Is 30 too old?

[FuturePilot79]

Hi guys, I have always wanted to fly however my main question is: 'Is 30 too old to start training?' I would just turn 30 a few weeks after training begins. I am extremely lucky to have a very supportive wife who backs me to do it. I am very determined to work hard and weekends spent hung over are now a thing of the past. Let me know what you think! Cheers.

[SemperFly]

Well that is an easy answer. No.

[harrowing]

I have to agree with SemperFly. You are definitely not too old.
There are quite a few threads on this topic, which should be easy enough to find. Sometimes the benefit of a little age is priceless, not that it can be compared directly with aviation experience.
"Your flying career" thread is a good start.
Good luck
harrowing
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-aviation-questions/366456-your-flying-career.html

[PlankBlender]

Do a search here, mate, this question has been discussed at length in the last few years and the situation hasn't changed much. Employers like a dose of maturity and stability especially in the regionals, and once the world recovers from the latest bout of Yank stupidity, there'll be demand for pilots again including the grey temple brigade :}

[Runaway Gun]

Start flying yesterday if you can. If not, today. Just don't leave it until tomorrow - again... :)

[Numbers Up]

2 of us got going last year, both in our early 40's - by the time you fininsh your training I would like to think the downturn will be in the upturn phase and shouldnt be a problem.

[Mr. Hat]

The search function within DG&P GA&Q is your friend. You will find ppruners are quite willing to help on this type of topic.

Live your dream but don't let it cost you your family thats my only advice. Because at the end of the day it is only a job.

[FuturePilot79]

Thanks everyone for your messages...I have done a fair bit of research and people always suggest to train in a downturn, so I would like to think you are all right! I am glad to get some good, sensible information and thoughts from you all!

[tail wheel]

Is 30 old? :{ I wish I could remember being 30......... :{

I have a personal theory that the world will recover from the current "recession" far quicker than the politicians predict. Indeed, is it a recession - or was the share market grossly over valued based on earnings ratios, rather than actual asset backing and the high fliers of the corporate world got caught out with high debt to equity?

International and domestic passenger markets will continue to show strong growth, although yield will be down until the "recession" is over. Post recession, all those outstanding aircraft orders will be delivered - and it will again be boom times for air crew.

But that is just a personal theory. I've been wrong before....... :uhoh:

[mcgrath50]

I hope your not Tail Wheel, but i fear you will be :ouch:

[Mr. Hat]

Gearupandorrf is in a similar position to you. Look up his previous post - i replied to it.

http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-aviation-questions/369756-jobs-newbies.html

http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-aviation-questions/369529-its-been-while.html'

http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-350158.html

http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-186935.html

https://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-312853.html

I tried to use the search function and it wasn't my friend as I'm not that good at it. But i found these by looking back manually and then googling. There were some big threads on this quite a while ago but i was unable to find them. Maybe if you look back at my posts you will see the odd one in this or the newbies topic/area. Ignore all the jaded sh!t that I've written thats just part of me having a vent for th efun of it!

As for the crisis - tend to agree with tail wheel. I'm not seeing the panic stations that I was seeing 6 months ago in my or others work places. The other thing i notice is the difference in the share market. If you try and dollar cost average these days its getting harder as it only gone up for 2 months now. On that note it might be a good time to get the skills and experience while others are opting out.

[FuturePilot79]

Thanks Mr. Hat
I hope you are right and I am hoping also that things will have recovered by the time I have finished my training etc. Thanks for the links as well - very much appreciated!
Regards, FP79

[Mr. Hat]

Just concentrate on what you are doing and make sure that you don't get caught up in the negative talk of the moment. Just like 9/11 dot com and the rest they eventually pass.

Stay focused on your family and your plans.

What you must be prepared for is the notion that aviation is not what is was 20 years ago and its not what people often think it is.

[tea & bikkies]

Come on in the water is fine:E

[Kickatinalong]

Well that's an easy answer. YES.

