Someone interested in becoming a pilot?
Join Date: Feb 2006
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I wouldn't normally comment on this thread but tonight I've had a bit of a skinful, so I'm going to!
To Stacy, I would say that your friend has vertually no chace of making a career in the industry starting at his age for more reasons than I care to mention. Very sad but true, but then that's the same in many professioal careers. Good luck to him whatever he does in the future, but I don't think aviation is a wise choice.
To Minimad, well the clue is in your title - "you are not the full ticket!"
To Stacy, I would say that your friend has vertually no chace of making a career in the industry starting at his age for more reasons than I care to mention. Very sad but true, but then that's the same in many professioal careers. Good luck to him whatever he does in the future, but I don't think aviation is a wise choice.
To Minimad, well the clue is in your title - "you are not the full ticket!"
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A good decision I think, Stacey. I would have questioned his motivation anyway. Aged 46 is way too late to 'discover' an interest in being a pilot. Not so lucky are the younger people who fall for the spin particularly that issued by flight schools. 'Become an airline pilot' 'Airline pilot training'. The pages of this forum are filled with the victims of this ongoing con. They have age on their side and find the money for it. Too late they discover the truth.
For many of them the real interest they have in the career is the perceived lifestyle and money. The idea of being an airline pilot rather than being a pilot or a desire to fly.
Even if you have a passion for flying, reality soon intrudes. It has for me. Currently I am looking for a way out of it. But ironically considering my one time enthusiasm for flying as a career, I'm trapped as I can't afford to quit. Flying can still be fun but as many pilots will tell you it's all the other stuff that kills the enthusiasm. Long hours, low pay, being away from the family at weekends and the constant tiredness. I'm not an airline pilot and never will be now but apart from the low pay it's pretty much the same for many of them.
Having gone through and come out the other side. I wonder what madness made me want to fly for a living.
For many of them the real interest they have in the career is the perceived lifestyle and money. The idea of being an airline pilot rather than being a pilot or a desire to fly.
Even if you have a passion for flying, reality soon intrudes. It has for me. Currently I am looking for a way out of it. But ironically considering my one time enthusiasm for flying as a career, I'm trapped as I can't afford to quit. Flying can still be fun but as many pilots will tell you it's all the other stuff that kills the enthusiasm. Long hours, low pay, being away from the family at weekends and the constant tiredness. I'm not an airline pilot and never will be now but apart from the low pay it's pretty much the same for many of them.
Having gone through and come out the other side. I wonder what madness made me want to fly for a living.
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@corsair, its a shame that you have not enjoyed your career, however there are many many many other pilots who enjoy almost everyday of their career from an early age to retirement, i don't think its true that us "younger people" have been sold a lemon of a career that we will eternally regret, that is an unfair assumption, each to their own.
I didn't get into this industry for the glamour or lifestyle, i have loved aeroplanes fanatically quite possibly to the point of obsession from a very early age.
It is true that men and women will always complain, the unemployed will complain about not having a job while the employed will complain about having a job, the bits they don't like etc. But i really doubt every pilot dreads going to work
I didn't get into this industry for the glamour or lifestyle, i have loved aeroplanes fanatically quite possibly to the point of obsession from a very early age.
It is true that men and women will always complain, the unemployed will complain about not having a job while the employed will complain about having a job, the bits they don't like etc. But i really doubt every pilot dreads going to work
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I didn't get into this industry for the glamour or lifestyle, i have loved aeroplanes fanatically quite possibly to the point of obsession from a very early age.
I don't say that every pilot dreads going into work because it isn't true. I certainly don't. But for me the upside is no longer balanced by the downside. I recently flew 33 hours in just over a week. That also meant a lot of driving, long days hanging around airports, eating poorly, being away from home etc. There is a certain grim satisfaction in that but it's exhausting and no fun at all by the end. Spending 7 or 8 hours a day in the cockpit of an aeroplane soon loses it's charm. That will always dent your enthusiasm.
