Dont have much to add there gear......
but whatever you do dont let people tell you 'you cant do it'. By the sound of it youve learned a lot from your instructor situation. I am where you want to be in a few years....several thousand hours of turbine time in operations os.....and now back in oz pushing ****e up hill looking for a decent job. (read 'any job')Im sure its just a matter of time but at 33 i too am questioning how much older i can get before they wont look at me. I dont have any proof however that it is still, in this day and age a hige factor against you....
good luck