help

[jonny9276]

Please Help
35 yr old wanting to fly. Supportive partner, mortgage and 2 yr old child.

I can read on here about the difference choices between modular and intergrated and uk versus usa, what i really want to know is it possible for someone of my age to realistically start training for a professional career.

Have been looking into this for 20 years and have tryed and failed on 3 ocasions due to finances. I am now in apoistion where i have £50k in equity on my property so can probably remortgage to finace most of my training and living expenses i am fortunate that i am i sub contractor in the telecoms buisness and can continue to do this.
I already have a class 1 medical (expired) and 35 hrs of ppl training here in the uk.

I would really like to be a instructor and not the airlines (would apply but wouldn't be disapoineted if nothng came up as i want to fly a plane not a computer).

I estimate if i start training jan 08 i will be in a poistion to start working summer 09.

Would £50k be enough to do training to instructor level and at 37 with no experinence would i be employable?

Somebody please help as do not know what to do.........

[chileno 777]

Dear Jonny,

I had the same terrible doubt.
I am from Chile, 32 years old with one year old daughter, have a supportive family and with a big passion of flying. I wanted to be a pilot since I was 16 years old but due to financial constraints and family problems had to postpone my dream. Went to college graduated from university and have worked in marketing since then. Currently I am working in Africa for a multinational company in the sales department. The salary is not great but also is not bad and I have been torturing myself with the same question for almost 2 years: to try or to not try being a pilot???? So I decided to do it (even knowing that will have to sell my house in Chile to pay for the training). Why? Because:

I love aviation: It is in my blood, in my veins...well it is a felling that I can’t explain.
I have worked for 6/7 years in several types of desk-jobs and I do NOT like it. I can’t stand being in front of a computer 8 hrs per day. (I tried but I don’t like it).
I decided to give it a try because I do not want to regret for the rest of my life for not trying to pursuit my dream.My advise is:

If you have the money,
have a very supportive family and wife,
are absolute passionate about aviation,
willing to do some sacrifice in order to pursuit your dream before and after obtaining your CPL (start from the scratch, relocate, probably at the beginning you will earn less money than your current job)
being aware that maybe (due to our age) will not make it into an major airline (don’t worry because aviation is not only the big airlines)
and willing to work hard very hard then: DO IT!!!!!
I am planning to start my CPL in South Africa (cheap and very good flight training).
I have to confess that since I made the decision I am a happier human being.:)

Wish you the best with your decision.:ok:

Chileno777

Note: My mother tongue it is not the English language so my apologies if I made grammar mistakes. :(

[jonny9276]

chileano 777Thanks for the advise It sounds as if you have thought long and hard and maybe you are right do it know and not regret it latter in life.
I think i will have to bite the bullet and go fo it.
Good luck
Jonny9276

[Token Bird]

Jonny,

50k should be more than enough to train to become an instructor as you only need a CPL, not an IR. At the moment there is a desperate shortage of instructors but how the situation will be in 2009 is anyone's guess.

I shouldn't think your age should be a problem with getting instructional work.

However, even if you have enough capital to finance your training without taking on debt, you will still have to face up to the fact that instructor salaries are pants. You can expect to be on about £10-12k per annum, at least at first. Will you and your partner be able to continue to pay your mortgage and support your child?

TB

[jonny9276]

Token Bird
Thanks this is where my master plan falls apart I really want to instruct and as you mentioned paid instructional work is pants so it may have to be a part-time gig ie fri sat and sun and carry on sub contracting in the telecoms/it market tue wed thurs.

Anybody....... realisticly how much, where, how long to achieve everything to start instructing are the schools offering sponsorship anygood ie cabair have watched there progress for years and seem to stable and reliable but would be keen to hear from someone who has gone through there instuctor sponsorship and what sort of competion am i up against to gain work....

Cheers
jonny9276