jamesgrainge

Find a company offering 5/4 roster and go on a few shorter breaks with your new found wealth

rudestuff

The FAA PPL includes night training so you get night privileges by default (unless you take your test in Alaska in the summer)

How much effort do you want to put in? You're talking about 2 years, possibly 3 years - but it's easily achievable in 1 year. If you consider your career earnings, every year you delay will cost you at least £100,000. There are jobs now. There might not be in 3 years. Borrow the money and get it done asap.

wiggy

tgw....

Ahhh......welcome to the realities of commercial flying...

I can’t speak for all airlines but I suspect some form of restriction is almost a given .....

We are seniority based airline but even so have a points system to try and stop the senior pilots hoovering up the popular leave periods, avoiding working Christmas etc..

Scouseflier85

Just a quick one guys and girls i am currently 32 and my dilemma is to go integrated or modular, I know of integrated cadets in there mid 30s who have gained employment at EZY. My preference would be modular as it’s the cheaper of the two, but begs the question how many mid 30 cadets the like RYR take when competition is so fierce from young guys Queuing up for a type rating, the gamble to me seems pretty straight forward 50-60k for modular with frozen atpl with maybe little hope of employment or 100k+ gamble whitetail at a big provider eg L3 Fte cae etc just looking foy any help guidance anyone been in my position gained employment mid 30s after traing thanks in advance.

Hawker400

I'm not in commercial aviation but hope to be after converting to EASA. As someone who has worked for a few years in private executive jets and some organ transport in my 6 years flying professionally I have never spent a New year's at home and most Nationals holidays were away as well.

I'm not saying commercial is like this but a lot of people aren't ready for the compromises you make in your work/life balance.

I actually studied my PPL with a guy that asked the instructor if theres an airline that would respect getting Saturdays off because he was a seventh day Adventist haha

Stunner

Hello there lightheart. I am currently looking to join either quality fly in Madrid or Atlantic fta in cork Ireland at the age of 37.
It pleased me to read your thread as all I've heard Is the grand old age issue.
I would be interested to hear the school you used in America that incorporates the commercial experience at the end of training.
I do remember seen this before and any info on quality fly would be much appreciated.
Regards.

jackrabbitslim7

Hi all,
I'm 29 years old, only a few hours into my PPL, always wished to be a professional pilot (don't care if airline or not), I've seen that an air school in Poland have a 0 to fATPL, for 45 000 € in 18 month. I have the money, no mortgage, and would still have money left if I spend 50 - 70k in pilot training.

Am I too old to take the jump in 2018 (let's say 2019 because of the delay) ?
Also, let's say I get my fATPL in two years, so by 31 / 32 or even 33 to be pessimistic, do you think I stand a chance of finding a job ? I don't intend to go straight to airline but it seems to me that everybody is only aimed toward airliners as if it was the only sector recruiting. Are there no jobs in GA or Corporate in Europe or abroad ?

My main concern is the value of a fATPL, are you employable with this (even just para-drop, glider towing or instruction if I pass a FI certification) or are there so many pilots in the market that no places are available for a new old (let's say 33) pilot ? I would be willing to move anywhere for my first job (would be limited by visa so I suppose I could only fly in Europe maybe Asia or Africa).

At my age I know it's now or never, I won't do it if I have no chances at all of finding any kind of pilot job, but if it's possible, I would take the jump. Worst case scenario, I would have passed ppl vfr night and ifr always useful for a hobby, be short of 70k, and without a job, but I'm sure in my sector I would find another job easily.

rudestuff

I wonder how long before people think they're over the hill at 21? Get the licence you pillock.

KT1988

@jackrabbitslim7: Just go for it, I am also 29 and started from 0 in December 2017 when I realized that doing paperwork in Norway for the rest of my life is not realizing my dream. I did the theory exam for PPL in January and I am already flying while reading more useful theory + training on AE for the ATPL exams during the time outside my 5 flying slots during the week.

