Age again Im afraid

[tweetypie]

Ive spent the last 5 years in the states as a CFI and a Freight dawg. I have just over 2000 hours (all piston) but I would really like to get back to 'good ole Blighty' and fly for a UK airline. It will take me about a year to convert to a JAA licence, by which I will have just turned 35 years old. Is that too old to get hired with my experience ? and if not, which companies might be an option at that point ?

Thanks

[jamestkirk]

Age

Got my first job at 36, after three years of looking. I had similar hours to you.

It was not easy and I put that down to age. No matter what anyone says, there is still age discrimination, irrelevant of any new shiny laws.

That may sound a bit negative, but it is down to experience and what I was told by various airline pilots/training captains.

[tweetypie]

Did the training captains give you a reason ? You had the experience so its not like they dont think you can pass a TR at your age ? or maybe they do !

[BBE777]

pilots with 30 years old and much less hours than you could get in companies... It does happen some companies dont like that but some other not...
I dont know if FR is on your list, but I've heard of pilots about your age and very little experience that started their jet hours with them.... maybe you can try

[blueskiesup]

38 years old, spent 3 years sending out CV's, worked as a part-time F/O and then got the nod from a highly equiped T/P operator having attained 950 hours. If it happened to me, then there's hope for others.

[tweetypie]

Thanks blueskiesup and congratulations. BBE777, what company is FR ? (Ive been out of the loop for a while)

[BBE777]

Ryanair, maybe not the best but is a job

[corsair]

Thanks blueskiesup and congratulations. BBE777, what company is FR ? (Ive been out of the loop for a while)

Oh boy, you are out of the loop. Wait until you find out about those guys!

[BBE777]

youre welcome tweetypie

good luck!

[tweetypie]

Thanks Gents

[G SXTY]

First airline job aged 36 with 220hrs TT. Many others with similar stories.

[alphaadrian]

First Commercial Job at age 42 with 1600hrs under my belt. Took me 4 years to get there though and a whole rain forest full of CVs!!! So its not impossible...perserverence is the name of the game. As an aside,does ageism exist? Too bloody right it does.

Good luck
Alpha

[jamestkirk]

Tweetypie

Sorry for the delay in answering your question back on the 28th.

The Pilots/Training Captains generally stated that their recruiting asylum (HR)thought that after 30 yearsof age you are;

1. a training risk
2. something wrong with you because you never got into earlier.
3. too set in your ways and may have problems flying with a captain younger than you.
4. only have 25-30 years of service left in you. Bearing in mind that everyone younger than 30 stays with the airline they started with (sarcastic).

5. Not given any financial incentive by a flight school to take people from thier integrated courses. (OK, number 5 is my own opinion)

Any combination of the above.

These are actual comments ad not paraphrased by me.

Yes, I know its boll@cks, but that is what was told to me.

Although, there are some 'good guys/girls' out there who will understand what you went throgh and will sympathise when you get an interview.

[TheFlyingDJ]

First airline job aged 36 with 220hrs TT. Many others with similar stories.

I'm 34 and going to start soon too i hope.
It's been 3.5 years since first licence issue.

[dougy24]

Jobs

Well i just got a TP F/O Job at the grand old age of 47 !! so it can be done, but totally agree with the above in a lot of cases.

[MIKECR]

Well done P, you deserved that 1!!!

Who would believe its been over a year since WFC too!! Even SH got himself a cushty job!

[TenAndie]

pm me. might have what your looking for mike

cheers