Question to you 40yo+ instructors (Aussie)

[benken2870]

Hi Team, especially any 40yo+ Aussie instructors on the forum

Quick background before moving onto the query;
1. I am 45 years old with family, pre-teens. No debts and available cash to fund a career change.
2. For the last 20 years I have spent most of my time instructing within military and policing organisations. Broad spectrum of subjects both theory and practical.
3. I have an intense love for aviation and have had the bug my whole life. I obtained my RPL, or then known as GFPT, back in 2003 but have not been in a position to fly at all in the last 20 years.

Question: Basically, I want to align my 2 passions being flying and teaching as a career change. Firstly, expectation management, am I too old for this to be a reality? Secondly, if so, what would be an ideal training flow for this to happen (Starting from zero hours). Ideally I would like to remain on the Australian east coast and eventually work my way up into more complex instruction ie MECIR

Thanks in advance for any assistance

[Bosi72]

Originally Posted by benken2870

Question: Basically, I want to align my 2 passions being flying and teaching as a career change. Firstly, expectation management, am I too old for this to be a reality? Secondly, if so, what would be an ideal training flow for this to happen (Starting from zero hours). Ideally I would like to remain on the Australian east coast and eventually work my way up into more complex instruction ie MECIR

Thanks in advance for any assistance

You are never too old to follow your passion. However, don't expect the same financial reward from your investment comparable to what you are doing now.

The minimum required path is to pass 7 cpl theory exams, get cpl, pass pirc, do the instructor training course, then get instructing job.

There are 2 options:
1. find local school and do it part-time on your own time/pace.2. apply for hecs and do the same but full-time through some "sausage factory" school.

I've chosen option 1, as an adult learners we naturally want to understand, which takes time, might be longer and more expensive, but you get more experience.

Good luck on your journey..

[Flying Bear]

Sounds like you are on the right track… provided you understand some of the realities.

Check your PMs.

[ravan]

It's doable. ....but you will need absolute committment to the journey and, as others have said, the financail return is less than optimal in the beginning.

My first flight was a TIF at age 41, followed by self funded, part time training up to nearly CPL. I then handed the finances over to an extremely understanding wife and finished the CPL on a full time basis. Straight off to Instructor school and got a job with the school where I did all my training. Filled in the Instrument rating in following years and added training endorsements as I could afford them.

27 years later I have just over 10,000 hours with about 6,000 hours instructional and 4,000 hours charter, aeromed and night freight. Didn't make a fortune but wound up comfortable enough and, more importantly, scratched the itch to see if I could do it. As a good friend once said to me, " Never die wondering".

Good luck and enjoy the journey!

[PiperCameron]

Originally Posted by benken2870

Hi Team, especially any 40yo+ Aussie instructors on the forum

Quick background before moving onto the query;
1. I am 45 years old with family, pre-teens. No debts and available cash to fund a career change.

Def not too old to start the race.. but if what you posted above is true, you had better move fast before those pre-teens become teens and require every available cent!!