Too old for airlines...

[cheja]

Age vs Airines vs Careers

Hello jethrolx and everyone

jethrolx:

I Felt totally identified with your experience.
Mine is very similar, albeit in another part of the world (South America).

Had a good job & career as a Telecom Engineer and later at Management within the Mobile / IT Industry.
At 43 y/o (with a family of 4 to support), I wasn't tolerating "the corporate world office" (with their politics, rivalries, injustices etc) anymore.

Being a PPL, I decided to take the chances, invest in 250 Single Engine Hours to get to the 500 hours mark, and tried to aim for the first possible job you could get to: CFI (Flight Instructor) at a local Flight School

In my case I decided to spent part of this 250 hours investment on one particular school, planning on later asking them for a CFI position.

It worked... and as similar as your case, it was (and still is) one of the most rewarding jobs, albeit paying, in my case, 20% of what I was previously earning....

Similar to you...wife dumped, family nightmare etc etc
(later she come back :-).

The CFI job gave me the chance to spend a lot of time at the main executive airport here (SABE/SADF, its like the Biggin Hill equivalnt in the London Area), and so search for a copilot job, looking for ME experience.

Started with "almost no pay" as a Turboprop F/O, just to build Turbine hours..later some Learjets, and again, similar to your case, accrued valuable experience (2000 hours, 1000+ hs bizjet, a type rating etc etc), but that is not leading to any well paid job neither the airlines....

Had also a couple of "hard talk's" with a few Captain's while flying the Lears, regarding age, career, heard a couple of "go back to your former profession son" etc etc.
Most of them were well intentioned..just but one, who didn't wanted new people on the market...

Today, 4 years later along the road, I fly for a company doing Medeva'cs old Lear 25's. with slim or almost no chances on getting an airline job, due to the market, and myself being 48 (today !).

But some airlines here, in the ICAO world, are considering people regardless of age.

If wanting to go to my previous job, chances are almost nonexistent, due to being "off line" and off the market, for so long.(same as you)

I am earning 40% of what my colleagues still on the Corporate ladder are earning, barely supporting the family. (40% salary, of the ones who still have jobs, since there is a worldwide crisis on the Telecom/Mobile Industry as well.

So in that sense (the pilot second life career) proved to be a good backup move.

Key questions is: Was it worth it ?

In economic terms, I spent all my savings, either to build time first, or to support the marginal income later.

But in terms of not even trying it, and keeping myself with the doubts of not accomplishing it, it was the most rewarding thing I did on my life.

I enjoyed (while studying a lot) all steps and stages, such as going for my first T/R at the Simulator in the USA (paid by the company, not me)...and flying today, even with its up's and down's

I learned that If I wanted to fly bizjets, and not making enough to support the family, I must exercise other skills, as a freelance worker, to make that extra income (electrician, free lance engineer, repair PC's, wherever etc etc).

Its amazing how and what you do, and you push yourself for an extra job, when short of money.
And the Airlines is not the only option off course. There are well GA jobs out there, that only show up when you started to have a T/R and Turbine/Jet time.

I wouldn't like to imagine myself, in a (sure much more comfortable) situation, where I considered not even attempted all these, decided back then to stay on my "secure life" at the corporate outfits, and now at 48 (today Augut 21 st !) crossing at the airport someone my age, that have tried it and succeeded !

So money (while the purpose of surviving) is not all, and you never know what might have happened to your previous career either. (I was laid off 2 times, on the IT market).
And still you have a long way to go, besides the airlines.
You never know whats next on a particular market. Be open. Apply and do networking for every possible job, everywhere.

I ended up doing 6 ferries USA to Argentina, that I never planned for (and those were well paid)
Got a job offer in SE Asia (ok Caravan's not Airbuses)

And also met some wonderful people here

Cheers

PM me if you like