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Old 9th Mar 2007, 08:42
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Too old?

buddies , am turning 25 this coming december , i am self employed , run my own business and looking to get into a flight school to get my ATPL.
Because of business and money issues i see myself zeroing and getting enrolled into a school by end of this year or early next year.
Crap , i know its a tricky situation trying to get a job with the airlines while am happily self employed.Taking steps enough to make sure my business goes along well with my family and cousins taking over.
But is it still that by the time i get my ATPL , ill be too old?

Lemme know if that could be an issue , specially me losing out on seniority when i land up a job later.
Thanks..
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Old 9th Mar 2007, 09:17
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For crying out loud!!!

I was 35 when I decided on an airline career and went the first step by getting a Class 1 Medical. Got my CPL/IR when I was 38, first job at 40, now aged 42 flying for an LCC!

You are never too old!!

Stop wishing and wondering and go for it!

8028410q
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Old 9th Mar 2007, 10:09
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25 yrs are you kidding me, what on earth is 'too old' about that. What age do you think newbie pilots should be 16yrs

No problems my friend, you'llo just be fine but get on with it sooner rather than later otherwise the economic/recruitment cycle will be out of sync when you graduate.
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Old 9th Mar 2007, 11:02
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Well and truly over the hill. You'll never hack it. Your hand to eye coordination, hearing and eyesight are all shot to pieces by now and of course the arthritis, senility and incontinence will play havoc with your regular day.

You did say 85, didn't you?

A friend of a friend got his CPL/IR a couple of years ago at 57 and his first job at 58 and flies TPs for a UK regional.

I'm 46, just completed the ATPLs and start FI/CPL training next week. My objective was and I'm happy to work as an instructor but you never know what's around the corner.

I think you'll be OK.
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Old 9th Mar 2007, 12:54
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After the big "one-oh" it's all downhill
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Old 10th Mar 2007, 07:58
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hahaha , thanks , thanks for the motivation buddies..
thanks a ton , trust me i feel heck lighter..
it was just the apprehension clouding around me , its ridiculous to have people from the family , or a few fudged up peers who just come up and tell you that its a bad decision. I was all up for flying and would be damned if i dont.
thanks a lot for the help boogie , 2close & 8028410q.
have a good day all , cheers
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Old 10th Mar 2007, 08:46
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its ridiculous to have people from the family , or a few fudged up peers who just come up and tell you that its a bad decision
...and you will continue to get it, don't worry.

I packed in a very well paid job last September to fulfil this ambition of getting my FI / CPL and working as a FI.

I should have done it 12 years ago but for what now seem stupid reasons I didn't.....then all of a sudden it struck me that I was sick as a pig that I hadn't done it, that time was running out (because, like it or not, the big endex is coming closer for all of us) and that I was living my life with a big regret hanging over me. So I said screw this for a game of soldiers I'm at least going to try.

But, even at 46 years old, my own house, sufficient sponds in the bank, no ties to worry about, my mother doesn't stop 'Have you got a job yet?', 'This is very expensive', 'Are you sure this is the right thing to do?'.
Mother, I love you but put a sock in it.

And sitting here, listening to the theme to 633 Squadron and visuallising the flying scenes I KNOW it's the right thing to do.....oops, Eminem now, but funnily enough, it's 8 Mile - Lose Yourself, and the words are 'You only get one chance, Do not miss your chance to blow cos opportunity comes once in a lifetime!' (or something like that) - listen to the opening verse, it makes you think.

Right, back to number crunching......woo hoo!!!!
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Old 10th Mar 2007, 08:55
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2close , word.
I feel exactly what you just said. Eminem's Lose Yourself really pumps me up for the decision i m taking this year. the opening verse is just as powerful , makes you think , actually
if you had one opportunity a moment to sieze , would you conquer or let it go ,yo

Man , i got an engineering degree , a good propogating business and the money shouldnt be a problem either. But it's just that the family and peer bit that keeps mincing the decision up. Everytime i went up looking for a flight school , making a decision to choose one and finally making sure i'll be leaving , someone or the other just turns up to ask "are you sure of what youre doing?"
its like everyone wants to run your life for you.
Enough ranting..
Ive made up my mind , and flight school it is by end of this year.
Happy landings 2close
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Old 10th Mar 2007, 10:12
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Soulfly, you are most welcome, matey.

Look, I don't want to try and teach my grandmother to suck eggs but you may want to consider, instead of handing the business over to your family lock, stock and barrel, bring a select few in earlier as management partners (<50%), teach them the ropes, slowly take more of a back seat yourself but still watching closely from the sidelines until you can trust them completely, at which point you hand over decision making to one individual. That way you know the business is in safe hands and you still have a controlling influence with an open door back in if the flying doesn't live up to your expectations.

You will have doubts along the way - I have yet to meet anyone who at some time doesn't start to question their decisions, especially when training aircraft go tech, people start shouting at them, the ATPL exams seem like an unclimbable mountain, you start realising how much it is costing, I could go on and on...............I felt this way flying back home from a recent aerobatics course, alone in the 172, tired after a long day's strenuous flying, done enough X-Country flying that it is quite routine and to be honest I was bored and I started thinking whether I really wanted to do this any more but it passed over.......but if it does get to the point where you really want no more then you've still got your business.

What I'm trying to say is that you may wish to keep a finger in each pie until you know exactly where you're going.

Onwards and upwards.
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Old 12th Mar 2007, 04:49
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25 too old? For Pete sake I was 30 when I got my commercial pilot certificate and now 38 I'm flying the biggest airplane on earth.
I feel old now thanks to you.
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Old 13th Mar 2007, 06:47
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heh , airbus2boeing , thanks again for reinforcing the idea that im So not old for starting out a flying career.
Was just a bit of skepticism in my mind , as you could see in the other posts.
These days here in India , theres a boom and shake in the industry , chartered flights , private carriers and even low cost carriers are mushrooming up so fast , they came out with soggy cadet programs for kids who just passed out their grade school.
The DGCA doesnt specify any university qualifications and i saw almost a hundred kids passing grade school and going to flying clubs to get their CPL at 18. My father is a commander with AirIndia , and despite the fact he is one, he sort of kept me away to get into this industry.
Now a few months back when i made it proper to them that im going to flying school , I was ranted about the disadvantages and Dad telling me about losing seniority because of my age compared to other First officers and so on.Maybe you get the idea with the whole family churning out their words on you over a wrong decision you might take in life , trying to be protective and all that.
I love my parents and respect their opinion but this time i really wanted my piece of mind to work.
You people have been great in motivating and giving me the idea that 25 isnt really old or anything close to it.
Thanks a lot mates .
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