mburkett

I'm 31 years old and I've been a cop for nearly 10 years. I've always loved flying and I have my commercial license and instrument rating. However, I haven't flown in about 5 years due to money constraints (buying a house will do that). I've been toying with the idea of quitting my job as a police officer and trying to get hired as a pilot. My goal is to be a corporate jet pilot, but I have licenses to earn and time to build. I don't have my multi license and only about 275 hours tt. I'm considering going to a flight school to finish my degree and get my CFI/CFII.

My question is: Am I too old to be considering a career as a pilot? If it takes me three years to get my degree and several years to build competitive time while instructing, that could push me to 36, or even 40. What would a corporation think about someone that old.

Also, if I decide to do this, what's the best way to earn the ratings and build the hours I need to be competitive? Do corporations require a B.A. degree?

rickair7777

There are a great many variables to consider and you have a LOT of research to do, look at some of the old threads here on APC.

DISCLAIMER: Threads older than 6 months (including mine) may not take into account the realities of $150 oil, which is having a potentially catastrophic effect on airlines.

To answer your questions...

I would NOT quite your job to do flight training at this time. You do not need to attend a large professional pilot school (the majority of which are ripoffs anyway). Get your ME and CFI/CFII/MEI at your local airport, training part-time on your days off.

Keep your job, do some part-time flight instructing and network around the airport. Try to get to 1000+ TT and 100 ME (200-300 ME would be better).

At that point, evaluate the state of the industry. You will have contacts and a better feel for things from working as a CFI. Who you know is EVERYTHING in aviation, so network effectively at every opportunity.

You are not too old, but I'm not clear as to what kind of flying you want to do...are you interested in airlines or corporate (bizjet) flying?

If you want to pursue an airline career, you will need a 4-year degree to have any hope of reaching the best jobs. Without it, you will be stuck at a regional airline.

It will open more doors in corporate flying, but you could get by without it I think.

The way it looks now, I would get my police pension before I pursued airlines due to the uncertaintity. The corporate world looks better (rich folks don't care so much about the price of fuel) but if ten thousand experienced airline pilots are furloughed and looking for work, it might be hard for a CFI to compete for a jet job.

Bottom line: keep your job and stay on track for the pension until you feel comfortable with the state of the industry. Worst case, you can be a part-time CFI and maybe charter pilot at your local airport on your days off.

mburkett

Thanks for the reply rickair7777. Working on my ratings and building time as a CFI/CFII/MEI part-time was something I was considering.

My goal is to fly with a local corporation that flies two citation X's and a bravo. I know the company's owner likes to hire local too. In fact, I have a friend who has a friend that flies for them. I'm going to give that guy a call and maybe become known by the other pilots around the hangar. You're right, who you know is soooo important.

Also, it's good news that pilots don't have to have a 4-year degree. I've got 2+ years of college, but going back to school and working full-time in this job just doesn't work. But I wonder, in this day and age of security, if law enforcement experience would be a benefit to corporate flying?

I'll plan on studying to complete my bfr and instrument proficiency check. I'll fly as often as I can until I was at the level I was when I completed my commercial, then I'll go for my CFI.

Thanks again for the response!

rickair7777

LE experience is not too relevant to most pilot employers. I suspect that an LE background (like some military jobs) will make it easier for you to handle high-stress cockpit situations, but it's not normally an official criteria.

Most folks who want bodyguards hire bodyguards, although I am aware that there are a few bodyguards who adverise a variety of bonus skills, including piloting. You would probably be working for a private individual in this case (perhaps eccentric or shady) as opposed to a company.

Getting those local jobs is ALL about networking...

Ewfflyer

Get the CFI, keep the connections, build your time and even more contacts, and if you're lucky you'll get the call. The industry is tight, and most everyone that's smart is hanging on to what they have. But, on the good note, probably by the time you have a significant TT and hopefully ME time, you might be in good position to move into larger equipment etc...

mburkett

Thanks for the input guys!

StillLearning

Some of the best pilots and instructors I know are retired law enforcement.

For the CFI training, if you can do it locally, do it.

It's great that you have the commercial and instrument already.

For the CFI training, if you can do it locally, do it.

For your fundamentals of instructing and airplane flight instructor written test study material, you could use a company that begins with "Gle" and ends with "im".

Or, get the material straight from the horse's mouth:

FAA - Aviation

FAA - Education & Research

(Your tax dollars have already paid for the training material.)

For the multi-engine training, you may consider one of those $1,500 two or three day courses.

Network at the local airports, part time instruct and see if you can find another pilot that needs multi time and share/safety pilot that valuable time.

Now a days, 31, 41, 51 or even 61 isn't too old.

Good luck.

StillLearning

Once you have more hours, you can look into VFR 135 and other time building avenues.

Networking is key, degrees are valuable, yet, aren't as important in corporate flight departments.

ryan1234

See if you can ride along with some 91 single pilot deals.. not really to log the time, but to develop relationships/network and just gain experience for the future.
Also, I'd recommend doing the whole safety pilot/split the costs/log multi-time also...those 15 hours PIC required for an MEI is a really low minimum.

mburkett

I appreciate all the advice. I'm glad I found this forum!