SemperFly is not on.
You missed by 10 years.
Then again I'm about to get out of it, but I think mcgrath50 has eyes on my position.
Kickatinalong.:=:=

[The Green Goblin]

There is no problem starting out at the age of 30. Your biggest problem however will be accepting the financial ramifications of aviation, which will be hard for you and your family. If you're happy starting out on less than 30k as a casual after forking out 50k plus on training then step on up!

[tinpis]

We will all be saved from doom in tomorrows budget
Trust me.

[The_Pharoah]

I guess the idea is to diversify into other income streams. :) eg.

- have a side business based on your prev career (if applic)
- invest in property! the negative gearing will definitely help esp if you do an income tax variation (ie. you get your refund paid monthly via reduction of your normal PAYG rather than wait for it in July). thats how a lot of people who work for govt (on lower salaries ie. $50k - $60k) own a lot of property!

[Howard Hughes]

I got my first job at thirty six and haven't been called a 'silly old bugger' yet, unlike Tinny!;)

[bushy]

The problem is the silly young buggers (just like we used to be yesterday). But todays SYB's expect to get 200 grand and have a harem when they get to fly a C206.
They believe what the flying schools tell them.

[34R]

I started training the year I turned 30, landed an airline job 3 years ago now, (I'm 37 presently)
That was my goal, might not be yours. Just make sure you know why you are doing this and what you are going to have to put up with to get there.
Enjoy the journey and give it a crack

[tinpis]

The SYB will at least get to double their pay for 18 weeks by getting pregnant.
Something we never got bushy.

[cogwheel]

Yes, do it....

Have a plan and some goals thru each year and set up a 5 year target and go for it.

You might have to move house to follow your dream, just make sure the better half is cool with that. Have seen some many breakups because the partner did not like the moving or being away from the folks/family.

good luck:ok:

[Brian Abraham]

I think the previous posters have given good advice in the main. From my own perspective I can only say if you want it give it a go , bearing in mind the pitfalls. A gentleman I know, now retired, had a job in his youth flying a Cessna 421 for a world wide multi national. Of course his aim was airlines, but despite his extensive experience and being a top block his name never came out of the airline hat. The family wishing to eat three meals a day and wear shoes forced him to get a job which paid real money. He went on to carve a career which was well paid out side of aviation. In the last few weeks a couple of youngsters who I've been mentoring have gained employment flying Cessna 210 type equipment, so jobs are to be had, but bear in mind you'll be only pulling in a little more than 30K a year at the start. Can you and the family survive on that? One of them is at a place with no phone, TV, store, or any other mod cons, and no facilities for accompanied family, but does have a pub. Could you and family put up with those constraints? I can only say if you want it go for it. I remember being in the BHP office in Melbourne and a chap was showing off his corner office overlooking the Docklands which was a measure of some status. I thought, but didn't dare tell him, that my office (cockpit) had a far better view and changed from minute to minute. I would not recommend the sausage machine training schools, the two youngsters previously mentioned trained at small country schools and the instructors had the industry contacts for job placement. In one case the person actually had a job prior to doing the commercial check ride because an operator had called the instructor asking if he knew a person he could recommend. Whether it be a case of who you know, or being in the right place at the right time, or the luck of the draw, you have to have a ticket in the lottery to be in the running. Good luck whatever your decision, and I hope your dreams bare fruit.

[bushy]

We have finally got a situation where the young people are getting sound advice on prune, and not just propaganda from those trying to make money from them.

TINNY
No, I never did get pregnant. My wife did though.

[tinpis]

I'ts a wonder we didn't with all the a$$ reaming we got though bushy.

[Malc]

Hi,
30, in my humble opinion, is not too old to start if you're prepared to:

not have a specific goal in mind (e.g. Airline XX or Aircraft type XX)
be prepared to be flexible in what you do, especially initially
risk significantly reducing your income for at least a few years (if not many)
meet some great people, and have some great times.