You are young and at the start of your career. I'm seeking to end it with grace. Differing perspectives. I have a wife and young family. I'm guessing you don't yet. That all colours your viewpoint.
As I said, I still enjoy the flying mostly but not the rest of it. In the end you have to decide. Is the flying enough? Because all too often it's the only thing keeping you interested. Once that wanes, as it has for me. You have take a long hard look at the rest of it.
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G SXTY has summed it up perfectly in his first post, credit to you sir!
I cringe when I read stuff like "follow your heart" etc. Get real! Get a grip and make money! Follow your heart to bankruptcy, crap flying rosters, horrible management and bitter cabin crew... no thank you!
I cringe when I read stuff like "follow your heart" etc. Get real! Get a grip and make money! Follow your heart to bankruptcy, crap flying rosters, horrible management and bitter cabin crew... no thank you!
Join Date: Jul 2010
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Is 32 Too Old
Hi, I also need some advice.
I'm 32 and have been accepted to train at a UK training academy. My concern is my age. When I finish my training I will be nearly 34 and I have been told that I will struggle to find a job with a good airline such as Easyjet, Ryaniar, BA. etc because of my age.
I need honest advice from people in the industry before I spend £75,000 and end up struggling.
Thanks
I'm 32 and have been accepted to train at a UK training academy. My concern is my age. When I finish my training I will be nearly 34 and I have been told that I will struggle to find a job with a good airline such as Easyjet, Ryaniar, BA. etc because of my age.
I need honest advice from people in the industry before I spend £75,000 and end up struggling.
Thanks
Supercharged PPRuNer
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Do you count Flybe as a 'good' airline? Because I got my first job with them aged 36. And I didn't spend £75k either.
Personally I wouldn't believe any careers 'advice' from any FTO, however slick their marketing.
Personally I wouldn't believe any careers 'advice' from any FTO, however slick their marketing.
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Decision Making
Good news for me at 30, thanks G SXTY.Hopefully in a 2-3 years things will be a little better and it'll be time for me to start, or be mid-way through training.
As a self-confessed uberwannabe who's totally got his head in the clouds, even I'd say that someone who's 46 would have a really hard time getting employment as a newly-qualified pilot.
I'm just gonna work and save hard and keep my eyes open for opportunities. Good luck to all though.
As a self-confessed uberwannabe who's totally got his head in the clouds, even I'd say that someone who's 46 would have a really hard time getting employment as a newly-qualified pilot.
I'm just gonna work and save hard and keep my eyes open for opportunities. Good luck to all though.
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.....reading the post's with regard to pro's and con's etc., well, have to say i am more in the "camp" that Corsair mentions - not wishing to appear negative but IMHO, with £28k on the hip, the last place i would be investing the cash is a career as a Commercial Pilot at this given place in space and time - the opportunities, rewards and enjoyment are just not there and are not in line with the time, effort and money spent to obtain the necessary qualifications.
I personally came to the above conclusions by looking at my own flying career thus far, many will do the same and come to their own conclusions totally in opposition to mine - and this i understand, as to be fair a totally different experience can be gained from, say working for a large-ish airline as opposed to working for a biz-jet operator (my arena).
My advice, and it is only advice, if i had my time again i would certainly fly but it would only be on a private, recreational level as i would satisfy my flying passion without the expenditure i still experience today - sad ? yes, for sure, i just wish i'd been more honest with myself in the early days of looking into training - i had a desire, passion and probably wouldn't have believed the negativity displayed on here had i read it - not all of course is true and lots of posts need resigning to the "delete" option, but it certainly isn't what i thought it was in the beginning - and i worked my way through many facets of aviation before "taking the plunge", so was what i thought to be a fairly un-biased idea i had - how wrong i was !
