Gary,
Get a nice big mug of tea and couple of ginger snaps, sit yerself down and have good read of the
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For those of us “of a certain age” (over 30) then self funded training is the only option. Age is not really a huge barrier, obviously the career path is going to be slightly more limited, but there is nothing preventing anyone up to their mid/late forties studying and getting a job as an airline pilot. You must of course be aware that the chances of getting a very high paying salary are likely to be somewhat less the older you get. On saying that I do know of one 747 TRE/TRI and a Training Captain who started their flying careers when they were in their 30's
If you are married it is important to keep the significant other fully informed and let them know what is happening. If you can spare some cash, pamper the wife. It will reap dividends later on. Trust me on this one. The other question you must ask yourself is can you and your family cope with the enforced absences while training and the stress during training. A.I.D.S. (Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome) is a very real risk. Is becoming a pilot worth the risk of trashing your family for? Be very careful with this. You must be a very good time manager. Don’t start this project without the support and backing of your partner.