too old?
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Not at all...
I am frozen ATPL and i started to fly at 35!
Was not able to do it before, but i built up a serious experience in another aviation related job.
Now looking for my chance, tough but i will try every possible path.
You are a kid
I am frozen ATPL and i started to fly at 35!
Was not able to do it before, but i built up a serious experience in another aviation related job.
Now looking for my chance, tough but i will try every possible path.
You are a kid
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Spain
Age: 48
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Oh god not this bloody same topic again....
Might aswell murge the Pilot Shortage one with this one....
No no amigo your ok, my friend start his ATPL when he was 60, he finish when he was 63 and walk into a job on his zimmer frame at BA and is flying a B747-400...Age makes no diference in this industry... The world is so short of wanabees with 250 hours too as theirs loads of pilots retiring this year including my friend from BA.. They say Ryan Air, Easy, Emirates, Cathay, BA, VA etc will have planes on the ground soon as they just can not find any wannabees to fly them...The flight schools are bloody honest and reckon that by 2013 they will need another 60,000 wanabees Worldwide!!!I heard the way things going with pilot shortage, falling oil price, and huge profit that the Airlines will start to pay First Officers to fly, crikey imagine that, WE GET PAID!! They may pay our type rating too!! Plus some of these contracts these days are chance of a life time places..Imagine this YOU get paid to live in a lovley compund in Nigeria, Afghanistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia,Sierra Leone the list go's on! And you get internet too so you can watch your baby grow up on Skype!!! GO FOR IT!! get a big loan and just get your old man to remorgage there house or ponse some of your nans savings..Then they can tell there mates that there son/daughter is a pilot.. defintalty worth it...
Might aswell murge the Pilot Shortage one with this one....
No no amigo your ok, my friend start his ATPL when he was 60, he finish when he was 63 and walk into a job on his zimmer frame at BA and is flying a B747-400...Age makes no diference in this industry... The world is so short of wanabees with 250 hours too as theirs loads of pilots retiring this year including my friend from BA.. They say Ryan Air, Easy, Emirates, Cathay, BA, VA etc will have planes on the ground soon as they just can not find any wannabees to fly them...The flight schools are bloody honest and reckon that by 2013 they will need another 60,000 wanabees Worldwide!!!I heard the way things going with pilot shortage, falling oil price, and huge profit that the Airlines will start to pay First Officers to fly, crikey imagine that, WE GET PAID!! They may pay our type rating too!! Plus some of these contracts these days are chance of a life time places..Imagine this YOU get paid to live in a lovley compund in Nigeria, Afghanistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia,Sierra Leone the list go's on! And you get internet too so you can watch your baby grow up on Skype!!! GO FOR IT!! get a big loan and just get your old man to remorgage there house or ponse some of your nans savings..Then they can tell there mates that there son/daughter is a pilot.. defintalty worth it...
PPRuNe Handmaiden
vkracing, Is Georgia the only place where you can work? If so, what you'll need to do is find out the hiring practices of the companies in Georgia.
Then you'll know if you're too old.
Then you'll know if you're too old.
out of people!!
Join Date: May 2006
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Its what people want to here though B737Dude...being human we want to believe what we want to believe....These topics have been coverd 100's of times, think everyone is fed up hearing it over an over..Do a search before posting then you dont get saracsm response that you want to here!
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Agree with B737
There's nothing wrong with asking a question again - it may attract new posters/opinions/discussions. Ironically, the sarcastic response has been repeated as much as the question has been asked.
I'm not a pilot but have often wrestled with the same "am I too old?" dilemna. I think the other things to consider as you get older are that your infancy in an aviation career will likely overlap with other life events (marriage, kids etc) which is less of a consideration for younger joiners. You will also likely be giving up a reasonable position of seniority/pay if you are a little further along in your career. The plus side is that you will have more experience and potentially be less disheartened when you get there if the grass isn't that greener (but probably still beats the old 9-5 job).
There's nothing wrong with asking a question again - it may attract new posters/opinions/discussions. Ironically, the sarcastic response has been repeated as much as the question has been asked.
I'm not a pilot but have often wrestled with the same "am I too old?" dilemna. I think the other things to consider as you get older are that your infancy in an aviation career will likely overlap with other life events (marriage, kids etc) which is less of a consideration for younger joiners. You will also likely be giving up a reasonable position of seniority/pay if you are a little further along in your career. The plus side is that you will have more experience and potentially be less disheartened when you get there if the grass isn't that greener (but probably still beats the old 9-5 job).
Join Date: Jan 2006
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I am rather starting to enjoy watching people blow their money.
No amount of erudite, balanced opinions, posted by those in the game will stem the mounting flow of grinning 'milky bar kids'.
Let them blow their folks money; indeed I actively encourage them to do so.
