then the airline may be led to think "why has it taken them 10+ years to get a PPL with 200hrs". You may argue that since 17 you wanted to be a pilot, but this means that for 16 years, it's taken you this long to get to the stage of applying to sponsorship?
Have you not thought that the older ones amongst us may well have wanted to fly since we were 2 years old, but have been unable to afford to do so?
Not every one has the means to be able to learn to fly at 18 years old.
Some have to wait until they have worked long enough to climb up the ladder to the point of actually being able to pay their own way.
Not all parents are well off enough to be able to help either, and as many people have found, banks are very unwilling to lend unsecured funds to anyone who walks in off the street without a very good case for being able to pay that money back to them.
And in your thirties you are far more mature and level headed and indeed more grateful at being given a chance to prove yourself. Indeed, loyalty will have been proved to be higher amongst older employees by case study after case study.