G'day TP,
Green Goblin gave a great summary of a pilots working life. But as MrHat said, it may take a few years longer.
For anyone, esp. older people you have to
WANT the career to make a go of it. You also have to have your partner/family on board if you want it to work.
My Opinion, it is generally harder for older people to start and have a successful flying career.
This is NOT because it's more difficult to learn when you're older. But you've got to take a very hard look at your lifestyle/family/etc. to see whether it can take the stress of relocation, lower pay, etc, for the next several years. (not to mention the up to $80k or so it may cost). As a pilot, you may NEVER make the money that you earned in your previous career!
In my case, I decided (at 38) to leave I.T. and start another career in aviation. I.T. was great money, but I was sick and tired of the hours and conditions of work, and didn't want to do it for another 25 odd years.
From my first flying lesson to the time I got a job in Qlink was around 6 1/2 years. In that time, my partner and I have had to make many sacrifices, and I'm still not quite at my ultimate goal in aviation (pilot based in Melbourne) but that shouldn't be too far off, inshallah.
I wouldn't have been able to be where I am without the support of my partner, and I don't think I'd have been able to do it if we had children.
I DEFINITELY wouldn't be where I am if I'd listened to all the naysayers along the way! I was constantly advised by so-called aviation professionals that I was "too old" and that no airline would touch me, and that I had no future in aviation.
If I had taken their advice; they'd have been right!
I love my current job.
The pay isn't what I had before, but money isn't everything. The lifestyle is fantastic! (I work on average 28 hours per week). And I'm close to my aviation career goal!
DIVOSH!