Just a little question
05-27-2010, 02:39 PM
#1
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: May 2010
Posts: 1
Just a little question
I'm 35 years old and I'd like to know if I'm too old to initiate a career as a commercial pilot. I'm open to everyone's opinion and please be as honest as you can. And sorry if I didn't post this in the right forum section... I didn't really see a questions section and I thought this was the most appropiate place to post off-topic threads. Thank you for taking your time to read this and I hope I get some honest answers from the APF community 
!
!
05-27-2010, 07:03 PM
#2
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 40,388
Technically, no.
Realistically, yes you are too old.
There are some caveats...
What are your expectations?
If you want to be a widebody captain doing international flying...never going to happen.
If you want to finish as a major airline first officer with a good schedule...might be possible.
If you just want to be a regional airline pilot, yes you can do that but most regional jobs are doo-doo over the long term...you do not want to invest time effort and money just to do that.
It's not a question of whether you can do it, but whether the potential payoff is worth the costs. Also keep in mind that the risks are high, and there are no guarantees.
These are all no no-go factors at your age:
- Spouse, unless she has a lucrative, highly portable career (ie medical field).
- Kids under the age of 15 or so.
- Mortgage.
- Any financial obligations.
- The need for any significant income.
- Lack of a college degree.
- Lack of funds for flight training (you are too old for loans).
- Need to save for retirement.
You will need to be free to move multiple times at the drop of a hat to chase job opportunities. You will need to pay many tens of thousands of dollars for flight training, and then live for years on less than $20K. Your income will then gradually climb above $20K, then $30K...eventually reaching $60K as a regional CA.
If you are single, childless, no plans to marry, prefer a bohemian lifestyle, have a few hundred grand in cash, and have a fully funded retirement plan yeah you could make it work. But for a regular guy, the years or decades of dues paying will not be worth it...you will not have enough time left at the end to get a payback for your efforts and sacrifice.
Read this: http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/fl...reer-read.html
Realistically, yes you are too old.
There are some caveats...
What are your expectations?
If you want to be a widebody captain doing international flying...never going to happen.
If you want to finish as a major airline first officer with a good schedule...might be possible.
If you just want to be a regional airline pilot, yes you can do that but most regional jobs are doo-doo over the long term...you do not want to invest time effort and money just to do that.
It's not a question of whether you can do it, but whether the potential payoff is worth the costs. Also keep in mind that the risks are high, and there are no guarantees.
These are all no no-go factors at your age:
- Spouse, unless she has a lucrative, highly portable career (ie medical field).
- Kids under the age of 15 or so.
- Mortgage.
- Any financial obligations.
- The need for any significant income.
- Lack of a college degree.
- Lack of funds for flight training (you are too old for loans).
- Need to save for retirement.
You will need to be free to move multiple times at the drop of a hat to chase job opportunities. You will need to pay many tens of thousands of dollars for flight training, and then live for years on less than $20K. Your income will then gradually climb above $20K, then $30K...eventually reaching $60K as a regional CA.
If you are single, childless, no plans to marry, prefer a bohemian lifestyle, have a few hundred grand in cash, and have a fully funded retirement plan yeah you could make it work. But for a regular guy, the years or decades of dues paying will not be worth it...you will not have enough time left at the end to get a payback for your efforts and sacrifice.
Read this: http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/fl...reer-read.html
05-27-2010, 07:19 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: Self employed
Posts: 3,048
05-28-2010, 12:18 AM
#5
Day puke
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: Out.
Posts: 3,865
I agree with all RickAir said.
I started at 32 and am now making 23K after CFIing, flying freight, and flying an air ambulance.
IF, and that is a big IF, you still want to do it, forget about the airlines. Go 135 or corporate. The pay is better early on but is much flatter long term. Given your age and assuming you are just starting out, you COULD work your way into a 40-80k job in 4-8 years. And you would max out 10-20k more over a carrier. That assumes you are fairly good, personable, and can make some decent contacts. If you fly in arm pit Arkansas, your odds are much lower.
As a single guy, living in an efficiency apartment, 45 years old, I would say, No, don't do it. This industry is like an abusive relationship. He/she only beats me up now and then, but I love him/her.
I started at 32 and am now making 23K after CFIing, flying freight, and flying an air ambulance.
IF, and that is a big IF, you still want to do it, forget about the airlines. Go 135 or corporate. The pay is better early on but is much flatter long term. Given your age and assuming you are just starting out, you COULD work your way into a 40-80k job in 4-8 years. And you would max out 10-20k more over a carrier. That assumes you are fairly good, personable, and can make some decent contacts. If you fly in arm pit Arkansas, your odds are much lower.
As a single guy, living in an efficiency apartment, 45 years old, I would say, No, don't do it. This industry is like an abusive relationship. He/she only beats me up now and then, but I love him/her.
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