Atpl

[Dean 1330]

Hello all, first time on here so lets hope I manage to get this right !!!!
T am looking to find anybody who has recently taken atpl exams, who are around my age group (33 years young).

Trying to work out if my dream is still a possibility now I have eventually saved the money to do the training...

Any advise gladly received

[Andy_R]

Worth searching the forum for bundles of advice. And there are a fair few of us in our late thirties who have only just managed to scrimp and save our way towards starting that trip to our dream job.
If you study past posts on the subject carefully and ignore the doom merchants, you will read of quite a few who have achieved that goal in their later years. Do a search on "Pilot Pete" if you are after some motivation for late starters.
Do bear in mind that it is very hard work and the hard work doesn't stop when you get your fATPL

[witchdoctor]

Dean,

Sage advice from 69. You're not too old at 33 (I'm 32, but in the "fortunate" position of having graduated already), but contrary to the advice I would offer the younger guys, you need to get in there pretty quickly before age starts to count against you. The younger guys are lucky in having the time to see long-term improvements in recruitment and to build up the funds to support their training.

Whilst there are undoubtedly companies willing to take on the 'older' pilot (please God, let me find one), many more have an arbitrary cutoff at around 34 unless you have the flying experience to go with it. As an 'new' pilot you won't.

The cost is tremendous and escalating quickly, and you also need to remember to consider the cost of living expenses for an extended period of time. Also, if the market continues to remain sluggish for employment, you need to consider the additional cost of maintaining some kind of flying profficiency (preferably twin instrument time) as well as the cost of renewing your medical and flying ratings after you graduate. It really does get quite frightening. Too many guys get the money together to pay for the course and rush off without thinking a little further ahead (me for example!).

Plan you finances very carefully for at least the next 2 years, and if you can take the strain, come on in - the water's lovely.

[scroggs]

As cloud69 says, there is much information within Wannabes if you do a search. Try 'Too Old' (I'm not being rude!) as a search item - there've been many threads with that as at least part of their title.

There's no definitive answer to this problem, however (is there to any?). At the moment, airlines can pick and choose who they hire. Because there are still plenty available, type-rated pilots with worthwhile hours are at the top of the airlines' wish list. Things are changing - slowly; witness the easyJet schemes available now. However, those wannabes who don't have hours commensurate with age are still struggling in this market.

The prospects for your like are currently better if you look at getting your hours away from the jet airline business for a while - think night freight, air taxi, turboprop commuters and the like - until you can convince a jet-equipped airline that your experience counts for more than your age. Some years further down the line you can apply to airlines like Virgin who will accept pilots with, say, 2500 commercial hours at age 45 or more - if times are good. Which they will be, eventually!

Scroggs
Virgin/Wannabes Moderator
[email protected]

[error_401]

At age 35 (now) it becomes increasingly difficult not to get your applications back even before interview. So - no job for me at the time.

I startet at 33 into what looked a bright future. Airlines crying for lack of pilots. But that's over since end of 2001 for good. And now age becomes a factor for me too.

So even with my high quality airline training and good ATPL exam. No job so far. I'm back in Webdesign now. :( :)

As stated before - Think through it. Then, even if someone offers a job be sure today they get hundreds of applications!

I'm sure that with todays perspectives I'd not do it again!