Career change

[Auzzie]

Hi all this is my first post I've just turned 40 I'm looking at becoming a pilot,my plan is to achieve a cpl by 45 studying and flying part time,I can't do fulltime because I'm working.looking to do my jaa ppl in eft Florida november2012 I have studied the 7 ppl books&currently studying ppl confuser.I'm under the impression that if I do the iaa exams in Ireland they won't be recognised in us?I will be giving myself 4-5 weeks for my ppl,I have full support of my family.I have read the threads on this subject any advice or info would be greatly appreciated.kind regards auzzie

[seat 0A]

I hope you have lots of money.......
Don't expect to make a living with flying. You're too old in todays market.

My advice: keep your dayjob and get a PPL.

[Pace]

Auzzie

What are your intentions? What area of flying are you hoping to be in?
Age is against you especially starting from scratch but not impossible depending on where you want to be.
Not much chance as an FO with RyanAir!
Its hard out there at present and the training will cost with no guarantee of anything at the end.

Pace

[Auzzie]

Thanks for the reply and advice I'm well aware of costs involved I can fall back on my current job if it doesn't work out

[Auzzie]

Thanks for your reply and advice my intention is to have all my training completed by 45 or earlier if I can get 10-15 years out of this I will be happy with that if work is not available here I'd be looking at heading back to aus or us

[stickandrudderman]

Do you intend to live a fairly frugal lifestyle for the rest of your working life or do you have financial independence and are just looking for something to give meaning to your life?
Getting an airline job at your age, I would imagine, would be nigh on impossible and even if you did you wouldn't be making much money as a FO.
If, on the other hand you think you simply might like to become a flying instructor then I'd get your PPL and then make your decision.

[Pace]

Auzzie

Pleased with your motivation and you have obviously done the sums so good luck I was interested in what field of aviation you would want to fly in?

Pace

[Auzzie]

Anythings possible I've been thinking about and researching this for the past 15 months I have heard of people in early to mid fortys gaining employment once qualified

[Auzzie]

Pace.

One step at a time to be honest I'm not entirely sure which field I want to get all my training done first and then decide as long as I am flying


Auzzie

[GeeWhizz]

Hello, I'm in a similar situation although a smidge younger :cool:

In long term steady employment and went looking for a career change. I now have a PPL with IMCr and Night Q, soon to begin ground school.

I've searched in places various, spoken to pilots at airfields I've visited but I'm still wondering really what types of non-airline / non-FI jobs are out there in the UK? From my research there arn't too many that offer income sufficient to justify the jump?

Thanks in advance.

[Halfbaked_Boy]

Auzzie, you're asking in the wrong forum.

Here's an answer though - what's the point in even asking?

You obviously want to do it, you won't feel complete if you don't do it, and from your nonchalant attitude, you've no problem when it comes to falling back on your cushion if you do it and it doesn't work out.

Are you just seeking reassurance, perchance?

If so, I'd advise it's not such a healthy idea - just look at the first two replies to this thread. Whether they are right, wrong, optimist, pessimist, or realist, doesn't matter. When you are at your age and using the words 'Career Change' and associating it to aviation, you need something to believe in.

You obviously have that, and as you have your own buffers in place, I feel no guilt or irresponsibility in recommending you stay away from places like this (unless for technical/theoretical advice), and submerge into the real world of aviation (airfields) on your days off. Take the family, but be careful not to make them sick of it.

I know of older people than you who have started from scratch and got jobs flying airliners full of passengers. Fact.

That was in a different market, however, and there is definitely some truth in those first two replies...

Do what you need to do, but don't kill your soul and your life doing it :ok:

[MIKECR]

The problem with getting a decent airline job these days is that you really need to go through the 'integrated' route and get yourself on one of the cadet type schemes. Unfortunately that means spending £85k on a full time course and then a further £30k on a type rating. Even if you do get a job at the end, they'll pay you peanuts for your first year or two until your of any worth to them.

Going the 'modular' route will be cheaper but your odds of getting a job are probably one in several thousand. You might just be the lucky one and get a job flying right seat in a turboprop for a small regional airline but theyll still expect you to pay £15k to 20k for a type rating and your salary will be in the region of 20k per year.

There are of course other jobs in aviation, such as biz jets/corporate but its difficult to get into, very much a closed shop and not what you know but who you know. Anything else job wise in General aviation pays sod all and ironically requires some considerable experience i.e. air taxi work being the classic example.

The market may of course be entirely different in 5 to 6 years time but at the age of nearly 50 you've really got a massive battle on your hands. Even for the small turboprop jobs competition is fierce. I work for a small UK regional airline(turboprop) and my boss receives upwards of 60 to 70 CV's per day. Of that we probably only recruit 10 to 15 people per year.

The other major point I would mention, that no one else has, is that you need to obtain a Class 1 Medical. Best advice would be to do it as soon as possible before spending huge amounts of money on flying training. You will have to go to the CAA at Gatwick for a half day medical which will cost you several hundreds of pounds. It is however money well spent at an early stage.

[Auzzie]

Apologies if I was posting in the wrong forum.I was looking to hear people's views.I have visited my local airfield many times,I actually went flying with a work colleague a few ago who has his ppl in a c152,thoroughly enjoyed it.I have had my vision hearing bp etc checked to caa class1 standard before parting with 650 euro thanks all for the advice negative&positive,I will procede with my ppl and take it from there