As someone else who is quickly approaching 30 and only just having a CPL - it's great to read these posts. Thanks guys for being so forthcoming with your stories - it's really encouraging!

Great Advice on this thread!
 

G'day TP,

Green Goblin gave a great summary of a pilots working life. But as MrHat said, it may take a few years longer.

For anyone, esp. older people you have to WANT the career to make a go of it. You also have to have your partner/family on board if you want it to work.

My Opinion, it is generally harder for older people to start and have a successful flying career.

This is NOT because it's more difficult to learn when you're older. But you've got to take a very hard look at your lifestyle/family/etc. to see whether it can take the stress of relocation, lower pay, etc, for the next several years. (not to mention the up to $80k or so it may cost). As a pilot, you may NEVER make the money that you earned in your previous career!

In my case, I decided (at 38) to leave I.T. and start another career in aviation. I.T. was great money, but I was sick and tired of the hours and conditions of work, and didn't want to do it for another 25 odd years.

From my first flying lesson to the time I got a job in Qlink was around 6 1/2 years. In that time, my partner and I have had to make many sacrifices, and I'm still not quite at my ultimate goal in aviation (pilot based in Melbourne) but that shouldn't be too far off, inshallah. :ok:

I wouldn't have been able to be where I am without the support of my partner, and I don't think I'd have been able to do it if we had children.

I DEFINITELY wouldn't be where I am if I'd listened to all the naysayers along the way! I was constantly advised by so-called aviation professionals that I was "too old" and that no airline would touch me, and that I had no future in aviation.

If I had taken their advice; they'd have been right! :suspect:

I love my current job. :ok::ok: The pay isn't what I had before, but money isn't everything. The lifestyle is fantastic! (I work on average 28 hours per week). And I'm close to my aviation career goal!

DIVOSH!

Hi Ph - have you read the other threads in thisforum on the topic. There have been some good ones (2 from memory). Just another resource for you.

hi all

thanks again for the responses. I've been in two minds for a while, hence my post here. Unfortunately there really aren't too many people I can talk to this about if you get my meaning, and I know there would be guys in a similar boat as me. I just cracked the $160k mark at work (isn't that like B763 Capt pay?) at 32 so I'm definitely destined for financial greatness but there's nothing worse than getting up every morning to a job you hate (even if you're good at it). So thats the toss up:

1. hate job + lotsa money

or

2. love job + no money! :}

hell, I would give anything to fly Dash8s for Qlink. Sure its not quite a shiny new Airbus or Boeing but I guess I'd rather retire/die knowing I enjoyed my working life than to get to 65 wishing I had done something else.

I do have 2 kids and the FULL support of the Mrs (which I'm eternally thankful for) but yes I understand the risks and the hardship involved, esp in the beginning. *sigh* I'll probably look back at this point in maybe 10 years time and think A. I made the right decision or B. I made the wrong decision. :sad:

Am I too old
 

YES!

But don't let that stop you, I got my first job at 36 and haven't looked back since! Now earning around 100k per annum and not flying heavy metal...:ok:

If I were you I would do my CPL and a Grade 3 instructor rating. The instructor rating you will have to do full time but I'm sure you can get annual leave to do it. I would then instruct part time weekends, in the summer after work meat bomb on weekends etc until you reach the 500 total time while keeping your 6 figure income.

If you're earning 160k it sounds like you are a trained professional with Year 12 and a degree, (unless you're a bogan digging holes on a mine, in that case Jetstar will have ya :)) exactly what the big Q is after. Their minima is 500TT with a MECIR and ATPL subjects. I'd be doing that and keeping the salary until you can slot into an SO slot.

Or apply for a cadetship when it is up and running again. I'm sure you will be competitive!

keep in touch via PM when you're qualified, I have a few guy's do this and I'm sure I'll be able to or know someone who will be able to help you out when the time comes.

GG

Pharoah,

Mate, I am/was in the same position except I am now 38. Late last year left a job I hated (loathed actually) paying quite well, traveling extensively around Asia, and working fairly autonomously. Spent the last two years of employment wanting out, and finally it came with the decision that it was now or never, and I have NEVER looked back, not even once!

Started training full time Dec08, and should have my ATPL theory and MECIR by years end. After my next few "apprenticeship years" in the industry, I don't have to fly the biggest an the best (although I wouldn't knock it back!!), whatever comes my way, freight, airlines, corporate whatever, that is the compromise I must have to make a career from this at this time in my life.

A jet is a definite possibility, the question is when. I believe I could be reasonably well positioned if the industry improves over the next 3-5 years, only time will tell.

Don't ever look back and wonder as it really serves no purpose, make the decision that will make you happy, and go for it with everything you can...just my 2 bits worth.

Good luck with it all

Start licence on the weekend - keep job for now.
 

