Returning to flying ,best options

[B GUMPS]

Im hoping that some of you that are currently flying could help with some imputs about my dilemma. I left flying as A CFI 3 years ago due to the state of the industry at the time and started my own business in another field. With a wife and 2 teenage kids I had to do this to get by.Finances are better now and I would like to return to flying either as a CFI and then hopefully to fly freight or to a regional. Alot of people I have talked to say that I am going to have a hard time explaining why i left and alot of employers would be hesitant to hire me. I am not very young (37) but I do have around 3000 hours and hold an ATP with about 100 hours multi. Any advice about how to get back into it would be appreciated and whether I am too old to consider a career with a regional would be great

 

[TDTURBO]

Im hoping that some of you that are currently flying could help with some imputs about my dilemma. I left flying as A CFI 3 years ago due to the state of the industry at the time and started my own business in another field. With a wife and 2 teenage kids I had to do this to get by.Finances are better now and I would like to return to flying either as a CFI and then hopefully to fly freight or to a regional. Alot of people I have talked to say that I am going to have a hard time explaining why i left and alot of employers would be hesitant to hire me. I am not very young (37) but I do have around 3000 hours and hold an ATP with about 100 hours multi. Any advice about how to get back into it would be appreciated and whether I am too old to consider a career with a regional would be great

My buddy just got on with a night freight company that's even local, he's flying Barons and later the "MU2" and he's 58!

He only has 1200 hrs spread over 28 years and just got his CFI this Spring!

He is doing what I will do when I retire from practice.

 

[Vik]

Is your CFI cert current/valid? If not, renew it and start instructing. IFR current? If not, fix it.

The regionals don't care that you took a break, they just want to see that you are CURRENT.

I've spoken to people that have gone to regional interviews that never technically stopped flying but were only logging 5-10hrs per month and were told it wasn't enough.

So start CFIing and logging some flight time. 37 isn't bad. I know a guy that STARTED getting his ratings etc at 37.

Thats the first step. You have plenty of flight time so its just a matter of getting current and applying.

Good luck.