is 40 to 45 too old to get hired at a major?

[pilotyip]

And my opinion is worth less than nothing. Bottom line is if you're going to invest in this career, why would you put yourself at such a disadvantage when 90%_+ at every airline have degrees?

Great numbers when about 95% of those applying have college degrees. Besides getting an A&P certifiacte is nothing compared to an on-line dgree in Gender Stuides from Bubblebee State.

 

[Caveman]

Back on topic......I was hired at a major at 47. Finished IOE on my 48th birthday.

PS: I don't have a 4 year degree.

 

[pilotyip]

Back on topic......I was hired at a major at 47. Finished IOE on my 48th birthday.

PS: I don't have a 4 year degree.

Congrats, the college only crowd hates to hear this. It makes it much harder to justify the $100K of debt. Which if you care to say?

 

[FurloughedAgain]

I have a degree, but honestly don't see how it applies to work as a pilot. It's just a differentiator to help narrow the vast field of applicants during the fat times - no different than PIC turbine requirements or astronaut checkboxes on the apps. That said, I think if an individual wants to do more than just line flying (say branch out into training, standards, management etc) the ability to research a topic, and effectively communicate your thoughts on that topic in written or spoken word make the time spent in college a more valuable proposition.

I turned 40 last fall and was hired at my most recent major in January btw.

 

[DCAA320]

I have a degree, but honestly don't see how it applies to work as a pilot.

Maybe it was your choice of colleges?

That old saying that there is no such thing as a stupid question, just a myth.
You can tell in class sometimes.

Just had a guy walk onto the flight deck toting a flip phone, OMG!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Lol. I won't lie. My choice of colleges was not among my best decisions. ;-)

 

[DCAA320]

Lol. I won't lie. My choice of colleges was not among my best decisions. ;-)

Hope you had a good time at least

 

[airplane wizard]

Is this about you and your ego? That ^^^ your story?

Haha- look man- I actually do value the English major over the A&P. what are you gonna do? Climb into the tail with a wrench inflight if we go Sioux city? I'd rather have the diverse pilot.
That's just me.

And my opinion is worth less than nothing. Bottom line is if you're going to invest in this career, why would you put yourself at such a disadvantage when 90%_+ at every airline have degrees?

There are so many ways to get it done now, it's full blown stupid not to have one as an airline pilot. (And I know many good pilots, who fit that bill and it's worked out. Many more who are still slaving away at regionals)

Is the English major going to be writing a book inflight? It can't hurt for a pilot to know a little something about airplanes. What about common sense....wasting your money on a useless degree???

 

[Dumb Pilot]

I've said it before that I have used my education in other ventures outside of aviation and I have put it to good use on my company and such, but not on my job as a pilot, this here is a technical career. It makes a LOT more sense to me pilots being hired into an academy stile education like it is common practice in many other countries, this way they will get 4 years in an education about their craft, a requirement of a degree as such, without it being of any importance on what the degree is, that is just moronic.

 

[vetrider]

If nothing else, I doubt anyone would ever regret having a degree. Mine is as useless as tits on a boar hog as is, in and of itself, but I'm glad I have it.

 

[pilotyip]

If nothing else, I doubt anyone would ever regret having a degree. Mine is as useless as tits on a boar hog as is, in and of itself, but I'm glad I have it.

As opposed to not having any regrets to being successful in life in one of the skilled trades, such as ATC, pilot, mechanic, small business owner, plumber, electrician, nuclear power plant operator, Radiation Physiologist, RN, etc. All high paying jobs not requiring a college degree. All these trades requiring a much higher degree of knowledge expansion than the on-line degree in Gender studies from Bubble Bee State. We all have many thing to proud of in life and a college degree is only one of them.

The airline HR dept's are absolutely stupid to allow the on-line degree in Gender studies from Bubble Bee State to carry greater weight than other significant life accomplishments. In could be SWA's HR dept not being hung up on this stupid requirement that makes it such as great job

 

[jonjuan]

Congrats, the college only crowd hates to hear this. It makes it much harder to justify the $100K of debt. Which if you care to say?

Sounds like he had 25 years of life experience which made up for the lack of a degree. Not many pilots want to wait until 48 to get hired at a major.

 

[vetrider]

As opposed to not having any regrets to being successful in life in one of the skilled trades, such as ATC, pilot, mechanic, small business owner, plumber, electrician, nuclear power plant operator, Radiation Physiologist, RN, etc. All high paying jobs not requiring a college degree. All these trades requiring a much higher degree of knowledge expansion than the on-line degree in Gender studies from Bubble Bee State. We all have many thing to proud of in life and a college degree is only one of them.

......

I agree. I'm sure many people without degrees are proud of their accomplishments and have no regrets, as it should be. I've been in cockpits with fellow pilots of all walks: degrees, no degrees, academy grads, military, civilian, fighter pilots, tanker pilots, charter pilots, commuter pilots, you name it. Most times the only way you could tell any of that was if it came out in conversation. All those different backgrounds accomplishing the same task.

 

[pilotyip]

Sounds like he had 25 years of life experience which made up for the lack of a degree. Not many pilots want to wait until 48 to get hired at a major.

I have seen them hired in their early thirty's without degrees, maybe you build life experience faster at KYIP, what you do think?

 

[jonjuan]

Heck, there are CEOs with no college. Rare, but possible.