I'm a young gun, I'm only 23, but I'll offer up my advice, for what it's worth (which to you is probably not a lot, to me it's the world
)
Are you loaded, filthy, wipe your ass with $100 bills rich? Then no you're not insane, have fun...I am jealous.
Are you married? Then maybe you're a little more crazy, depending on the kind of woman you're married to.
Are you married with kids? Then yes, you are insane...in my opinion.
Are you single with the finances to go through with it? Then you'd be insane not to do it! Who cares how old you are. Chances are you won't make it to the left seat of a BA 747 in your career, but you do still have 24 years left before the mandatory retirement age, so have at 'er. You're only as marketable as you make yourself out to be.
Here's how I look at it. There are a lot of naysayers in the aviation world. A lot. In fact for the last, oh I'd say 5-6 years, I had completely given up any hope I ever had of being a professional airline pilot, thanks to said naysayers. Threw out Flight Simulator, gave away my Justplanes DVDs, started drinking my money instead of saving it, etc. etc. Then I joined the military. And you know what I realized...people are always going to whine and bitch, regardless of how good they have it. I have the jammiest job, and for the amount of work I actually do vs. how much I get paid, I'm richer than Bill Gates himself. But all I hear from coworkers is complaints. Whine, whine, whine. I get wicked money, a sweet pension, get to travel the world, do some super cool things (ever had a helicopter dunk you numerous times into the ocean? Didn't think so, I did) and the list goes on. And while I'm not a complainer it made me realize - do what you love. Seriously. The only thing that's going to make you happy is doing what you love. Sure a good salary, and security and what not are important, but so many people I hear whining make it the be all and end all.
I've only come to this conclusion very recently so now instead of signing a longer military contract, I'm getting out in a few short years and pursuing my dream. I don't care how long it takes and how poor I am. I'd rather be happy than comfortable. Maybe I'm seeing life through rose coloured glasses...but I've seen infanteers in Afghanistan in the most brutal conditions who are happier than a pig in
because all they ever wanted was to be a soldier. Goes to show, in my book.
Rant over.