With age 65, age 40 is the new 35!

That is how I looked at it when deciding to leave a senior position at a regional and going to a major at age 40. I still have 25 years.

Flying for a major is wonderful. Just realize that this career is horribly unstable. I have my dream job, finally flying 757's and 767's, but risk getting set back ten years in a merger arbitration. At my age, the 10 year set back is fatal to my career goals.

The job is great when out of the chocks. When reading the web board, or the Financial Times, it is just awful. Flying, these days, is a much better hobby than it is a profession.

You can have the same fun, maybe more, flying a part time 135 job without the constant ups and downs of a career in aviation. Also, I'd look for an IT job where they have a flight department you can tap in to. My former employer had aircraft I could train in and fly. Some companies and schools have large GA flight departments / clubs. Cessna, Boeing, Georgia Tech, all serve as examples.

As others have stated get your training/hours done while the industry is down and then when it rebounds you will be at the front of the hiring wave. I am glad I didn't get my multi/hours 1 or 2 years ago and go to the regionals; I decided to wait it out and it paid off. I still have my full-time job and CFI part-time...and love it. Being a CFI is very satisfying and you really learn more when you are teaching. Just to be on the safe side I will wait until the age 65 rule kicks in (4 1/2 yrs) and see what the hiring is like. In the meantime I will have fun flying on the side. At our age we can't afford to take as much risk. Good luck.

I will be 60 in three weeks, semi-retired and just passed my commercial checkride this morning. I have only one aspiration - to become a CFI and quit one of my part-time jobs and do something I like - even if it only helps pay for the training I've done.. Maybe too little, too late...but don't let your dreams pass you by without a fight!