The perpetual 'Am I too old?' thread
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.
Your perspective as an outsider is pretty much irrelevant. Again, sorry for any offence.
Well if that was a response to nadz's post may politely I suggest you start working on your CRM skills...blowing somebody out of the water with a few platitudes when they have advocated their position quite eloquently ( BTW that is something that is a CRM skill) isn't going to go down well in a multi crew environment....
As for nadz's decision itself...well, life is different for everybody and sometimes people can't just drop everthing at the drop of a hat, so I'd be cutting some slack rather than being judgemental.......
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Well if that was a response to nadz's post may politely I suggest you start working on your CRM skills...blowing somebody out of the water with a few platitudes when they have advocated their position quite eloquently ( BTW that is something that is a CRM skill) isn't going to go down well in a multi crew environment....
As for nadz's decision itself...well, life is different for everybody and sometimes people can't just drop everthing at the drop of a hat, so I'd be cutting some slack rather than being judgemental.......
The poster in question is more than welcome to share his "eloquent" viewpoint, and I reserve the right as an optimist currently working his way through it to encourage people to try the impossible.
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I reckon a few folk on this thread need to refer back to post #1 for inspiration.
The large UK airline I work for have taken some quite elderly FO's on with low hours recently.
The large UK airline I work for have taken some quite elderly FO's on with low hours recently.
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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.
Your perspective as an outsider is pretty much irrelevant. Again, sorry for any offence.
my perspective as an outsider is relevant to guys in a similar situation to myself, we could all just say to older dreamers, ''go ahead and follow the dream'' but the negatives and likely outcome do need to be considered, if you are basically a bit too old.
I have an old friend the same age as myself who flies the 777 for BA and his advice is that its too late if you are my age. There will always be a few exceptions but that is what they are, exceptions, most older guys would just be wasting their money. even younger guys have had to give up after finishing training because they may have graduated into a bad hiring market and by the time things turn around again, a whole load of new eager younger graduates are competing for the same jobs. Times are good right now, but its cyclical and could go quiet again at anytime.
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Do you posess a PPL?
Say a person has a PPL, has done at least 150 hours,possibly even has some further ratings accrued over the course of their life. At age 40 it's going to cost them £20k to go and do the CPL etc, qualified before 45, still has another 20 years of flying as a career. Why would you not?
As I have said before, without the paper the most you can ever fly is your imagination. Go for it, you're only here once and regret is a hell of a thing to live with.
Say a person has a PPL, has done at least 150 hours,possibly even has some further ratings accrued over the course of their life. At age 40 it's going to cost them £20k to go and do the CPL etc, qualified before 45, still has another 20 years of flying as a career. Why would you not?
As I have said before, without the paper the most you can ever fly is your imagination. Go for it, you're only here once and regret is a hell of a thing to live with.
Last edited by jamesgrainge; 21st Apr 2018 at 06:12.
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Do you posess a PPL?
Say a person has a PPL, has done at least 150 hours,possibly even has some further ratings accrued over the course of their life. At age 40 it's going to cost them £20k to go and do the CPL etc, qualified before 45, still has another 20 years of flying as a career. Why would you not?
As I have said before, without the paper the most you can ever fly is your imagination. Go for it, you're only here once and regret is a hell of a thing to live with.
Say a person has a PPL, has done at least 150 hours,possibly even has some further ratings accrued over the course of their life. At age 40 it's going to cost them £20k to go and do the CPL etc, qualified before 45, still has another 20 years of flying as a career. Why would you not?
As I have said before, without the paper the most you can ever fly is your imagination. Go for it, you're only here once and regret is a hell of a thing to live with.
I haven't completed my PPL yet, i started it a long time ago, everything in life is easy until you have kids, then a lot of options disappear quickly.
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and the older that you are, you better have a good pre flying career background story such as a good technical degree or something impressive to prove your competence, this applies to guys over 30 also, it doesn't look good on the cv if you are over 30 and have not achieved much professionally up to now apart from a fATPL licence.
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You must have started your TP job mid to late thirties. You could probably draw a line at 40 as the approximate cutoff age for a realistic chance to start an airline career, it does happen after 40 but it gets more unlikely, of the 50 plus year olds undergoing training, maybe only 1:50 will get any interview/assessment
and the older that you are, you better have a good pre flying career background story such as a good technical degree or something impressive to prove your competence, this applies to guys over 30 also, it doesn't look good on the cv if you are over 30 and have not achieved much professionally up to now apart from a fATPL licence.
and the older that you are, you better have a good pre flying career background story such as a good technical degree or something impressive to prove your competence, this applies to guys over 30 also, it doesn't look good on the cv if you are over 30 and have not achieved much professionally up to now apart from a fATPL licence.
