Pilots who started late in Life

[TurbineDreamer]

Greetings

Would like to hear what different stories people have out there about starting out as a pilot late in life and where they have ended up.
Also any of you pilots who started out as pilots ended up somewhere else and came back to it later.

I myself started out early as a charter pilot, then ended up in a
9 to 5 job in administration, which is OK, pays well. Though now with some security behind me and in my 30's, have considered that I might try for the regionals again one day, time will tell, in no real hurry these days.

Any way enough about me, lets hear your stories

[jimshutt]

Check out page three in this forum titled " Age and eeperience. "

[xelophab]

I have known about 3 "older" pilots doing what you are keen to. One was in their latter 30's with prev flying experience, lapsed license for about 10 years. Renewed license and attacked the market after getting his CPL. Before he knew it he was the next in line for the big jets about 5 years tops...

Others in mid 40's did the same. It is possible, just be prepared to earn VERY LITTLE for a while..

[deeper]

I was 34 when i started and have been flying happily for 25 years.:ok: :ok:

[Jet_A_Knight]

I started a 'second' career at 32, and seem to be doing ok. Wouldn't mind earning a bit more money, but there is always that progression to work toward. Of course, it makes it a bit harder at this age than if you started at an earlier age if you have family etc to care for, but it's just something that you deal with. If you are lucky, you have a supportive wife/partner, as it can get a bit tricky at times, especially financially. You may not be able to cart the family off to the back of Gove for a first GA job, but there are other alternatives.

If it really is something that you want to achieve, you can and will overcome any obstacles.

Best of luck with it.

Feel free to PM me if you want more details about options or paths.

[Felix Lighter]

My father got his first flying job at 44yrs in '92 (in NZ). He had 900hrs, no IR and no multi.

Far from 'who you know'....he just happened to be a damn nice guy, in the right place (a pub) at the right time. Now hes flying baby boeings about.

............I'm not sure that the moral is "hang out at aeroclub bars" but rather "Dont give up, spread your net/friends widely.......anything is possible"

[Willie Nelson]

When I started my career I remember meeting a guy who had a couple of hundered hours a thick German accent and was approaching the wrong end of his thirties.

I remember having a lot of respect for him getting into it all at such a late stage, I didn't hold out much hope for him getting into a jet job, however.

He is now on active hold with QF and I am still waiting for an interview :ugh:

Good luck to ya L***

Willie