PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - ATPL to dream or not to dream approaching 34?
Old 1st Oct 2009, 18:27
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IrishJetdriver
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southampton
Age: 60
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Without doubt you know what's going on in the world.

IF you were to try it the you must accept you could be doing the training for nothing. You must be able both financially and psychologically prepared for that to happen. IF you can afford to do it and lose the lot and IF you feel you could cope with the stress of not getting a job and thus falling at the last hurdle and never realising your dream then I say "well why not?"

The timing is the only question. Now is absoloutely bloody horrendous. Maybe next year it will only be bloody horrendous and the year after just horrendous. Or maybe not. Who knows?

If you could start the training whilst keeping your current job then that's great and do it over as long as possible so that you could be ready at the right time. Of course you'll be getting older all the time and the job will most likely be ever harder to get.

If you want to be able to say "well i tried" and you had fun doing it and you don't feel bitter at the end for failing then go for it. The likelyhood has already been spelt out.

I did my commercial training in 1998/9 at 34 and it took 2 years to get a job. I did at that point have 1800hrs having learned to fly in 1984 and been a very part-time instructor for 13yrs.

Before you do spend any money get yourself a class 1 medical. Without which you won't even get to the start line.

Best of luck.
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