IF you could do it over again

[Alaskaairlines]

Well you know what guys......

I am a PP and training for my Instrument,etc..

I think the fling bug is in my blood. Its kind-of funny to remember what my mother says I said when I was bout 4: "When I grow up, I will be as tall as a piano and smart as an airplane".

I am about 6'3" and am on the path to an airline career. So it usually starts at an early age, at least for me and to many others on this board.

What do you guys think of my friend who is 37 and is almost done with his Inst rating, has a degree?

He wants to become an airline pilot also - realistic?

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I got started at a regional at age 39. There was a lady a few classes ahead of me that was hiring on at age 55.

Cliff
GRB

 

[bobbysamd]

Age discrimination and competition

What do you guys think of my friend who is 37 and is almost done with his Inst rating, has a degree?

He wants to become an airline pilot also - realistic?

I do not believe that it is realistic. For one thing, he would likely use the regionals as a stepping stone. I believe that age discrimination is rampant at the regionals.

I was 36 and had been flying for about five years when I decided to change careers to professional aviation. I had my four-year degree and just needed my multi ratings. At that time, in 1987-'88, there was a major hiring boom. Although I was a little light on time (about 900 total, about 35 of multi) I started applying immediately to regionals. I received replies that I didn't have enough time. I also applied to freight. About ten months later, I got an instructing job at ERAU. At ERAU I built total and multi time, and got my ATP and a Citation type. All the while I continued to apply to the regionals. I was pushing 40 at the time.

I finally had four interviews and a cattle call, but otherwise received few responses to my reams of inquiries. However, my peers at Riddle, who were 25 and younger, were getting interviews at the same places to which I applied but had heard nothing. Nothing different, such as 135 time, distinguished their quals from mine. Thus, it takes neither a pilot or rocket scientist to figure out what was happening to me.

A more recent example would be a friend of mine. We're about the same age. About four years ago he went to a regional interview and was rejected. He found out that he was flat-out rejected because of his age.

You do hear stories about the majors hiring pilots who are over 40. What those stories fail to mention is that these pilots have been flying for years and are very experienced and qualified. They may be ex-military, or corporate, or have flown for the regionals. They are finally getting their chance.

Finally, in case you haven't noticed, is the majors are in bad shape. For example, United is in bankruptcy and has furloughed thousands of pilots. American has furloughed thousands. U is in bankruptcy. The economy is bad. Let's assume your friend gets a regional job and builds hours. By the time he's ready to move up there may not be many openings available at the majors. And he will have to fight off the furloughees, regional pilots, corporate and freight pilots, etc. who've been in the game longer than he. In other words, if your friend wants to be an "airline" pilot, he might have to revisit his definition of "airline."

Your friend can still build a flying career. But he would be well advised to look elsewhere besides the airlines. Best of luck to your friend.

 

[ultrarunner]

".....A more recent example would be a friend of mine. We're about the same age. About four years ago he went to a regional interview and was rejected. He found out that he was flat-out rejected because of his age....."


Good grief... you think these hiring folks are stupid??? C'mon. Lets just assume your logic is correct....rejection because of age.... Hiring departments have way too much to do than call people in for interivews that they plan on rejecting.

You went on 4 or 5 interiews??? That's more that a bunch of other folks. Think about that!

 

[Barberpole]

I have enjoyed my aviation career through the good times and bad times including being currently unemployed. I was fortunate enough to get my private pilot license as a senior in high school and work my way up through the ranks. I attended a technical college and got my A&P. There were the awful jobs including my favorite quote from a co-worker "If I ever lose this job I'll have to move to Tia Juana and suck d**k for a living until I get my self respect back." Then there were the OK jobs that you stayed long enough to get your experience and move on. Then my last job was my dream job or so I thought until it was gone.

I remain optimistic that the good times are not gone but only beginning. As I consider all the opportunities my aviation career has given me, I would only change one thing. When I was a beginning aviator I was very cynical and did not have the foresight to think I would ever make it as far as I have. Some of my earliest full time flying jobs I hated at the time. As I look back at them from this direction I wish I would have enjoyed them while I was there.

My life has been enhanced by the opportunity to experience so many different cultures. Not only the international experence but all of the different cultures that exist right here in the US. People who do not fly for a living have no concept of what we do every day at work. My office window has the best view available although there are times when I would rather be looking at the weather radar on my home television instead of in front of my airplane.

If you have a dream to become a career pilot, don't ever give up on your dream. There were numerous occasions when I was ready to give up and call it quits. Now I am glad I stayed in the game.

 

[bobbysamd]

Age discrimination

Good grief... you think these hiring folks are stupid???

Yes. I do think they're stupid and narrow-minded. They cannot see beyond the screening profile they've been given. You asked.

C'mon. Lets just assume your logic is correct....rejection because of age.... Hiring departments have way too much to do than call people in for interivews that they plan on rejecting.

No, they don't. I believe that H.R. brings in quite a few people whom they don't plan on hiring. They do it to cover their asses on EOE and EEOC issues, to avoid being accused of discrimination.

Have you ever noticed that section at the bottom of application forms that invites you to check off questions about your age, gender and ethnicity? I am sure that is a federal requirement. You're d@mned if you and d@mned if you don't fill it out. Omit it, and it gives the impression of not being cooperative. Fill it in, and it gives them all the information they need to toss your app.

It's been said that H.R. now does everything it can to disqualify people, not qualify them. It used to be the other way around.

You went on 4 or 5 interiews??? That's more that a bunch of other folks. Think about that!

I have thought about it many times over the years. I knew of people who've gone on more. I consider my interview rate of return to be very low when compared against my resume, app and update output. Moreover, as I wrote above, I never heard from many of the regionals from whom my younger colleagues heard from. I applied to a few of these regionals for as long as six years! Go search my other posts for more.