Benny,
There's a guy who flys helicopters at my local airfield. I've never been in a Helicopter but I have been told that this guy is one of the best pilots around. He drives trains when he's not training PPL(H)'s. There's no reason why it wouldn't work for you. Leaving school at the age you did won't be a problem if you can pass the ATPL exams at the end of the day.
Good luck