I actually chose to train at 0-ATPL+FI in Poland (not only because I am Polish ) for about 49 000 Euro (210 000 PLN) instead of paying like 100 000 ++ Euro for less flying hours and more theory in western Europe. But if you plan to fly for some very special airlines then maybe you have to have it on your CV that you did some CTC, L3, CAE or something else if you want get invited on interview + screening there with only 200h from school. As for me I believe its more better to get more flying with both traditional and glass cockpit planes + FI for less than half the price of the integrated school. And you get done just as fast or even faster if the weather is good. And if experiencing problems with getting invited to the interview and the screening, its possible to pay 30 000 for type rating and 500 hours (+ get the job after the line training if you are good) and still get 20 000 euro cheaper from it than the integrated course for 100 000 ++.

So don`t wait for 2019 just go for it, visit Warszawa. Lodz, Poznan check the schools and choose the one you find most trustworthy, I am satisfied with my choice if I chose the integrated outside of Poland I would still be just reading the theory, while now I can both read the theory for ATPL and fly. Its much better that way since you have more than enough time to learn + you can learn by heart the stuff that is important when you see how important it is in the plane (and learn much important stuff that is not asked about in the exams), in addition to what you learn for the exam.

Yodax

I'm 36 and just had an assessment with Ryanair, so I guess they don't care so much about age.
Still didn't pass, but that's another story.

jackrabbitslim7

Ok thanks for your replies. I just wonder what can of job can you find with just a fATPL with only 250 hours. I suppose I would need to log way more hours after the CPL, and maybe pay for a type rating before even being able to apply for job offers.

KT1988

@jackrabbitslim7: Well if there are no invites for interviews after getting done with the flight training then there are probably 2 paths: 1. Teach new students as FI and build up hours until getting the invitation eventually or 2. Teach new students as FI until being completely sure that enough time have passed since applying everywhere and then use 30 000 on type rating + 500 hours on B 737 or A 320. A type rating without at least 500 hours on type is probably not giving any bonus or even worse the company hiring will miss the opportunity to supervise your type rating training.

Either way even with type rating + 500 hours on type its still 20 000 Euro less than west European integrated schools with known names and probably a better starting point with those 500 hours than 200 hours, no FI hours and no jet or turboprop hours.

coboltblue

Hey guys,

I’m just looking for a little advice. My situation is as follows

I’m currently 15 months through a 3-year course to become a Merchant Navy Deck Officer, I love the navigation side of the course. Having been to sea once already I have however realized I’m just not passionate about shipping or the ships themselves.

I worked in the airline industry before as cabin crew in the UK and the Middle East, then planned roster for a low-cost carrier in Australia. I have always loved the Airline Industry, but it has taken being involved in another transportation sector to make me realize planes, airports, and hotels are my home, and a taste of navigation to make me dream of moving from the cabin to the cockpit.

My issue is I’m 36 years old and I’ll be almost 39 by the time I finish my Merchant Navy Cadetship.

The ways I see it is I have 2 options

1: Finish the cadetship and try to get a job onboard a ship as an Officer and uses the cash and time off to get my fATPL.

2: Quit now and use the cash I saved in the middle east to go get my license and try to get back into an Industry I know and love doing a job I aspire to.

I'm looking to book my first flying lesson, to get the ball rolling.

Any advice would be great.

vatir

Even if you get a job by 40 that will be 20 or 25 years as a pilot. (Given that you keep healthy and don’t end up with medical issues at older age)

r10bbr

Hi coboltblue, im currently doing my atpls and i must over stress the route to becoming a pilot is not as easy as one expects, it takes hard work and sacrifices and a lot of hard work and i stress a lot of hard work..also you may not like the route when you start i.e commitments popping up or the long and tiring journeys, what i will state is book yourself a trial lesson and take it from there see if you like the feel and could you see yourself giving your 100%, also if you do decide to go down the aviation route you can opt by choosing the modular route whilst also completing your cadetship..

vermouth

Wow, guys.
I thought I am the only with this question. So nice to see other souls.
My name is Krys, I am almost 37, I currently reside in Dusseldorf, DE. Speak bulgarian, polish, english, some german and some french .
I am still working in totally another sector since I graduated university - selling tasty cookies as international trader.
But recently I was actively thinking of restarting my career, with something I would really like.