Confirmation Bias is readily ticked...... here they all come...
I intend to enjoy watching their tantrums when the penny drops too late. it's priceless.
No amount of erudite, balanced opinions, posted by those in the game will stem the mounting flow of grinning 'milky bar kids'.
Let them blow their folks money; indeed I actively encourage them to do so.
Confirmation Bias is readily ticked...... here they all come...
I intend to enjoy watching their tantrums when the penny drops too late. it's priceless.
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Yes, there are a lot of "am I too old" "which flight school" yadda yadda but what made this one stand out is the OP is from Georgia. Not Europe, not Australia, not the US. Hence it is a different question.
Join Date: Feb 2006
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I feel I need to add my story here, however I must say you are not too old although you may limit your options.I began my training when I was 35 years old, I completed my training just before 9 11 need I say any more about that. I had been offered a job just prior to that and unsurprisingly that did not come to fruition. I then had an offer with EU Jet (remember them) they went bust when I was waiting for a starting date. As you have guessed a number of years had passed by now. At the age of 40 I had an assessment with a very good carrier (my dream job) and I was successful, I then had an interview and again was successful. I had to then pass a flight simulator check on a 737. I beforehand spent 4 hrs on this to aid my chances, there were 2 places and only 7 left at this point. The assessor after the sim check said that ‘should there be any concerns about my flying ability they can be put to rest’. The jobs mine I thought, I received the phone call ‘sorry you failed the sim check’. I asked for feed back as I wished to apply again for any vacancies and would appreciate any assistance in improving my abilities. I was told that I was a little slow in moving my hand off the throttles at V1. Considering I do not have a type rating and have only flown piston engines where you keep your hand on the throttles to prevent vibration bringing them back, they should have been pleased that I even knew to do this. I was very pleasant and thanked them for their constructive advice. THE PERTINANT PART I knew an ex training Captain from the company who informed me that the only reason that I was not offered a job was that they were concerned about my age. Apparently statistically a person over 40 takes a week longer to train! The fact that as I was that age with a family I was less likely to job hope to another company had nothing to do with it. I am no longer pursuing a flying career (one less competitor for you) I am fortunate enough to have a secure job with a good pension unlike many pilots. I still love all aircraft and can’t help but run to a window to look out at any passing craft. I do not regret all the time effort and money, I just should have done so younger although then I did not have the money. Do have a go but please be realistic many carriers will not take you on. I am aware that there is age discrimination (waste of time) they will just find another reason to give you. They may think you have a big nose, a bad haircut or smell they wont tell you that either.
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Hi VK
You should not just be asking whether or not you are too old, you should be asking whether or not you have the finances to fund the training, support yourself (and family) during training and can live with the risk that you could lose that money and never fly for a living.
If you do not have the cash available without taking out a loan then please don’t get into huge debt with your (or someone else’s) property as security to finance your training.
Do you have a wife/ partner and kids to support? If so does your wife/ partner accept the risk of spending a 5 (or 6) figure sum of money with the risk that you might not land a flying job?
Do you have a ‘Plan B’ if the flying job does not happen immediately? At least you will be able to bring money in and provide for yourself/ family while hunting for the flying job.
I did my flying training later in life, having been an avionics engineer in the military before doing the flying training. I am fortunate enough to be married to a wonderful woman who is an enthusiastic as I am about me flying for a living. I used money that we already had to finance the training and I am back in a well paid engineering job at the moment while looking for a flying job.
Not all doom and gloom but some very serious matters for you to consider.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
If you do not have the cash available without taking out a loan then please don’t get into huge debt with your (or someone else’s) property as security to finance your training.
Do you have a wife/ partner and kids to support? If so does your wife/ partner accept the risk of spending a 5 (or 6) figure sum of money with the risk that you might not land a flying job?
Do you have a ‘Plan B’ if the flying job does not happen immediately? At least you will be able to bring money in and provide for yourself/ family while hunting for the flying job.
I did my flying training later in life, having been an avionics engineer in the military before doing the flying training. I am fortunate enough to be married to a wonderful woman who is an enthusiastic as I am about me flying for a living. I used money that we already had to finance the training and I am back in a well paid engineering job at the moment while looking for a flying job.
Not all doom and gloom but some very serious matters for you to consider.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
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Mack 1
Very good view on reality. I have also the feeling that, even already with jet experience, companies find me too old. And im not even 40. This really makes me sad. I also draw the conclusion, that by the end of this year, if i will not find anything, i will quit with my job and do something else. I will miss flying, that's for sure, but i will refuse to stop living.
Very good view on reality. I have also the feeling that, even already with jet experience, companies find me too old. And im not even 40. This really makes me sad. I also draw the conclusion, that by the end of this year, if i will not find anything, i will quit with my job and do something else. I will miss flying, that's for sure, but i will refuse to stop living.