Aiming too high, too late???

[lagonda]

I would like to ask for advice from the pro's on this forum.

When I was 18, I was fortunate enough to get my PPL on an RAF scholarship.

For various reasons, I did not pursue a career in aviation at that time and eventually ceased flying after around 100 hours. But the aviation bug never went away.

Now I'm fast approaching 40 and planning on revalidating my licence, but I'm also in the position to be able to go on and get an ATPL - at least financially and health wise!

The question then is: at my age, is there any realistic chance of getting gainful employment, bearing in mind the time it will take to qualify and build the necessary hours?

A couple of flight schools seem to think it worthwhile. But so would I if I was selling training school places (or am I just being synical??).

Can anyone give me some unbiased advice on this?

Thanks

:confused:

[Atlanta]

Dear Navig8r,
I am returning to flying under very similar circumstances to you, exept when I grow up, I hope to become a (second) career club instructor.
I suggest you obtain a copy of 'The Guide to Getting a Commercial Pilot's Licence' by Clive Hughes. £20 by mail order from Clive Hughes Publishing, 125 South Undercliffe, Rye, East Sussex TN 31 7 HW.(This is a privately published book advertised in the flying mags).
Apart from being a mine of useful information and advice, this book suggests that there are openings for pilots over 40 flying turboprops. Clive Hughes, himself seems to have entered commercial flying when he was about 50.
Obviously, nobody can predict the effects that the WTO attack might have. Clive Hughes updates his book constantly, so you may find it is temporarilly out of print while the effects of WTO2001 are being assessed.

'Age and treachery will always win over youth and skill'.

[NigelS]

I posted a very similar message when I started using Pprune aroudn six months ago (I'm 36). I received tons of replies (search the treads for 'Too old for training'). This was mostly positive and bought out a lot of people who finally got their fingers out and got on with it relatively late.
I'm finishing off my PPL now and hope to go on and do all the other ratings. The chances of a job took a severe nose dive of course recently and I certainly wouldn't want to be graduating with a frozen ATPL right at this moment. Let's see how it goes though.. I continue because I want the sense of achievement of getting all the ratings. If a job follows that would be fantastic.

Hope this helps


Nigel

[Manflex55]

Navig,

It's gonna B a lot easier for U to get your licences (& a job) than find anything through the PPRuNe search engine, as it only seems to work between 3am & 4am (british time) :( . In the meantime, check this thread (http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009976) mentionned by Nigel.

MF

[lagonda]

Thanks for the responses. I now know that I am not the first to have these crazy ideas then.

The thread listed above was very illuminating.Why do so many of us 'oldies' (I use the term loosely!!!) come from the IT industry? :confused:

Thanks to Broomstick for the advice to get Clive Hughes book. I actually have a very old original copy from 1993 but have just ordered a new copy. You were right, a new edition is on the way and is available from the 10th of this month. Incidentally, it can now be ordered over the net from Clives website:-
www.ppl-atpl.demon.co.uk/ (http://www.ppl-atpl.demon.co.uk/)

Does anyony have specific policy information about any particular airlines? i.e. although they may be fluid ultimately, do any lines have cut off ages and is it tied to experience, or is it still mostly luck and timing?

[lagonda]

Forgot to say thanks to those who responded directly via e-mail.

Your help and encouragement is very gratefully received, but sorry to hear about you guys at Swiss Air. :(

[Chirpy Pilot]

When I attended my interview BRAL said they where reluctant to take new recruits over the age of 35. As the case maybe, I was at the time of interview on my 36th birthday, so I had to sell myself bigtime as I had only 250 hours. However turned out to be the best birthday present I ever received. If you can afford it if you are in your late 30's or early forties, without financiallly crippling yourself by all means go for it. You will get set backs but if you are determined you will eventually succeed.
Good Luck! ;)