Whilst I think that you're ably qualified-on paper-as the type of guy that BA are looking for, I really think that you should go onto the other threads and have a good look at the way BA conduct their (piloting) business to see what you're applying for/letting yourself in for. To start with...you're no spring chicken and the course is intensive and very much full time/full on. Your family will have to come a poor second for the duration of the course.
Seniority is absolutely everything in BA. This will affect how much you earn etc (other threads) but particularly your life style. You will probably get rosters that give you one full weekend off in eight, (you'll probably see the odd Sat or Sun off only) for a very long time-three or four years perhaps-at a time when your kids are very much inot weekend school activities. Seniors don't want to work weekends either but they have to seniority not to. (Fortunately BA has weighting system when bidding for leave/Christmas off, but otherwise, you will be enjoying a very different lifestyle from the one you enjoy now). Time to command will likely be ten years or longer-took me eighteen-and that wasn't because I passed up the opportunity it was slow expansion and many who were my age clogging the system to retirement. You won't be running your own department/ship until then, even though 99.5% of your fellow crew members will be charming. Can you cope with that into your 50's.
Your family will have to embrace the airline culture. BA are generous with tickets and allowances for Christmas trips for example. You can take your family to enjoy Christmas in one of your fleet's European destinations as you will be working over Christmas. If they will find that exciting then you'll all enjoy it. If not you'll have a few lonely Christmases wondering whether you should have stayed as a head of department in a parralel universe. Airline flying is a 24/7 job. From a fatigue point of view shorthaul is better than longhaul-it's a different kind of tiredness-and from Bucks the commute should be easy, but you will get bloody tired from time to time with early, early mornings and late nights. If you're away and the boiler fails in the middle of winter/the washing machine floods/one child has the measles and needs quaratine/the car simply won't start, then your wife will have to deal with it, time and again. You can't simply say that you'll be in later/please get me home early. That's not the way it works.
It's been a while since I worked for BA but the gist of this is valid. These are just a few examples, others are available to peruse on other threads, or to ask. Teaching is 9-5 with weekends off, something that you've grown very used to-airline flying is the absolute opposite. ( I'm sure it's not as simplistic as that-I'm demonstrating my lack of knowledge of the teaching profession now). I'm not in any way saying don't pursue your dream, it's a wonderful job straight out of Boy's Own, but (at your age...) beware what you wish for and do the research first.
