Pilot shortage ??? is it worth having a crack again?

[Capt Wally]

go for it :-)

I would have to say that 99% (well maybe not quite that much) of people in here love flying. Having said that that love comes at a cost. To decide to take up aviation at a latter stage in life than would normally be expected (say 16 yrs of age) is certaintly a challenge. I for one didn't start 'till I wa 24, flew privately 'till I was 30, gained a basic CPL, then twin IFR rating & never went down the track of instructing. That was mainly 'cause in those days you had enough money to do one or the other (that being twin IFR or instructing) I chose the formentioned & have done well considering my late start & somewhat limited funds at the time. It's a different beast these days with employment being far more wide spread than it was way back then. Nobody knows all the answers here, sure it's a tough environment out there in aviation, what professional industry isn't!Always & I mean always have a go if you can afford to, & I don't mean just in the monetery terms either. There's not much point in sitting in that mythical rocking chair of life on that mythical veranda 'wishing' you had at least tried.
Sure I can see the point of some in here saying don't do it, stay where you are doing well & buy a plane to satisfy that urge, but your not them, you are YOU with yr own reasons and risks to take further in life.
Enjoy flying for all the time we spend as unhappy campers here we still all love that one single goal that brings us all here..FLYING.........ya gotta love that freedom at any cost !:-)

Capt Wally...............wings are not just for birds !:-)

[agcatman]

This is scary stuff. I am earning enough to support my wife and kids, but miss flying too much. I cannot afford to go down the Instructing road again so I will look into other avenues.
Thanks for your words of wisdom, I will definately look seriously into dusting off my logbook and enjoying myself again.
Here's hoping I'll be sitting in that rocking chair saying...Yes, I did that!!

[flyingtake2]

Thanks for all input. I had an instructor whos was inspiring to me a few years ago. flew for the first time early fortys and become an instructor, and probably one of the best teacheers I have ever met.

thanks Flyingtake 2.

[Pinky the pilot]

For what it's worth coming from me flyingtake2; I'm now 53 and have'nt flown anything in over two years, around 3,500TT, over 1,000ME Command and have held a MEIFR with six renewals to date and I'm going to give it a go in getting back into the industry!

I have absolutely no intention of one day winding up in the local old folks home (God's waiting room in other words) saying things like....
''I wish I'd.......''

I'd rather live until I'm 98 then get shot by someone's jealous husband!!

[Towering Q]

have'nt flown anything in over two years

For a minute there Pinky I thought you must have been an SO somewhere.

Great post Capt Wally.

[saabsforever]

Agcatman, You may be surprised on todays market, I am also 45 and figured I would be flying Saabs or similar forever, hence my title. But in the last year I have had 3 interviews for the 737, one for a Command slot in Hong Kong. Sadly I failed miserably at all three for various reasons but must be getting better at them and there are plenty more opportunites out there. Sure about double the experience but all the Air Transport stuff outside NZ/Australia, the local Airlines seem to need local experience. Age is not the big barrier it once was and with a bit of Aussie IFR you should find a good seat somewhere. I think they have found grumpy old gits are sound steady hands and much less likely to head off to major Airlines overseas, so actually have a longer return of service as well.

[yowdude]

sell one of those cars you dont need and take the plunge!!!!!!

[flyingtake2]

thanks to everyone for feedback. Had a couple of interesting private responses there are some very happy and very unhappy dudes out there.