I would say that your odds are good. At least one in three, however the current average age for getting hired at a legacy is near 40 and by then no one will want to work for a legacy anymore anyway.

SkyHigh

 

Fat drunk and stupid's no way to go through life son.

I have to agree with you on this one, but I don't think this is specific to the aviation world. Personally I take some comfort in that fact that fat/drunk/stupid people have more obstacles to overcome before they can fly my family around the world.

 

Do you happen to have any numbers that back up the hiring age for the Majors and Legacys are around 40??

 

I haven't been to Kit Darbys site in many years but back in 2002 when I use to still subscribe to those publications the average age of new hires at the majors/legacies was 37. Now it could be much higher or even less. I don't really know. I can't imagine that is would be less unless they were passing up a generation of pilots who have patiently waited at the regionals since 9/11.

If the retirement age is raised to 65 you can bet that whatever it is now the age will raise by 5 years.

SkyHigh

 

I agree with this number too. I've seen similar stats.

It kind of makes sense...

Most (2/3 ?) ex-military guys that go to airlines as early as they can get hired at age 32.
Some (1/3 ?) who stay to get their retirement first would start at age 43.

Civilians (who don't have a family connection):
College: 5 years
CFI: 2 years
Freight: 1 year
Regional: 6 years
Heavy on-demand Cargo: 4 years
Major: Age 36, assuming you started at age 18 and didn't do anything else...most civilian pilots did something else somewhere along the line (military, masters degree, office job, surf bum) so age 40 is not an unrealistic average.

 

Sounds reasonable, was more curious than anything else on how this number was produced. I had viewed things a bit differently as in you would CFI and go Regional or Freight, not both.

Then never thought of the Heavy On-Demand Cargo, what types of companies would those typically be?

The only number I think that may be off is the 5-years of colleges, but that does not create a drastic change.

 

I would definately agree that with the raise to age 65, it will increase the average new hire age by about 5 years.

 

Some folks do college in 4, some take 7 years.

The night cargo-to-regional path is not required today due to demand, but historically it has been very common, several of my friends had to do night cargo before getting a regional job (I considered myself lucky to go from CFI to regional).

Heavy cargo would be Kalitta, Polar/Atlas, CAT for example (some of these places are NOT good career destinations). Also heavy 121 charter such as World. Often a stint at a lower-tier heavy operator will get you the call at a major. It's also realistic to become a check airman or regional chief pilot at a regional and go from there directly to a major.

 

In the early 80's there was an accepted maximum age of 30 to get hired at the majors. If they raise the retirement to 65 and new hires bump to 45 plus it means that you will have to work very hard and very long for next to no money. You will be in your 50's before reaching a place where most would finally be comfortable.

This career would make more sense if most could expect to get hired while still young enough to get someplace worthwhile.

Skyhigh

 

Not an ex military pilot: my dad, grandfather and all my uncles who flew/fly for American, United, ATA, Pan Am, Delta, Net Jets....Need I add more? Being an ex-mil is not a strike against you. It may help but it certainly wont doom your career!

No aviation ties: fortunately, I am from a family that goes back in aviation to the 1940's. However, there are PLENTY of people on this forum who have ZERO family ties with aviation that landed outstanding jobs. Job preference is a personal thing and I applaud everyone here who is where they want to be. Takes a lot of hard work!

strike three: I am definitely with you on some of those but being overweight certainly is not one of them. I've seen some RJ/Legacy pilots who look like they are going to drop dead of an MI any minute. The people skills is a definite must, no doubt there. The rest I sense as sarcasm because nobody in my family knows how to play or even gives a damn about golf.....Grandfather: 40 years at American, never played golf. Dad: 30 years collectively between National, Pan Am and United, wacked a ball once and broke the club over his knee.


By the way, I hope you get the job at Alaska. As much as I disagree with some of your postings, I'll be pulling for ya pal! I use to talk to Alaska pilots all the time and they love it there!