When is too old to start?
Join Date: May 2002
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It can be done, but the risks are high.
I left a well paid job to follow my dream.
Oxford Modular. IR age 42.
First job. Took a while, partly due to industry down turn and the usual 'no thank you letters' but spent time working on ' transferable skills and remained with in the aviation industry.
Worked extremely hard, had a good deal of luck and supportive friends. Never ever give up!
Last year got first job... straight on to 737 age 44.
Flew a thousand miles today, watched the sun go down from FL350.... Need I say more.
I left a well paid job to follow my dream.
Oxford Modular. IR age 42.
First job. Took a while, partly due to industry down turn and the usual 'no thank you letters' but spent time working on ' transferable skills and remained with in the aviation industry.
Worked extremely hard, had a good deal of luck and supportive friends. Never ever give up!
Last year got first job... straight on to 737 age 44.
Flew a thousand miles today, watched the sun go down from FL350.... Need I say more.
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Hello everyone,
new to this forum but in the same situation.
I am thinking seriously about taking that step at 29, i e learn flying while keeping my full-time job in london. I have a question: how did you all manage with practical exams, atpl theory course... and full time job ??
new to this forum but in the same situation.
I am thinking seriously about taking that step at 29, i e learn flying while keeping my full-time job in london. I have a question: how did you all manage with practical exams, atpl theory course... and full time job ??
Join Date: Aug 2004
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question: how did you all manage with practical exams, atpl theory course... and full time job ??
Easy: I gave away everything for 9 months: w/ends, evenings out, going to the beach, went to see my family once a month and so on...but I swallowed all in one bite! Last July!
Ciao
PZ
Easy: I gave away everything for 9 months: w/ends, evenings out, going to the beach, went to see my family once a month and so on...but I swallowed all in one bite! Last July!
Ciao
PZ
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Just to say, I have completed Module 1 and passed all first time with Just 3 months study. I am 37 years young ,married,kids and even managed a weekend brake away in the middle of it. That said ,I would not do it again . It was one of the hardest things I have ever done .Giving my self 5 months for module 2 and then ...hopefully
FullRich
FullRich
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Actually I understand that there will be plenty of homework to do and week-ends will be pretty busy. But on top of that I'm a little bit nervous about starting modular towards atpl as it seems like there are plenty of exams / compulsory intensive weeks study before exams. Don't you need to use all your holidays for that purpose or is there a way around it that i haven't seen??
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Please don't take this to harsh but do you or do you not want to be a pilot.
I kept a full time job whilst doing the correspondence course for the written ATPL exams. Took me 3 years due to doing a 50 - 60 hour week job on shift work. It can be done and the way to do it is take one chapter at a time and one progress test at a time. You then have to use all your holidays from work for the brush up courses and exams. 2 weeks for brush up and a week for exams in each module. That 6 weeks holiday in total. It may mean you spread this bit over 2 years.
Then you have the 25 hour CPL course and then the 50 hour IR course to complete. More holiday time to utilise.
Did my PPL in August 1999 and now have just short of 400 hours due to hour building in a Cessna that I bought a share into in 2000.
I have 9 hours IR training to do and the test. It's taken me the best part of 6 years to get to this point and hopefully will be finished in the next month. All done whilst keeping a full time long houred job doing shift work.
I used all my holidays from the last 6 years to gain my licence. Next year hope to go away for family holiday for the first time in many many years.
Why did I decide to keep the job and take so long I hear you ask. Well first of all I kept the £20,000 a year coming in whilst training and secondly, I work airside at Manchester and you know the saying the it's not what you know but who you know. I wasn't going to cut links with lots of people that I have had the luck of getting to know whilst working airside. It wont get me a job but might one day help me get an interview, then it's down to me to prove myself.
I have also got a friend who has done modular full time if you understand what I mean and it will of taken him about 18 months to complete training.
One step at a time
Best of luck everyone
I kept a full time job whilst doing the correspondence course for the written ATPL exams. Took me 3 years due to doing a 50 - 60 hour week job on shift work. It can be done and the way to do it is take one chapter at a time and one progress test at a time. You then have to use all your holidays from work for the brush up courses and exams. 2 weeks for brush up and a week for exams in each module. That 6 weeks holiday in total. It may mean you spread this bit over 2 years.
Then you have the 25 hour CPL course and then the 50 hour IR course to complete. More holiday time to utilise.
Did my PPL in August 1999 and now have just short of 400 hours due to hour building in a Cessna that I bought a share into in 2000.
I have 9 hours IR training to do and the test. It's taken me the best part of 6 years to get to this point and hopefully will be finished in the next month. All done whilst keeping a full time long houred job doing shift work.
I used all my holidays from the last 6 years to gain my licence. Next year hope to go away for family holiday for the first time in many many years.
Why did I decide to keep the job and take so long I hear you ask. Well first of all I kept the £20,000 a year coming in whilst training and secondly, I work airside at Manchester and you know the saying the it's not what you know but who you know. I wasn't going to cut links with lots of people that I have had the luck of getting to know whilst working airside. It wont get me a job but might one day help me get an interview, then it's down to me to prove myself.
I have also got a friend who has done modular full time if you understand what I mean and it will of taken him about 18 months to complete training.
One step at a time
Best of luck everyone
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Karmele,
With regard to the ATPL exams, if I were you I would get them done in a year as a constant effort. If you don't you loose momentum, and then you will probably be done for. Use all your holiday and get some unpaid leave if needed. I required six weeks at Bristol (4 for brush up and two for exams). However, other schools may require less time off, like London Met., who I recall require three weeks for brush-up and do the exams in three sittings rather than two.
The biggest problem I faced has been finding somewhere where I could do my CPL part-time. I made a wrong choice there, not because of the FTO (they have accomodated me as best they can), but simply a/c availability when competing with PPL hire and all the other problems of tech, weather, personal, etc, etc. Sometimes with several weeks between flights. Its been a slog in that department.
With regard to the ATPL exams, if I were you I would get them done in a year as a constant effort. If you don't you loose momentum, and then you will probably be done for. Use all your holiday and get some unpaid leave if needed. I required six weeks at Bristol (4 for brush up and two for exams). However, other schools may require less time off, like London Met., who I recall require three weeks for brush-up and do the exams in three sittings rather than two.
The biggest problem I faced has been finding somewhere where I could do my CPL part-time. I made a wrong choice there, not because of the FTO (they have accomodated me as best they can), but simply a/c availability when competing with PPL hire and all the other problems of tech, weather, personal, etc, etc. Sometimes with several weeks between flights. Its been a slog in that department.
Join Date: Jun 2001
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For what it's worth, 36 years old, 1500 hours mostly instructing and have just been offered a job as an f/o for a low cost airline based in the north.
Min twin hours and no air taxi/turbine time.
If a dope like me can do it then back yourself, if you don't why should anyone else?
Good luck and you only live once
Min twin hours and no air taxi/turbine time.
If a dope like me can do it then back yourself, if you don't why should anyone else?
Good luck and you only live once