Anyway, for all future aspiring commercial pilots, be very, very careful when debating the pro's and con's as it is sooooo easy to convince yourself it's all going to be plain sailing for you when presented with overwhelming odds to the contrary.....i've been there and seen and done it trust me, and so have many others as well. If you still choose this industry, well i hope it works out well for you, for some it does no doubt BUT please assess very carefully and try, try, try to be emotionally removed and level headed about your expectations - failing that, ask an independent financial adviser or city type investor (a good one !? lol) if they would "invest" hypothetically in your "business idea" - if a "yes", well maybe you have the right idea, or as i suspect, a "no" then maybe, just maybe a second look at what your about to embark on might well be in order - after all, you need a return on your investment - or your could be inclined to sucuumb to a further "investment opportunity" at a certain irish carrier ??!! - down to the individual i guess.
I personally came to the above conclusions by looking at my own flying career thus far, many will do the same and come to their own conclusions totally in opposition to mine - and this i understand, as to be fair a totally different experience can be gained from, say working for a large-ish airline as opposed to working for a biz-jet operator (my arena).
My advice, and it is only advice, if i had my time again i would certainly fly but it would only be on a private, recreational level as i would satisfy my flying passion without the expenditure i still experience today - sad ? yes, for sure, i just wish i'd been more honest with myself in the early days of looking into training - i had a desire, passion and probably wouldn't have believed the negativity displayed on here had i read it - not all of course is true and lots of posts need resigning to the "delete" option, but it certainly isn't what i thought it was in the beginning - and i worked my way through many facets of aviation before "taking the plunge", so was what i thought to be a fairly un-biased idea i had - how wrong i was !
Anyway, for all future aspiring commercial pilots, be very, very careful when debating the pro's and con's as it is sooooo easy to convince yourself it's all going to be plain sailing for you when presented with overwhelming odds to the contrary.....i've been there and seen and done it trust me, and so have many others as well. If you still choose this industry, well i hope it works out well for you, for some it does no doubt BUT please assess very carefully and try, try, try to be emotionally removed and level headed about your expectations - failing that, ask an independent financial adviser or city type investor (a good one !? lol) if they would "invest" hypothetically in your "business idea" - if a "yes", well maybe you have the right idea, or as i suspect, a "no" then maybe, just maybe a second look at what your about to embark on might well be in order - after all, you need a return on your investment - or your could be inclined to sucuumb to a further "investment opportunity" at a certain irish carrier ??!! - down to the individual i guess.
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No, I don't think that you're over the hill, just not the best career to embark upon, primarily because of the state of the industry, not because of the person's age.
I envisaged: qualifying 48-49. Begin search for employment, which could take (perhaps somewhat optimistically) around a year in 2012. Job at 50. I just think that with people's unacceptable and illegal biases taken in to account, it may not be the best idea. That's just one element of the decision making process to be considered. The decision is his to make - he may want to go up against and challenge that prejudice (please don't deny that it exists!).
FYI I recently hired some people for my company and chose to employ one person who happened to be 48.
Got nothing against age at all. Without going in to detail I have had enough experience of discrimination to know not to practise it myself.
This thread is for deliberation, consideration of the realistic consequences, prospects, options and implications & my post was meant as nowt else.
As I wrote before: good luck to all, 20 or even if they're 70! Hell knows we ALL need it!
I envisaged: qualifying 48-49. Begin search for employment, which could take (perhaps somewhat optimistically) around a year in 2012. Job at 50. I just think that with people's unacceptable and illegal biases taken in to account, it may not be the best idea. That's just one element of the decision making process to be considered. The decision is his to make - he may want to go up against and challenge that prejudice (please don't deny that it exists!).
FYI I recently hired some people for my company and chose to employ one person who happened to be 48.
Got nothing against age at all. Without going in to detail I have had enough experience of discrimination to know not to practise it myself.
This thread is for deliberation, consideration of the realistic consequences, prospects, options and implications & my post was meant as nowt else.
As I wrote before: good luck to all, 20 or even if they're 70! Hell knows we ALL need it!