The_Pharoah,

I think you need to find those old threads I talked about as the people involved have a lot in common with yourself.

I also think that you don't need to make any rash decisions. Sit on your hands for a while. The industry isn't going anywhere and I can tell you that your age isn't going to be a factor in gaining employment.

I note that you talk about making a decision "NOW" and after reading your last post I have to say that I disagree with the notion of doing it now. You have a good salary and this will assist you in funding your career when (not if) it starts. I'm not aware of your personal situation but I can't see why you can't begin your licence on the weekend or during annual leave breaks. Its time to take a step back and look at things objectively. An awful lot of people don't like their jobs and a good majority of them are making 35k per annum!

As we are dealing with a very big unknown (GFC) I think it could be a massive mistake to turn your back on a good paying job at this point in time. At the moment we don't knowif VB JQ or QF are going to hire any pilots in the next 10 years. More than likely they will. However these companies are fighting for survival right now so I think that there are simply too many unknowns to be trying to time things with regard to gaining entrance to airlines.

Much like the stock market/economy the aviation industry will rebound to what it was before if not better in some areas. Before the GFC people like yourself were getting jobs with regionals such as Qantaslink as their starting point (not bad in my opinion!). This was occurring not only due to growth but due also to the fact that less and less people were/are willing to enter an industry with consistently declining conditions (the reality). So in essence a similar situation will return when the storm has passed.

In the meantime there is nothing stopping you building on you knowlege, getting your licence, building a contact base and who knows maybe getting a bit of skydive work on the weekend. Get your foundations built to make some educated decisions when the sky is clearer. A bit like doing a holding pattern while a heavy shower is over the field. The difference in the end might be 6-12 months and thats not going to be a problem.

Drop me a line if you have any questions.

Thats my take on it. Good luck.

Well said Mr Hat!
I completed my CPL over a year ago when the industry was going great guns. It actually took me 3 years to complete the CPL, just flying weekends and during annual leave. During this time I had also been pursuing my professional career outside of aviation and also hit the 6 figure salary. I think you really have to think long and hard (depending on your personal situation) as to whether you should go with the flying in the current climate. The aviation industry obviously is one industry that gets hit first in a downturn and the risks with jumping in with two feet at the moment are high. I have a child on the way and decided to 'sit on my hands', complete the ATPLs and fly weekends to keep current....and during this time continue to also grow with my existing career....so WHEN the climate improves and it WILL I can fully evaluate whether to go with the flying career or not as I will have all the prereqs apart from the experience to jump in with. If you continue with your existing career in the mean time then at least you have that as security....which for me, with a family is the most important thing....

Thanks Mr Hat. I did try searching and got no luck...but I realised I was searching using the wrong function ie. posts rather than threads. :}

I'll go make some coffee and start reading!

Howard Hughes too old? Hardly! Many happy returns, Cock.

Thanks Fantome!http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/old.gif

If you need to do a search with words of three letters or less (eg: Old, Rex, etc..), use Google and add pprune.org to your search parameters!:ok:

Never too old
 

Thought i would give a story that might give anyone out there a little hope, who may think they are too old.

I'm currently doing my cpl training and have an instructor with an interesting story. He like many people was doing a **** boring job for many years, and then at the ripe age of 37, gave it all up and started his flight training. He got his first job at 39, flying charter in 206's and then went way up north to papua new guinea and flew twin otters around up there, and built heaps of hours (sounded a little crazy, but most definatly worth it).

From there he went where the work was, the uk, central europe and asia, flying some amazing aircraft and getting what I think was pretty good pay. Only about 5 years after starting he cracked his first airline job, flying jets out of sinagapore.

Basically to cut a long story short, he then got a job with Cathy and flew the 747-400 for 16 years, in the LHS for about 10 of them. He was 45 when he started at cathy!!!

So honestly, its never too late. As long as you are prepared to go where the work is, and take that step outside your comfort zone.

If you really want to be in LHS of a jet for a major airline, there is nothing stopping you, no matter how old you are.

Cheers and safe flying

Who is this 'Cathy'? She must be loaded if she's got a 747-400.

gidday mate,I started my cpl at age 28,paid for it myself and now have my first job which is hard on my mrs and kids but Im a happy man and so are they,you only get one shot mate and I always thought you have to be young blah blah blah etc..do it now and youll get there and dont listen to any negative buggers,most of them are scared.
Best of luck on your trip.:ok::ok:

haha cathy woops, obviously meant cathay, but flying for cathy might be good?

I used to be married to a cathy, STAY AWAY, even if she does have a 747, she will steal you soooouuuulllllll :}

I've got a cousin called cathy - not sure if its her though. Blonde blue eyes about six foot?

No wonder she is a quick runner eh?

CLEARPROP :p