to go for a fATPL in the current climate is a bit insane
especially with additional factors like no class 1 (i am not sure any airline will employe without a class 1) and after 40.
There are guys out there with 1000s of jet hours and right age, got dismissed after 11/9 and they cant find any airline job, they got jobs outside aviation or are just on the dole.
I personally left a good-paying manager position two years ago to finish the IR /ME of my JAA fATPL (modular). Been applying since then for an airline job.
The job market is really ****ed off. Sending cvs is like throwing them in a black hole. even connections dont work nowadays. And if you find a position it will be probably with the likes of Ryan air, easy, virgin or other similar low-cost operators (who treat their employees like @#&)