30's probably a good age, a good bit of life & work experience behind you, hopefully some idea of what you want from life.

I was 41 when I started in 2003, lots of folks told me what a complete pratt I was being (they still do, but for many other reasons.) After a couple of years in a very regional airline, I'm now flying a biz-jet and having an absolute ball.

Don't get old and wonder what it might have been like....

[ravan]

....someone once told me "never die wondering" ... so I started flying training at 41 (just like Malc) and here I am 12 years later still going strong and enjoying every minute.

So ........ "never die wondering"

[phatmike128]

I'm currently 24 and only flying once a week while working full time in IT. I'm still in GFPT stage but would really like to study and learn full time. I have about 20k saved up from the years and just seeking advice on if I should get out of this job now and start learning full time, or keep at it until the end of the year, saving a bit more money, and then go for it.

It's probably a good idea just to start as soon as I can and get a loan when it comes to it...any advice regarding my timing? I am excited about the prospect of gaining a CPL and then going bush, I don't have any ties/mortgages/girlfriends holding me back. It's just the money issue of when to start full time.....

*stares out the window from cubicle*

[PlankBlender]

mike although it might be hard right now, work a little longer until you've got cost of training and living expenses plus a little extra for the job search covered. Shouldn't take too long in IT, and then you can go and train without money worries weighing on you, or, if push comes to shove, even interrupting your training.

You need to consider that loans without the security of a full time job are hard to come by these days (or the bank might simply call it in once you quit your job, they're very risk-adverse at the moment), and you will be sitting on that loan for years as you won't have disposable income to pay it back out of for the first few years..

I have seen too many eager student pilots who had to stop start their training to go back to making money, which in the end just costs time and money because you take two steps forward and one back in your flying progress, especially when it comes to instrument/instructor ratings and other advanced stuff.

In terms of timing, the economy (and the pilot market on the back of that, probably with quite considerable delay to work off the pilot supply surplus) will take at least a year to recover, so if working and training might take you well into next year, you might just find that this slots you slap bang into the next market upturn.. fingers crossed :ok:

[boardpig]

I too went through this very conundrum at the age of 35, wondering if my age would work against me. I spoke to many people and collected many differing opinions. The result? Age is no longer a barrier.
If age is your only concern, forget it and start as soon as you can, it's becoming more and more an irrelevant factor as time goes on.
The real question, (at least is was for me) was whether I was willing to put in the time and money, for an industry which I had become very disillusioned with. Having had a differing, but professional career already established, I began to ask the same questions anyone would (or should) ask when looking to change direction. Unfortunately, none of the answers I got from the aviation industry were good enough for me to justify the move.
I don’t think I had come across an industry in which so much responsibility and training is expected but so little respect and financial reward is given. In discussions, I found myself, many times having to convince people that yes FO’s on regionals actually earn 40k/year. Even more is the disbelief that as a left seater you could expect 55K, No-one outside of aviation believes this. I also knew that I would be going back to the days of antiquated terms and conditions, working RDO’s and stressing for a promise of 3% pay rise which of course, my employer is going to do everything he can to avoid giving me.
Don’t get me wrong here and before anyone shoots me down, I love flying, have done since I was very young, have a CPL, done some ATP’s etc but also want to spend time with the family and pay the bills all whilst feeling I have a modicum of respect from my employer. Too much to ask?
Some positions in GA etc are different to this picture, but from what I could see, the industry is very different to what it used to be.
My point is, if you are coming from an already existing professional career (older guys), you may find that you will not be transitioning to a similar environment. Remember, that after 6 months, the romance will wear off and it becomes a job. When this happens you need to ask yourself, are my T’s and C’s enough? The last thing you want is to spend your days as a disgruntled employee and hating a job you tried so long and hard to get and regretting the fact you ever did it.
It should be said, there are also many guys who have been in the industry and, for the reasons mentioned above, walked away from it. Many, happier for doing so.