Similar position to you
Dave,
I am in a similar position to you - 33 with a 40 yr old wife who would like to have a kid. Currently both of us have good jobs but after 18 months soul-searching I decided to leave my job now as if I go now I can get severance. The trouble is, since I started that process the Iraq situation has blown up but I have pressed on regardless. I will leave at the end September, take 3-4 months out during which time I will try and grow the freelance writing sideline I have developed and monitor the situation in Iraq very carefully. If things look to be recovering then I will choose whether to stick with writing or go flying. Either way, it pays to have a back-up plan
I currently work for an airline and have investigated the situation internally. The basic deal is that barring any further airline impacting crisis then recruitment would likely restart in the first half of 2003. If there's a conflict in Iraq etc nobody knows what the impact on the airlines will be - even the airlines themselves.
I don't think age is much of a barrier at this stage and at the end of the day I concluded that I am not happy with my current job/lifestyle and flying or writing are both better options than staying where I am for the next 20-30 yrs! If you feel the same don't waste your life.
Nobody wants to be an old man who has to face the fact he never tried to make his life what he wanted.
Desk-pilot