Freight = less age limits?
 

Hello freight flyers,

is it true that cargo carriers are less picky with age limits?

I won't be the oldest new licence holder but will be past 30, probably going modular. Trying to find the niches of flying where age, background and such is not as central as with some prestigious legacy carriers.

Hi Krautwald.

How many times I have asked that question of myself!

I decided about 6 weeks ago to give up on flying as a career - and I am fed up instructing now after 9 years.

Guess what: my first FO job came through. I am 52 in January.

Economy poor/no contracts = picky airlines.

Economy good/new contracts = less picky airlines!

I also live locally, don't need accommodation, know the area..got any local operators near you?

Good Luck, Chap!

Hi @Krautwald

Interesting question! I am 28 and currently looking at training options for a career change- so a good chance I will be 30+ when completed training.

If anyone can shine some light on employment (particularly UK Europe) in the world of freight / cargo it would be gratefully received :)

Not really. I fly 744's and 748's which cost a LOT of money to buy and insure, so why would they drop the requirements? For any modern airline it makes very little difference whether you're carrying passengers or cargo. They want pilots who stick to SOP's and experienced pilots so they can cut down on insurance and training expenses.

Of course you can think of joining some kind of cowboy outfit in Africa or Asia who will hire P2F/P4T lowtimers, but then again, it won't make much difference of whether it's a cargo or passenger outfit.

Thinking that you can 'jump the queue' and join a freight outfit in order to gain flight hours, well...let me put it this way: you won't be the only one who has this 'brilliant' idea. As covec put it, even during great economic boom years, the requirements for cargo airlines are still fairly high.

Past 30 and want to start flying? Really, you have to face reality and realize that the market is soooo saturated at the moment that airlines can pick and choose as they please. With the economy barely improving, it will probably only be worse in 2-3 years time because idiots will continue to start with flight training, thinking that they can beat the odds by desperately paying for type ratings and flight hours. :ugh:

Sorry that I can't be more positive, but the only thing you'll be training for is to become a P2F slave, irrespective of whether you have cargo or in passengers in the back.

About 25 years ago, we were looking for some experienced pilots. I rang up the Managing Director and told him that I had one friend in mind but, at 53 you might consider him to be a bit old.

"Hire him" said MD "I like my pilots to have grey hair or no hair!"

How things have changed.

JW is right,

Your age would actually be in your favor,id hire a 30 year old with200hrs over an 18 year old with the same qualifications.
30 aint old,go for it.You could still be on the left seat by age 33-34.
In the process,youll probably have less sick days than the younger ones(yes yes we all know the youngsters still drink/party more and take more risks.
At an older age,you will be more inclined to learn more than your younger peers,have more in common with your captain and all in all more maturity.
30 isnt too old to go through a type rating :8
I did a jaa modular at 28,after 3 years flyingin the USA,3 months before my 30 th birthday i was on the left of a 737.
Right place,right time,right attitude thats all.

Your age isn't an issue for freight or pax

JW411 , De facto , Parson

Obviously I didn't start this thread and pose the original question but thanks for the words of encouragement from a 28 year old who is just starting flying again, currently revalidating my PPL :ok:

Some months ago i was speaking with a captain of a very "mediatic" european airline and he told some days before he was "releasing" a FO with 45 yo, that commenced his ATPL already with 40's.
Me personally know 2 guys who started their careers on their 40'plus as FO's at the big jets, one @ FK100 and the other one @ B763 (ok, none of the airlines here sort of flag carriers or similar...im talking about the sort of Regional, Charter, ACMI and also European).
Basically IMHO as long as you have the right connections, and being in the right place at the right time, with the right people, that can really turns into a nice and very generous help to you. These guys above; one was flying countryside dusters and the other was an humble instructor at a local airclub.

Freight = less age limits?
 

In autumn 2000 I met a KLM 747 pilot who explained to me that he did his initial training being way over 30 (35 if I remember right) thus fulfilling his life dream to become a pro pilot.

This carrier needed pilots and was the only one who offered a training for guys over 30 so he took the chance.
However I have no clue what is the situation today but I strongly advocate the idea that you should relentlessly pursue your dreams.

In the yellow and red world I guess the youngest pilot is mid/late 20s and the oldest close to 65 with everything in between. Hope this helps!

By me it is difficult to state a Rule : all pilots have to start on airlines up to ... years old. It depends with the company , pilot , actual situation etc.