Experience counts
Michael Knight,
Fortunately there are many people in the industry who don't think like you. I recently chatted to a Senior BA Captain on a flight who was involved with BA pilot selection. Happily he indicated that BA do not view age as a selection criteria at all up to 49yrs. He also expressed a view that an older candidate was often able to demonstrate greater maturity and bring more management experience onto the flight-deck, which is extremely important with all the emphasis on being a member of the team.
With crew retirement age likely to rise to 60, I see myself as a 34 year old wannabe who has the potential to work for 25 years as an airline pilot with the benefit to the airline of having funded my own training. Oh and 25 years in any company is plenty of time to reach the left hand seat and achieve a command.
Frankly I think I'd make a better pilot now than I would have done at 25 simply because I have so much experience of managing difficult situations/people and I'm certain there are more than a few airlines who recognise that.
Desk pilot