CPL at 40 ?

[starsnskies]

Hello,

I wish to become a pilot - first step being getting enrolled into one of the flying schools out of India. After some mining in the internet I kinda infer that the premier schools in India are IGRUA and NFTI. Also found GATI intresting.

I am a mechanical engineer by graduation and now working in the telecom industry. Also an aviation enthusiast, now thinking of securing a CPL from one of the institutes above. Any inputs on the private owned flying clubs in India with respect to their costs/facilities/alumini/placements etc. is welcome.

Another point which I am seeking input is... Is it recommended to make a career shift now from telecom to aviation industry at the age of 38 ? It would take another 1.5 years to complete the course, hopefully secure the CPL and I would be almost reaching 40. Does any of the scheduled airline in India/Aborad would welcome a candidate who is closing in 40 with a CPL.

The age barrier question has been asked in the PPrUne forums before but the views expressed there are mostly from enthusiasts abroad, where most of the recommend/view that age is not much of a factor. I am looking for the scenario which is currently forecasted for Indian skies for the next couple of years.

Appreciate your expert inputs.

Thanks,
starsNskies

[mach5]

I wont recommend you to do CPL now for two simple reasons , First your age factor , second there are few jobs for which there are 5000+ CPL holders who are in the age group of 20-30 , so you decide which is the best thing for you.

[Sandy pilot]

@mach5
I agree with you.

[vserian]

Wont recommend it mate

[niksmathew24]

Go Ahead!

Its completely up to you mate. As long as you can perform well in your exams get your things done in time there is absolutely no problem in acquiring a CPL. The schools you've mentioned are top in their category in India. As I am not an alumni of any of those, and since there are so many rivalries and debates among them, I would prefer not to comment on which one is better.

But when it comes to the job scenario, you'll be along side teenagers and most likely 22 yrs olds. Jobs are really hard to get and its a man-eat-man scenario out there. There is still hope if you can work your way up some instructing/charter and all sorts of GA gigs. Getting TR'ed may not help now-a-days as there are surplus in that genre. When it comes to Airlines, they do the recruitment their style and I honestly don't think your age influences that decision much.

Contacts do work a lot here. So make sure you keep all your cards at reach, if you got any!

Last and final, getting a CPL is going to make a big hole in your pocket. So I would not suggest you spend all your savings on it/take a big financial risk.
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

My 2 cents.

[Johny Boy]

Getting CPL at 40 or near about that age is not uncommon, many AME's/Engineers or Airline employees have got flying license in the range of 35-45 years and now have successful flying career.

First thing you should do is consult your inner self and family about taking plunge in career shift considering you are 37 & might have dependent family member's.If you got ample surplus money to spend then take up flying as your hobby and work it up till you get your CPL while keeping your telecom profession as first source of income.

Hoping or depending upon flying career at your age is risking your family while you might go into some state of depression of not getting pilot job.So think about outcome of taking up flying as not shifting from present work profile might get you weekends for flight training but you will have problem getting 2-3 months off from your work on stretch for regular flight training's without losing your telecom job.

Points that you should remember is :
1. Do i need career shift at this age.
2. Do i have emergency fund or secondary source of income if i make flying as my primary source of employment.
3. Do i have necessary contacts or network which can expedite my chances of getting that first cockpit job.
4. Lastly you will end up in competition pool with age range of 18 - 35 or so.....and might need to stack yourself above the crowd if you have 3 pointer in your aid as mentioned above.

My advice would be - Take flying as hobby and enjoy while you fly make some contacts and then work it up if you can...without losing your current job.Being unemployed at your age will be slow poisoning yourself.

All the best !

[naughtyjay]

NO NO NO

as a ab initio CPL holder , the age of recruitment is 35 for most airlines,,,,

SC ST is 40 , and OBC is 38 in AI/IC . . .

you should not so it.

[greenslopes]

Your age is not to your advantage, however if you want to fly then why shouldn't you.
You may not get to a major airline and fly a jet but there are plenty of turbo prop operators keen for the older candidate who won't leave at the first opportunity.
Another alternative is the instructing path, you bring to the instructional area what a good many fresh faced instructors cannot, that is life experience. The best instruction I got was from a fifty year old bloke who had only recently changed jobs.
If you don't give it a go you'll never know and we only walk this path once!
Most importantly........... don't listen to the naysayers. If I'd listened to every person who said the obstacle was insurmountable I'd still be doing work I didn't want to do and gazing longingly at every aircraft that flew overhead.
When the going gets tough the tough get going.
Get off your butt and get on with it. The sooner you start the sooner you'll achieve your first goal!

Good Luck and enjoy every step(even the exams)

[blackhawk777]

My Experience :

April 2011 Spicejet 737 Type Rated Interview (Word to Word)

Panel ---> 2 Chief Pilots
Candidate ---> Female Candidate (Had abt 300 hrs on King Air)

Panel : "What's your age" ???
Candidate : "42".
Panel : After much hesitation "Mam, we think you are over qualified. We are looking for people with much less experience. Thank You !!! "

When a airline hires a fresher the thing they are looking forward is that one day the fresher can take up the left seat !!! There are incidents where people have had influence and have paid money and etc etc., but the fact is when they take in a candidate and spend money and time on him/her they expect the candidate to be with them and command one of their airplanes in future.

I really don't know how they determine the age which would be good enough for the selected candidate on which they spend time and money from whom the company extract whatever value they want to. But I think 32 - 35 is the bar where most airlines draw a line.

My suggestion would be... Go ahead and fly. Get your initial lic so that you can fly whenever you want in India with any of the flying clubs.
Apart from that you can also pursue hobby like Aeromodelling, which trust me would at least give you a KICK, if not get you HIGH !!!!

[captbisdak]

@starsnskies:

It's a difficult decision to make (believe me, i've been there...TWICE!). It all depends on supply and demand and unfortunately if you are seeking a career change in aviation in India, I think the situation is not so good (sorry to be blunt but better to be realistic). At your age, I assume you are going up the corporate ladder and paid well for your skills and to go back to the bottom of the rung will sometimes be hard to swallow (e.g. when a 21 yr old wonderkid flight instructor yells at you on short finals..). This is also a common question during airline interviews- how will you cope with a captain 15 years younger than you?

I suggest that you draw a 5-10 year timeline and see where you will be with your present career (and family) and where you think you will be with aviation. Even better, try to get a private pilot's license just to see if flying is really for you (I came across a guy who sold his house to be a pilot but turns pale at every stall practice in a Cessna). I have plenty of friends who are captains at the majors and they all have the same tune...after the shiny jet syndrome wears off then it becomes just another job. Flying is wonderful but commercial flying can sap the juice out of you, half of my captain friends are divorced and the other half have never spent the last 5 Christmas eves with their families.

Hope this helps, do send me a PM if you have any query.

[captjns]

starsnskies...

Don't be one of those ruers that will wake up 20 some years from now with any regrets and thoughs of "I should of", "I could of".

If finances are not an issue, and your family are behind you, then you need to follow your dream.

I've met quite few lads and yes lasses to that have changed their careers in their late 30s and have successful positions at various carriers rounud the world with admirations from their younger peers too!

Good luck with your new path in life, or should I say new airway in life.

[skyflies]

Considering the glut of CPLs in the market now (in India and even here in the US), I would suggest that you think long and hard about picking aviation as a career especially at this age.

Have you thought of getting your PPL and flying recreationally? I am a private pilot here in the US, have been a life long aviation enthusiast, and have been perfectly content having the ability to decide when and where I fly. I don't get paid for it, but hey, I make a lot more money in my non-aviation career at my age than I could ever dream of in aviation.

Think about it

[Left Wing]

do your PPL and enjoy the fun part.... dont chase a full time job.

[starsnskies]

Hi All,

I am glad that I had sent out an email to the most appropriate forum. Was wondering whom to look out for to clarify the apprehensions I had in mind. Thanks everyone for sharing your inputs/views/recommendations. Really appreciate your emails.

I can infer that majority of the enthusiasts do opine that my age would certainly influence the chance of getting a 'wing' in a commercial airline - as a profession.

Hope this thread would be useful for someone is future as well. I shall still go ahead and try to secure a PPL.

Cheers,
starsnskies.

[pilotbaba]

AGE MAY INFLUENCE A LITTLE BIT but it will NOT be a career breaker..... What you can do is balance your age with somethinge else like experience.

I just met a guy who is in his late forties, changed his career & went back to flying. His childern are in College. He decided to return to flying for same reasons, he did not want to turn 65 & say, I could have been a PILOT. He had some experience flying a turbo prob but quit abt 15 or some yrs ago. He had to work hard to get back his proficiency but was hired without any issues in India.

If you choose to pursue flying as a career, you will have to do it fast enough to become a flight instructor in 2 yrs max. Flying Instructor route is the key to reach 1500 Total hrs to get an ATPL & then you are in a different catagory & age 35 does not apply. You may even be picked up by a corporate operator.

You are a mechanical engineer, so studying hard & clearing exams should not be a problem.

FOCUS on your TARGET is important & always REMEMBER, don't let anyone talk you out of your dream.....

So, the best advise is get a PPL first & then decide.

[A-3TWENTY]

It`s a very risky decision...I don`t recommend for all the reasons stated above , but...Up to you

A320