Is there still a chance for me to be a pilot?

[Stoko]

Hi everybody!
I enrolled a flight school in Spain when I was 18 years old and got as usual then, my CPL (A), IR, ME, ATPL theory and MCC.

A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, I´m 32 now...
During this years my life got very complicated in ways that I´m not going to explain here because this is not the place to do so...
Anyway, now, I have a total of around 210 hours total time, and all the ratings expired. The last time I renewed something was in 2008.
Looks like the only thing left is the CPL which lasts forever, but I´m also not sure, as I have been able to follow all this for many years. I think EASA regulations changed some years ago?

Well, now I may have the chance to try to focus my professional life into aviation again and hearing things like Austrian Airlines cancelling fligths due to pilot shortage, make me wonder if I may still have something to offer. I speak German now too, and some basic Chinese.

The questions are:
Is there some pilot shortage? Somewhere in the world? I´d love to move.
Is it worth the process of going through getting all my ratings back (that will be expensive...)?
Would any airline possibly be interested in my profile?
Paying my own type rating is not an option. Ryanair or Vueling schemes are not for me. I don´t need a 320, just an ATR or Dash8 would make me happy.
Is my frozen ATPL lost forever?

Thanks for your opinions. I´ve been completely out of this industry for too log, but I have the feeling that flying is something I could do well again, it was my dream. If there´s really a chance, why not take it?

[hobbit1983]

1) Over the last year or so, yes. A lot of ads for FI work, instructors moving out and up etc.
2) No idea. ("worth it" is a variable).
3) Possibly; it depends on the airline.
4) I believe 7 years is the cut off. You may find you need to redo the tech exams, at least. JAR CPLs IIRC expired after 5 years.

[SeventhHeaven]

Hi there!

I'll have been in a similar situation (though less long) and I definitely feel your pain! Let me give you my inputs on a few things and give you some food for thought.

Shortage: As far as I can tell the main shortage is experienced crew. The low end is still pretty saturated and competition is fierce. Especially now that it seems that a lot of airlines seem to be going through CTC, Oxford, CAE etc instead of hiring modular guys. This has very little to do with the quality of training, but mainly because they get significant financial/tax benefits by hiring through these mainstream partners, who then get to solidify their position. It also helps that all their cadets will have the same background, allowing the airline to standardize their training programme.

Expenses. It will be expensive. To give you a quick overview based on my limited knowledge. You'll need to go through an ATO approved course to get the SEP rating back. This basically means the school has to train you back to standard, and then fly with an external examiner. I have never done this, but I imagine it will take between 5 to 10 hours SEP hire + exam fee. Your MEP has been expired for 5+ years, so you will need to redo the entire 7 hour course + flight test. Your IR has been expired for 7+ years, so you'll need to resit the 7 ATPL exams. I don't know if you need to redo the entire IR course again, or if it's "based on experience" but this will be where the money starts rolling fast.

Paying your own TR. I hate it, it sucks, but it has become a de facto standard among entry level jobs, even ATR and Dash jobs. There are plenty of operators out there that still bond you, but they're also competitive (Cityflyer, Flybe, etc). If you can't afford a TR I would advise you consider flying for a hobby instead. I hate to be a cynical arsehole like this, but you won't be able to be picky and a TR is likely part of the deal.

Age. There are definitely some airlines that don't like hiring 30+ or 40+ year olds for entry level jobs, but this depends on the airline and there are plenty who do. I know people our age that have found jobs with minimum hours, but they were also lucky (right time at the right place kinda thing). Knowing multiple languages definitely helps!

Final thought. You are 32 now, and probably have a career outside of aviation. Getting current again is going to set you back a significant chunk of cash (again), and you'll be competing for entry level flying jobs. Even becoming a flight instructor will cost you 8000+8500£ (12-14000€). Flight instructor jobs pay poorly, as in 20£ an hour poorly when you're unrestricted and only do PPL flying. You're looking at 10 0000£ in your first year, before taxes. Can you survive on that salary, as a 32 old (or 33/34 by by then) with other financial responsibilities, after probably spending double that just to get current again? It's a tough pill to swallow as a 20 year old ... at our age we're probably leaving a decently paying dayjob for a dream that pays less than minimum wage.

Sorry for rambling; I hope this was informative and can help you make your decision, in some way.

Best of luck!

[MaverickPrime]

Decide if you really want it, and I mean really want it? If you decide you do then go for it and adopt tunnel vision until you achieve your objective because that is what it is going to take! This comes from the horses mouth, There are people in Ryanair starting line training in their forties so you are not too old!