I need someones brutally honest opinion

[Hanky]

Im 31... have a PPL, work in an office as i.t. support, with standard GCSE grades and currently studying GCSE physics in an evening class. I require another 100 odd P1 hours in order to commence a CPL course. My question is..... Am I getting too old to commence a CPL or ATPL course, if at the end, my age will work against me? I did read the 'guild of airmen and navigators' website which gave good advice, but it suggested maybe one or two of the major carriers (out of 7 or 8 they sent a questionnaire too) accept newly qualified pilots over 30 (the average age appears to be around max 28).
And with regards to paying for the training, I spoke to HSBC last week, and they have recently pulled the commercial pilot/ professional studies loan..... due to lack of interest ! D'oh ! (kicks oneself for not enquiring earlier).
Perhaps I am having a mid life crisis..... anyway, I have an opticians appt this week and then will see if this is sufficient for a class one medical.
I do believe that ones own attitude counts for a lot, I know I might sound a bit pessimistic, but just trying to be realistic.
any suggestions/ help appreciated. Many thanks

[AlphaMale]

You didn't manage to find this thread I take it?

http://www.pprune.org/professional-pilot-training-includes-ground-studies/51690-perpetual-am-i-too-old-how-old-too-old-thread-merged-several-times.html

Put the kettle on ... it's 44 pages long :zzz:

[Hanky]

Thanks for that, digesting thread now.... :-)

[AlphaMale]

Personally I'd say go for it, you only live ounce and I for one don't want to be a wrinkly 80 year old thinking "I wish I had given that a go 50 years ago".

As I read in another thread, you might become a FO and fly S/H for 5 years before getting a slot flying FO L/H for another 5 years, you may get offered command of a S/H job and before you know it you could be sitting in the LHS of a 747/380 within 20 years of getting that first job ... and you'll still have 10 years before you retire :cool:.

At 31 you've gaind a lot of expeience in a different industry and you'll appriciate the pilot job more from having to fix PC and Servers for a living. But if everything went pear shaped with the industry at least you have a back up plan to fall back onto. :ok:

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Personally, no I don't think you're too old, in fact your circumstances mirrored mine at that age, that's when I came into commercial aviation. However that was then, now is quite possibly a whole new ball game with this bugger of a recession.

However, as I'm sure you don't need to be told, timing is important. Right now it's pants. But that's not to say start training slowly, maybe not right now though. But there's the gamble as Jim Bowen would say, and right now there's not even a sniff of winning the speedboat or caravan (I'm sure they were the only prizes Bully had to offer).

As these times are fairly unchartered waters, who's to say what demand for pilots will be in a few years time, and how many of us will also be looking for work then?!

One thing I believe (note the word "believe" folks, i.e my opinion, nothing more, nothing less) is that there will be a reasonable number of fairly experienced drivers on the market in a couple of years, so you'll be in the hat with them for them there pesky job things.

I know it ain't great reading, but I think people are underestimating the effect these horrible economic conditions will have on currently gainfully employed drivers, me being one of them. At our place we are on reduced working, with an uncertain immediate future so it IS happening big style out there. However there's a nice big thread re: the economy and I don't want to start another on your thread.

So in normal times I'd say no, not too old, right now though, God only knows, and he's about the only one who does.

Food for thought anyway, good luck with it all though.

[TheBeak]

Your age isn't relevant with regards to getting a pilot job - NO ONE IS AT THE MOMENT. That aside, if the economy and job market was a little better, your age would still hold very little relevance as it is. HOWEVER - you could potentially screw your life spending a huge amount of money that you didn't need to spend on a thankless career. I certainly wouldn't look to come out of training within the next few years. I would strongly recommend considering staying with your job that is affording your flying (as in really think about whether you could live with yourself and the thought of never trying to be a commercial pilot), fly for the sheer pleasure of it and rest assured that it isn't everything that you imagine it is having a CPL/IR.

If you feel you have to do it, pace yourself, and do your training modularly with your CPL and IR at one place like PAT, BCFT, FTE etc.

Good luck mate.

[BitMoreRightRudder]

When I joined ezy 75% of my 737 type rating course were 30+. Some were 40+. Your age is not a problem.

I certainly wouldn't look to come out of training within the next few years

Sadly, far more relevant advice.

Good luck:ok:

[2close]

Why not spend the next couple of years building those 100 hours, at the same time doing your ATPLs by distance learning.

That way you keep the income from your job, your outlay is as minimal as it can be in this game. You can spend the next 6 months or so doing the first set of ATPLs (as most people tend to do them in 2 -3 sets) and you then have another 18 months to finish off the rest of the ATPLs.

By that time you may have the hours to do the CPL /IR but if not the ATPL exams are valid for 3 years from the end of the month in which you sat the last exam.

So you now have a potential 5 year plan, by which time the market will either have improved or we'll all be on bikes in any case, and 36 is definitely not too old.

HTH and good luck

2close

[ElitePilot]

Totally agree with 2Close there.
I was in IT before a later in life career change and Distance Learned for the ATPL while working so made it financially viable. Took about a year to get all the study and exams done then on to the CPL etc.
Also I read some statistic about people who sign up for the theory but dont complete it (cant remember what it was though). But £2000 for a distance learning theory course is cheaper than 70k integrated to realise you cant be bothered.

[the_weakest_link]

I agree with the last 2 posts there, but would also like to add that if you open a savings account (ISA perhaps) and put as much into it as possible while doing your distance learning ground school (and still working) you should end up with at least something to start your flying training with (when the time is right).
It'll earn you interest now, be something tangible to see your plan, and will reduce the amount you need to borrow in the future.
(And yes, it's what I wish I'd done at this point in the last economic cycle).

[Gazeem]

The historical trend (or hearsay stories) of the larger airlines not taking people over 30 are probably not relevant any more.

Currently all employers are very nervous of the new recent age discrimination laws - so when the upturn comes - as it will - and airlines start hiring again in volume, we should see far more low hour, non type rated pilots over 30 being employed.

Echo the thoughts above.....life is not a rehearsal.

Good luck

[EGCC4284]

I agree with 2close

http://www.pprune.org/3821823-post640.html

[corsair]

You want a brutally honest opinion? I'll give you brutally honest opinion! The answer is....................well.......

NO actually. You're not too old.

The only real problem is that by the time this recession ends. We'll all be too old!:ok: