Advisable career change or not?

[regalsun]

I'm sure you encouter these frequently, so please bear with me. I am a 35 yr old who quit my profession as a programmer of 9 yrs and just obtained an FAA flight dispatchers license. However, I do not want to pursue it as a career, so I am contemplating flying as a profession, since I have a long standing interest in civil aviation. My question is at my age, can one realistically expect to end up at a major airline, after paying ones dues, as I am pretty sure that would be my ultimate goal? I know if I am going to make the move, I'll have to make it very soon, as I am probably approaching the limit to enter this particular field, with those particular aims. I have enough savings to probably pay for the training, and I am single with no dependents and have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, (and postgraduate study in IS). Also there is a possibility I could work for a foreign carrier for a few years to build up some hours on qualifying.
I would genuinely appreciate any advice from some of experienced individuals and fine minds who frequent this forum.

Many Thanks.

 

[Timebuilder]

Could you eventually get on with a major, starting with no time, and at your age? Maybe. It could easily be five or six years before all of the furloughees are back at work, and then there are the currently qualified pilots who are in line in front of you for a job with a "major".


You have two questions to ask yourself, first. Number one is, do you love to fly? Go to the Be A Pilot website, and make arrangements for a intro flight to see if you would rather be flying than just about anything else.


If yes, then go to an AME and ask for a physical to First Class standards, and find out if you can likely retain the medical condition to allow you to pass future examinations. Do you have a family or personal medical history that points to possible problems down the road? It's an important question. Discuss all of your information with the doc, and explain WHY you are asking.


Remember, there are many pilots who will never fly for a major, and I'm one of them. If I was twenty, I'd say sure, I'll go for it.

For many pilots, a career doesn't need to happen at Big Airlines.

Good luck.

 

[wxman]

I would have to agree with the previous reply. Definitely make sure that you really want to fly for a living, and you should certainly verify that you can pass, and continue to pass, a first class medical.

I also wanted to emphasize the point that you can have a great aviation career without flying for a major. As a matter of fact, the regionals are looking very good right now. There is also corporate flying. Finally, don't forget about Flight Instructing. Yes, that's right, I said Flight Instructing. If you can get on with a good school, like a University, you can have a very stable career with a steady income, benefits, etc. That's what I do currently. I could easily see myself staying here till retirement, or moving on to another flying job. Flight Instructing can be very rewarding.

Good Luck!

 

[bobbysamd]

Life begins at 40 (or 35)?

Don't hold your breath.

I've written plenty about my experiences as an over-35 aviation career-changer fifteen years ago. In 1987, a hiring boom was on, Kit Darby was troweling the same palaver he trowels now about a pilot shortage, and the economy was doing well. I was 36 and had most of my ratings. After seeking and receiving advice, I decided to change careers. All I needed were my multi and MEI. All I ever wanted was a commuter airline career.

Well, at the risk of sounding like a broken record to regular readers, I hit a wall, which I blame in large part on age discrimination. I was forty; the commuters who were hiring flight instructors were taking on those who were nearly half my age. Nothing extraordinary about their quals; they were flight instructors just like me. You figure it out. The economy had hit a wall as well.

I second Timebuilder and Wxman. Don't harbor any fantasies about a career with the majors. Notwithstanding the furloughees, there are too many younger and better-qualified pilots ahead of you. If you're lucky, and I emphasize, lucky, maybe you can breach the age discrimination wall at the regionals. If you cannot, there are still plenty of things you can do. Nothing wrong with being a professional flight instructor. G-d knows, that area of the profession needs dedicated, professional, mature individuals. You can fly corporate or freight. Dare I suggest the FAA - another segment of the business that needs professional individuals.

Best advice I can give is have realistic expectations, especially given the times we're in. Best of luck with your decision.

 

[cvsfly]

Quote: Remember, there are many pilots who will never fly for a major, and I'm one of them. If I was twenty, I'd say sure, I'll go for it.

For many pilots, a career doesn't need to happen at Big Airlines.
---
Yeah, I don't why the airlines are still considered the golden carrot in aviation. Well, maybe I do. All the hype the flight schools, Air, Inc, etc. promote make it seem that is the only worthwhile job in aviation. I myself am trying to avoiding the airline life style. I.e. leaving a decent paying, steady job where I'm home most nights, for an industry that has been in turmoil for the last 20 yrs. The airlines used to be the solid, steady, predictable career, and steady income progression. I hate being a passenger on airlines and I hate the commuting even more. The airlines have proven to be in the last few decades no more stable as corporate companies. Yes, my corporate job could be gone tomorrow and I have no union to help me. But that's life. Move on. At an airline I could be furloughed tomorrow as well. And you will be required to pay union dues, but unions have been known to detroy companies and I don't like being dictated to on when and who I can work for. Unions serve a purpose, especially with a company that has no regard for their employees (so why work for them at all!), but they have a way of loosing sight of what they are there for through their own self interests. Yes they may get you contracts where you make alot of money further down the road, but what good is that if the labor costs drive a company under? From this board I have heard alot of whinning from many airline factions, alot of back stabbing - nothing I want to be a part of. The only pride I see nowadays are statements to the fact that "we are better than you because we have a better contract". No evidence of pride in the job. Then there are those who cry about salary and work rules, then at the same time (or years earlier) were saying they would do anything to fly for airline, PFT, lousy early pay, work for 6 mo. with one company just to jump to another. You find pros and cons for any job. Get the facts and ignore the hype.

 

[El Cid Av8or]

HooYah!

Excellent post on all points, cvsfly. I hope to see you on the corporate airways sometime down the road.

regalsun: I am kind of in the same boat you are... almost 32 and I just haven't quit my IT job yet. I am going for corporate aviation (after flight training, hour-building/instructing, low-end freight, etc). It will be a long process but I firmly believe that it's worth it. Thank God that my wife wants me to do it almost as much as I want to do it.

 

[regalsun]

Thanks for all the replies, they have been quite informative. I just wanted to make sure I was getiing frank advice, and not just listening to the sunny (and almost certainly biased) projections put forth when you call a flight school to discuss the subject. Thanks again.