So here am I know, just by coincidence in this forum reading interesting stuff and wondering already where to begin. Obviously I am not too old - right?
My wife has honorable job - she is a surgeon, we have small kid and I think I deserve to try an equally honorable chance for the remaining 20 years of my career - so why not something that I like ... Being positioned in Germany gives good options for possible start of piloting career when the time would come. But as beginning, any strong advise where to start with the research of training? Are there any training subsidized by companies like LH or EWG, Condor ... or it all depends on personal choice and cost.
Any tips will be highly appreciated.

huseyydemm

I am 38.. flying for not more than a year..... I think it is never too late to start something new,
I think if you are not happy, don't waste years with something you do not really like. You will regret it. And time will pass extra sloooooow this time.
However cabin crew is a dream job, flying a plane is heaven, really.

Just fly!!!

Nowadays its easier... theoretical and practical course, home learning, simulator games, flying applications, forums to ask other pilots and everything helps us to become good (better) pilots. Before was "only" the instructor and the book.
So you are not alone! we help you from far

jaimere66

Hi

Excellent post. Give us confidence for those that are actually trying to accomplish this. I am 35 turning 36 by June. I got my license in 2010, I tried to find a job but I never did so now I have a wife and two daughters. I own a couple food businesses but never really like. I went back alone to my natural country ( Spain) I have lived in Dominican Republic for the last 7 years. So here I am hoping to get an interview soon

Regards

Jaime

nadz

To the older dreamers out there 40+, of which I am one, I would advise you to be very careful if you are thinking of undertaking fATPL/CPL training, because the chances of you gaining any type of flying job apart from instructing is almost zero. I understand how much you want to be a pilot because I also want it badly but after much careful consideration I have have decided that the most rational thing to do is to give up on the dream and deal with it and move on, it is easy to get seduced by the dream and think that some older guys get airline jobs, its tough enough for the younger guys and your life experience counts for nothing, the only previous experience that helps is to have a good degree or qualification, what matters is competencies relevant to flying, which as a older guy you may have but so do the younger guys, and you are not as quick a learner as your younger self even if you dont want to admit that to yourself, the brain goes into decline from the mid twenties. I know myself that I am not as sharp anymore.
So if I was to follow the dream, what would happen is that I would spend a lot of cash, eventually get my fATPL and 200 hours, then I would have maybe a 2 percent chance of getting a flying job, I would then maybe be able to apply for instructor jobs, but is that what we really dream of? no its not. And an extra risk is that if any hiring downturn happens before you finish training you emerge into a quiet hiring market and because of your age you can't afford to wait for the market to turn up again, unlike the younger guys, its all risk and most likely no reward.
I missed a few opportunities in my life to try become a pilot for various reasons. The desire to fly is very strong but sometimes you just have to move on and admit to yourself that it is not realistic anymore, even the 35 year old people are just at the realistic upper age limit to have any real chance, if you are early forties or older then you are way down on the bell curve of hire-ability, it can be difficult to admit to yourself that you have missed the boat. Its not that there is no chance of a good flying job, its that its so unlikely that the risk reward is not worth it unless you are rich and wont miss the money. you might think that some regional turboprop operation would be glad to have an older guy, but there is a queue of younger guys trying to get those positions, ryanair dont take every young guy on the market even in the current hiring boom. So many people walk away with a very expensive piece of paper and get nothing from it.
those are my thoughts on the matter.

jamesgrainge

You don't really want to be a pilot. Sorry, harsh but true. If you've had numerous opportunities but never taken them, there is always something that has stopped you. I'm 29 and this is my first "opportunity" to be a pilot, and I'm taking it.

Your perspective as an outsider is pretty much irrelevant. Again, sorry for any offence.