What is the oldest career changer?

I'm 34 and I'm just starting to crack down on the CFI ticket.

Which in a way is a blessing as I'll freely admit I would have been a crappy CFI at 23 or 24.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
What exactly is the definition of career changer?
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Mine is being in a field more then 15 years (if not 20) and changing the career completely. Pilot to Police Officer, Engineer to Pilot, FT job and PT job or Hobby and making PT or Hobby FT and reducing old FT to next to nothing.
What is yours?

Edit: To add, having to tell the wife that for the past 25 years you have made more then her by 300% or more to her making more then you the first few years by 100% or more....
 
I started training full time when I was 27, and left my engineering job at 30 to become a full time CFI. That was almost 7 years ago, no regrets so far! I've now spent more years as a pro pilot than an engineer, which is interesting. Time sure flys by!
 
drunkenbeagle said:
What exactly is the definition of career changer?
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I'm going to side with a few others on here and say that it's leaving a full time gig to fly for a living. I also consider a career changer someone that was flying for a living and took a better gig only to go back to aviation. Or someone that has a part time flight job to build time and a full time job to cover their living expenses.
 
I jumped ship last month and turn 38 on Monday. Just the tip of the iceberg, but taking a paycut to fly bigger planes for a company making record profits leads to worse things in the future. No thanks.
 
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ComplexHiAv8r said:
What did you jump too @CirrusMonkey?
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I am back in school full-time and working as a glorified bus driver (no, seriously). I plan on staying with Seattle Metro Transit but hopefully in the engineering department. It's not flying a plane, which I really miss but I am close to the kids, have a pension and eat from my own frige.
 
CirrusMonkey said:
I I am back in school full-time and working as a glorified bus driver (no, seriously). I plan on staying with Seattle Metro Transit but hopefully in the engineering department. It's not flying a plane, which I really miss but I am close to the kids, have a pension and eat from my own frige.
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Good luck. So engineering, which discipline? I've gone the other way.
 
CirrusMonkey said:
Civil/Traffic. You left the field to fly?
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Yep, just done with it. Even had a small GA plane with company but done playing that game. Always wanted to do 121 so I got myself in a position to do that. I'm urging the pilot shortage wave!

@Kristie isn't that your field of engineering?
 
tbstanto said:
I was at a job fair this past weekend and was told by a Captain at PSA that they have a gentleman in their current class that is 60 years old.
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Encouraging. I'm 52 and at a dead end in careers. Thinking about going back to school full time if the wife allows it.
 
@CirrusMonkey, what route are you driving? I worked for Metro in the late90'-early00's, my faves were 1, 2, 3, 4 and 13, ( trolley power! ). I lived on QA hill back then so I could often go home on breaks.

I am now a 51 year old career changer living in Kailua Kona, HI. I've been working in resort security and driving tour buses since I moved here, (yes, it takes more than 1 job to make ends meet here, if your a working stiff). My wife and I have taken on more work and a couple of extra part time jobs to finance my need to fly and I plan to start at my local flight service in September.

At my advanced age I don't expect to see the left seat of a B747, but the left seat of a Caravan, Q400 or if I'm really lucky a B717, would be a great way to spend the rest of my working life.
 
Good luck to you. They say the Big Island is where you can get more for your real estate dollar compared to the other islands. I'm hoping to get a retirement place in Hawaii in a few years. Maybe I will be your F/O some day. I lived in West Seattle when you were driving for Metro and ran a raggedy little flying club out of BFI.
 
I'll see ya on the flight deck. Yes, the Big Island is the most bang for your property buying buck, once you get outside of Kona, which is why some people will put up with 90min to 2hr commute so they can work in Kona, ( more jobs ), and live in Hilo ( lower cost of living ).
 
I'm 44, so I guess I'm not the oldest, but I have heard of a few regional FOs in initial training at over 60.
 
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