Great to see you made a series of progress, I am kinda in the same point where you started. I am at age 40, not really hating my current job, still single, missing the joy and thrill of flying (also pre-9/11), band I am coming from a stereotypical Asian-American family, my folks never wanted to be an airline pilot, get an engineering that pays me about 65k/yr.

So to the OP, how hard was it after getting PPL and building hours to get Commercial?

That wasn't hard. First off, work on the Instrument rating. Once that's done you just find another pilot from the same area and split time together to build hours. I flew all over Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and parts of Maryland. Do night flights as cross country (you'll need those later for the part 135 VFR PIC minimums). Challenge yourself to fly in all sorts of weather and go to places you've never flown to before. It's not enough to just log some hours, make it a quality experience that develops your skills.

It's not easy. Nothing worth doing is, so go for it.

Congrats on moving on from CFI. I知 15.9 hrs into my PPL and should probably make my own post. I知 hoping I don稚 have as long of a process to get past CFI as I imagine COVID had a big issue in you not logging as many hours as you liked. But again, congratulations.

Agree that you should get 1st class medical out of the way first.

IMHO, life is short, do whatever that will make you have no regrets on your death bed!!

Jay this is great. As someone looking to move out of my industry into this field I love the story. I am currently at around 387hrs TT with my IR/CSEL and taking my CMEL checkride next month. I didn't make the CFI job but have completed my writtens. I still have a family business to operate and I don't think I will have the time to take away and instruct unless its before or after work. That said I do have access to a nice VFR flying plane that sips gas as well as my own A36 which I don't mind flying hard IMC in to minimums. I've just been trying to fly a few hours here and there after work/weekends to accumulate 60-80hrs a month. Thinking in a few months if a local 135 job opens up I might try to get in on that but hoping that not teaching or having an airline job won't hurt me when I go to apply next year...

I love your story so keep us updated! Blue skys and tailwinds!

I am making a career change even later in my life.

I am 49, turning 50 in three months. I have been a pediatrician for the past 23 years. I have a good job, but my work environment is getting worse over the decades. The pandemic has a lot to do with it. We all thought it would be over in a few months when it started in 2020, but obviously that's not what happened. Doctors are leaving the practice in droves, and I may be next.

When I heard a story on NPR that there will be a 15,000 pilot shortage in the US annually for the next ten years, I decided to sign up. My grandfather was in the first Chinese naval air force (he was a bomber), and both of my uncles flew fighter jets in Taiwan. It's literally in my blood to fly.

I visited the Tokyo aeronautical museum in 1995 with my dad, and I was the only visitor in the group who landed the plane in the simulator. Granted, I veered off to the lawn from the runway, but it was in the airport. All the other pilots landed in the ocean. Of course, none of us had any flight training.

I plan to start my training in 2023, as I wrap up my medical practice. My class 1 physical is scheduled in two weeks, but I can run a mile in less than 7 minutes and I can do 20 pull-ups. I think I'll pass.

Hopefully you are doing this as a semi-retirement gig and not expecting to be making doctor money anytime soon (if ever). You値l be looking at 5ish years before you make 6 figures with 3 of those likely making less than $50k. You値l be close to 60 before you can expect to crack $200k and then you値l be forced to retire at 65. This is all assuming the industry stays on its current unprecedented trajectory.

Also, a First Class Medical has nothing to do with running or doing pull ups. I run 40+ miles a week and get nervous every time I go in for a new medical.

I知 not trying to be a Debbie Downer but just wanted to share so you can manage your expectations accordingly. Best of luck to you!

Read between the lines. This is his semi retirement gig. This type of person is the perfect example of someone who can give it a try. He is wrapping up his practice, maybe selling his share and getting a nice chunk from it in addition to what he has saved up. He can give his dream a shot and if it doesn't work for him, either hang up his pilot and doctor hat for good, or maybe go back into medicine but at his pace...when he wants to!

Having options are good. Most pilots do not have options, so they are bitter. The career changers I worry about are the 30 something year olds with a wife and young kids who burn out from their 9-5. These are the types of people with even more to lose than the 50 somethings who have always wanted to fly but did something else.

The older guys with a few million in the bank and kids already launched and out of the house have pretty much nothing to lose by giving flying a shot.

I知 hoping that痴 the case. They just sounded a little naive in their expectations. Being an airline pilot seems glamorous to many, but CFI段ng in a clapped out 172 to build time or doing 5 legs/day in an RJ to stay at a Hampton Inn is far from it.

As noted above, CFI wages can be tough but career changers have advantages a lot of younger people don稚 have.

Depending on the career, still working per diem is an option. A doctor could work 1 day a week at a hospital and still instruct full time.

A lot of career changers are married and have a second income to rely on.

Being older likely means better credit and more savings.