint, but a marathon.
2) You certainly can be ambitious: create (and take) any opportunity to get a seniority number at an airline that you value. Paddle hard early, then ride the first hiring wave in the set.
3) Once you get to where you were going, stay there. Don't make a bunch of lateral moves trying to second-guess the future of any given company.
4) Don't worry about things you can't control. Like your age.


Good luck!

acl65pilot

The best age is the age you get hired.

I like Nu, had the whole progression held for about six year, but in the end so what. It is life. Network, do what you can from very young and use every contract and every resource you can. Networking and a clean work history get you hired at a major. It is not time alone.

Globaldriver53

At US Airways, you should start right out of kindergarden, that way you have a fairly good chance at the left seat prior to the 65 years old rule. Sorry, couldn't resist

cubguy

I started in 1978 at age 22.
Seniority wise, it has been rewarding however I have always felt as though I missed alot of fun by not flying in the military.
Guess its a trade off. If I could go back I would do it again.
I'd say the sooner the better.
CG

CE750

I was 30 when AA hired me in 2001, and I'm now, 3 airlines later (two out of business), I'm 41 and still waiting for them (or anyone else) to hire me....

If I had to do it again, I'd have become a scientist.