That's true, you have to account for it. Cardio exercise, healthy living, and eating brain food (salmon, avocados, etc) goes a long way. Also digital brain games or even video games. You will need to study more for rote memory items. I'd change your lifestyle at least three months prior to training.

Compared to age 25, you'll notice it at age 40 and for many it can be a real factor after 50 or so.

 

I will be 51 when I retire from my current career and plan on heading to the regionals or Part 135. How do the regionals feel about hiring a older pilot who will likely NOT leave them for a major or ULCC? I don't have the hours/experience to try to chase a major airline nor the years left in flying, so I will be happy with a job at a regional living in base for the remainder of my 14 years of eligibility. I guess what I'm asking is I'm sure the regionals prefer to see their pilots move on after a few years so they can continue filling the seats with cheaper labor vs having a pilot who's been there for years earning at a higher pay scale.

 

They’re not going to tell you “no”. Regionals need everyone they can get. That said, you still have plenty of time left to be looking at getting on with an LCC or ULCC. Might need to start at a regional. But don’t limit yourself.

 

The regionals are losing so many captains right now, they have a captain shortage. Some of the new TAs tend to favor the captains who stay longer (line check airmen at Envoy get 20 year captain pay, at SkyWest you aren’t vested in the 401k until 4 years, company contributions to the 401ks tend to increase with longer service). If management is smart, they will find more ways to encourage their pilots to stay as long as possible, especially their captains and pilots in the training department.

 

Thanks for the reply's. I'm anxious to retire and start flying full time. I live 45 mins from DTW, so SkyWest or Endeavor are on my list

 

Right now the regionals just don't care about ANYTHING but get pilots in seats... they are in survival mode. All of the usual considerations like ease of training, likelyhood of staying long enough to get an ROI, or staying too long and get expensive, are off the table. They will hire you.

For the foreseeable future they would actually like you to stay, as I said they are desperate. That may not not be good QOL though if they have to work people like dogs indefinitely.

Leaving for a major up to age 55 is entirely reasonable and realistic at this point. They'll still hire even after age 60 but you probably want longer than that to pay your dues and enjoy some QOL.

Best thing at your age would probably be to get 1000 hours 121 regional and then go to a LCC in your early fifties. They will hire you, probably even with less than 1000 turbine. Also apply to the legacies, if you can get called with low time (some do) then you'll enjoy fast seniority progression due to retirements and could easily spend your last five years as a senior and well paid NB CA.

 

I recently had a friend at a regional (he was 60+) say “I think they’d hire you at 64 1/2 if the thought they could get you through training and get a couple of months of you on the line…”. Hyperbole, yes. But it’s indicative of where the market is now. Anyone in their mid-50”s would probably be a dream right now. They’ll upgrade then stay on for the rest of their (short) careers.

 

I had a 64 year old in class at my regional.

 

there was even a story about a guy hired, that turned 65 before completing training. Supposedly the recruiter got in trouble over that one. Don’t know if it was true or not.

 

No reason a pilot would subject themselves to that knowing they couldn't fly

Unless they were hoping to complete sim and get a type to do non-121 contract flying.