dty-lks
Everyone talks about the fact that...
Of course anything that 'everyone talks about' is true. What bollocks.
radarspod (wah-hey! another spod!)
Imagine (an example that may or may not be realistic) joining CATC age 50 (and being just as bright as someone at age 25 say), fully valid age 53, retire at 60. Thats a load of cash per year outlay in training costs for a short time at the front end.
True, but as the average 22 year old newbie does not now tend to hang around until retirement anyhow you can't just say 60 - 53 beats 60 - 22! Most of our young crop seem to develop this glassy look after about 2 years, stunned to discover that they have hit the top working level and will remain there UFN. I'd say they would be happy to get 5 years service.
I was 36 when I got my first rating, and I'm still a better controller now, 13.5 years later, (nudging 50). The oldest guy was the top of my course, and the first rated. The youngest didn't get out of the college... I'd accept that I would have more difficulty training now, I can see that I just don't learn new stuff as well as I did. But would I be competive with the young trainees we are getting now if I only just started now? No real way of knowing, but I think so.