Happy W and Bobfly386
I wholly agree with boogie-nicey's excellent advice.
I posted on a similar thread called "Dear Deidre - What should I do?" last week, with an example of what is possible. I will copy my previous post, for information, with the integrated v modular specific content cut:
I know of an airline pilot who decided at the
age of 42 to change career, and he started studying - hard!
Having bought the Bristol GS ATPL distance study course in mid October, he sat the first module of exams in December, than passed the second module in February. All 14 exams in under 4 months. By May, just 6 months after starting, he had CPL with night rating and Multi rating, and by July he had IR as well. By early July he had MCC with 20 hours on B737-200 sim.
It took him just over 8 months from buying the groundschool course to being employable as an airline pilot. Now where can an integrated course achieve that? Yes, he worked very hard, but the point is that he set his own pace, and achieved a life-changing career move in less than 1 year - and for very little over £20,000.
Now at the ripe age of 43, just 18 months after deciding to invest the initial £2,000 or so with Bristol GS, he has a cracking jet job as FO with an excellent airline, with very good career prospects.
OK, so he had a head start by having already completed a PPL with the required hours, but these can be gained in 3 or 4 months if you have aptitude and commitment. So it is possible to be a qualified airline pilot, ready to be employed, in just 1 year from starting out.
Believe in yourself, set goals, and check out all the options. With hard work and commitment, it is possible to become an airline pilot in just 12 months, for an outlay of under £30,000.
This simply goes to illustrate what is possible - so keep aiming high, whilst keeping realistic at the same time.
Many will tell you that age is a significant factor in getting that first job, and rightly so. But never overlook that one person's 'has been' is another person's 'solid employee with 15 good productive years to come.'
Older newbie FOs can be attractive to airlines who wish to keep their pilots after investing in their training. I think the problem is with certain airlines who expect the pilot to pay for everything, including their training, rendering them little more than disposable resources. These airlines have a very high turnover of young pilots who pay to get started, get disillusioned, then leave for greener grass elsewhere. But there are many other airlines who specifically recruit older FOs, with the specific intention of keeping them for some years to come.
Very best wishes in your quest for your goals. It can be done.
PM