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Too late to start career in aviation???

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RM7599

Active member
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Posts
32
I'm 26 and I just graduated from college with two Bachelors degrees. In your opinion, is it too late to pursue a career in aviation. My goal is to make it to the majors. Thanks in advance for all the opinions and advice
 
Aviation Career

My goodness, no, you are not too old. You certainly have your ticket punched as far as the college requirement goes. Go find a good training situation, get your ratings, get a job, build experience, and get on with a regional. After you're in with a regional, you'll be able to build Part 121 time and be ready to apply to the majors.

I realize this is a gross oversimplification; you'll be working plenty hard and paying plenty of dues along the way to accomplish these tasks, but they are certainly doable.

Now is a particularly good time to train because hiring is slow. The schools may be slow and instructors are looking for work, so this may be a good opportunity to get more individualized instruction.

Good luck with your plans.
 
I would certainly say you're not too old to enter into the field. I too got multiple degrees and spent several years in the corporate world before starting my flight training at age 29. As was mentioned in the previous post, you will pay your dues one way or the other - but when compared to a life spent in a corporate cubicle (been there), it's worth it. The biggest drawback for the most part is the pay as you get started. Don't even be tempted to compare your pay checks to those of your old college buddies at the start....it'll keep you awake at night. Aside from that, this really isn't a bad time at all to start training. You have plenty of years ahead of you to build a long and successful career. Best of Luck.
RR
 
Hey,
Private: age30
Instrument: age32
Commercial Multi: age33
A&P: age35
Freight135: age38
Airline121(turboprop): age40
Airline121(turboprop/jet): age42
currently age44
Piece-o-cake
You just have to have a desire and willingness(not care?) to be poor, work long hours, flush a relationship or two.
But all-in-all sittin in the front of a CRJ @FL280, cold soda,snack, colder a/c
and another 1-2hrs to go-
Yup I'd do it all again the same way!!!
Go for it, no hesitation!!!

:D
 
Two bachelor's degrees? You're off to a great start. In my opinion, you have the hard part over with.

Back to your question. I previously was a Dispatcher for a very large Regional Airline and knew a CRJ Captain who was a cop for 13 years, decided to change careers, soloed at the age of 36, and made captain by the age of 41, so there you have it. You're definetly not too old.

Good luck.
 
I once met a captain for Comair who told me he STARTED flying at age 40. He wanted to know about my previous employer, as they had Caravans he could fly after age 60. He never wanted to stop. If you love it, and persue it, the job will come. I'm much older than most of the captains I fly with, but there are people newer than me, that are also older than me. It's never too late. Good luck to you.

PS,
I would recommend you read the book "I could do anything I wanted, if I only knew what it was," by Barbara Sher. It helped me to make the jump, and it's the best thing I have ever done.
 
Too old at 26? Maybe to be an Olympic gymnast but not a pilot. Go for it!

Average age at my school is 32. All involved are going after a career.
 
Well, seeing that the average age of a new hire at the majors when they were hiring was around 34-36 I think you are ok. Just start working on your ratings and keep plugging. One step at a time.




RM7599 said:
I'm 26 and I just graduated from college with two Bachelors degrees. In your opinion, is it too late to pursue a career in aviation. My goal is to make it to the majors. Thanks in advance for all the opinions and advice
 

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