Rotary to Fixed Wing - Wise move?

[whifferdill]

Hello Ladies / Gents

I will be 40 in 2013 and have been Rotary since 2000. I'm a P1 with around 4000 hours multi crew IFR experience and have a PPL with around 500 hours and lapsed IMC / Night ratings.

Ready for a change but wondering if the expense of converting the licence and the inevitable drop in salary making the jump will entail, will be worth it at my age? Wouldn't be able to consider a jump until 2013.

Is the industry healthy enough for someone like me to find a job and crawl my way back to Command before I'm too old, or would I be better to stay put and fly planks in my spare time :)

[MartinCh]

(wish I had your experience)

I'd say it's better to ask in the airline section 'terms....' than here. Although it's not just people in the training or early on in their career in this section, I'd say you'd receive more 'balanced' views in there. The age shouldn't be a problem, especially with your experience, but who knows what it's going to be like in 2013 regarding jobs?

If not enough answers, try (later) the Bizjets section. I would think that your experience would be appreciated more and you could double as fixed wing AND rotary pilot should there be need for some clients.

[ReverseFlight]

IMHO in view of your high rotary hours, that's where the value of your experience lies. I think not much of that is transferrable experience for airline ops (if that's what you are considering) although it would be better utilised in GA. I would probably stay in rotary if I were you. My advice would've been different if you had low rotary hours (age is irrelevant).

Just my 2 cents worth as a fellow dual rated pilot.

[whifferdill]

Interesting - thanks both. Will bare in mind and perhaps make an enquiry in the suggested forum. Appreciate the response.