1500hrs of which 500 hrs is jet time on type
You have passed your airlines' line proficiency check/skill test after 1500 hrs
By this time you probably will be bumped up to a senior first officer
For some reason, which eludes me, people on this site seem to think that by passing the 14 ATPL theory exams they somehow become ATPL's or fATPL's.
In my profession, you do become a doctor until you are fully registered by the GMC after 6 months post graduate house physician/house surgeon posts in a recognised teaching hospital, even though you have passed all the pre-clinical and three-year post clinical exams
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There is no such thing as a fATPL. When you graduate ATO (CTC/L3/OAAA et al) you have, hopefully, a CPL/IR/MCC[JOC]. The CAA does not recognise anything called a fATPL it doesn't exist. You get ATPL stamped on your licence after:
1500hrs of which 500 hrs is jet time on type
You have passed your airlines' line proficiency check/skill test after 1500 hrs
By this time you probably will be bumped up to a senior first officer
For some reason, which eludes me, people on this site seem to think that by passing the 14 ATPL theory exams they somehow become ATPL's or fATPL's.
In my profession, you do become a doctor until you are fully registered by the GMC after 6 months post graduate house physician/house surgeon posts in a recognised teaching hospital, even though you have passed all the pre-clinical and three-year post clinical exams
1500hrs of which 500 hrs is jet time on type
You have passed your airlines' line proficiency check/skill test after 1500 hrs
By this time you probably will be bumped up to a senior first officer
For some reason, which eludes me, people on this site seem to think that by passing the 14 ATPL theory exams they somehow become ATPL's or fATPL's.
In my profession, you do become a doctor until you are fully registered by the GMC after 6 months post graduate house physician/house surgeon posts in a recognised teaching hospital, even though you have passed all the pre-clinical and three-year post clinical exams
Altough an fATPL holder is a CPL holder and working its way to the ATPL licence, a CPL holder only can also be someone that only completed 9 of the theory exam, as this is the only requirement for a CPL only holder. Not all CPL holders wish to work on JAR 25 aircraft.
So in theory if they were only referring it to a CPL holders, it could really be anyone on the list..hence fATPL saying
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1500hrs of which 500 hrs is jet time on type
You have passed your airlines' line proficiency check/skill test after 1500 hrs
By this time you probably will be bumped up to a senior first officer
You have passed your airlines' line proficiency check/skill test after 1500 hrs
By this time you probably will be bumped up to a senior first officer
nadz
I have an old friend the same age as myself who flies the 777 for BA and his advice is that its too late if you are my age
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Please Help me!!
Hi. Mi name is Juan. I'm a commercial pilot in Colombia with 213 hours and I have Spanish nacionality.
in this moment I'm in England and I 'm considering make my license conversion in Egnatia (Greece).(distance course )
I'm new europe (aviation enviroment) and is Very important for me, know about the real offer job to pilots with 200 hours . Is s good moment to study aviation?. If you pay a type rating for yourself, increases the oportunities to get a job?. Is the age a problem? Because when I finish the conversion I will be 28.
sorry for the questions but, As I said, I new in europe and I dont have a lot of information
thanks
in this moment I'm in England and I 'm considering make my license conversion in Egnatia (Greece).(distance course )
I'm new europe (aviation enviroment) and is Very important for me, know about the real offer job to pilots with 200 hours . Is s good moment to study aviation?. If you pay a type rating for yourself, increases the oportunities to get a job?. Is the age a problem? Because when I finish the conversion I will be 28.
sorry for the questions but, As I said, I new in europe and I dont have a lot of information
thanks
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Hey DB777,
I live in Newmarket 15miles from Cambridge and fly from North Weald. If you fancy to meet up for a coffee or beer let me know I can drive up anywhere. Would be good meet fellow students.
I am doing ATPL theory with Bristol Ground School, but... via Bartolini Air in Poland (distance learning with 2 weeks of ground school in September).
PM me/Whatsapp/call if you want on 07784162735.
Jakub
I live in Newmarket 15miles from Cambridge and fly from North Weald. If you fancy to meet up for a coffee or beer let me know I can drive up anywhere. Would be good meet fellow students.
I am doing ATPL theory with Bristol Ground School, but... via Bartolini Air in Poland (distance learning with 2 weeks of ground school in September).
PM me/Whatsapp/call if you want on 07784162735.
Jakub