31 Years too old?

As for the eyesight issue, YOU WILL GET THE 1ST CLASS!!! NO DOUBT!!! I have 20/20 in my left eye, but I'm 20/200 uncorrectable in my right eye. It took awhile to get a waiver, but it was fairly easy!

All of the other points were hit with quite some insight! I did the same thing (testing the waters) and it turned out with my needs and those of my wife, looks like Med School for me! Then I can buy a plane of my own and fly where and when I want!

Your plan seems to be quite reasonable, and well thought out! Best of luck!
 
Well, I may a bit late in responding to your original post, so Ill mostly reiterate what the others have said...

I was 31, married with no kids in a $70k+ job that like you I liked for the $$$. I had/have a mortgage, <$1000 credit card debt and two paid-for Hondas. I told my wife in November that I wanted to change careers. Three weeks later I had "interviewed" with ATP, put down my deposit and given notice at work. I had 100 hours of flight time that was roughly 9 years old from college and started ATP on January 3, 2004.

In very late December of 2004, I got a call from ExpressJet asking me for an interview and by February of '05, I was in training.

Along the way my wife lost an Audi A4, which was to be her Christmas present in '04, and the ability to be a stay at home mom with our children--the one thing in the world that she most wants to do (Mackenzie was born May 18, 05).

It is NOT too late. But make triple-y sure that you have the support of your wife. And no matter how much she agrees, she will rue the day that she said go for it. BUT, in many ways, you will also make her very proud and things WILL get better (then they'll get worse again--but then they'll get better. It IS a viscious cycle that never ends).

As someone above pointed out, send your wife to pilotfamilies.com. She will NEED it because none of her friends will be able to understand what she is going through.

Also, make sure this is what you want to do. As said before, being an airline pilot is still just a job. Some people love it, other get bitter and hate it. Me, I love my job when the cockpit door closes to when it opens again at the end of the flight--you'll see what I mean.

The point of all this is: once you decide to do it (and I mean really decide, a here we go kind of decision), my advice is to dive in head first and go as fast as you can.

Two things you need to know... First, seniority is everything. Don't let anyone tell you different. Second, good, recent multi-time will speed you toward the airlines faster than single engine flight time. Don't let anyone tell you different!

Good luck.
Jeremy
 
LoadMasterC141 said:
Thanks for all the great input so far folks!'

Here is what has changed my plan a bit:
1) The repeated "ARE YOU SURE YOUR WIFE WILL OK?". Well no, I am not. I am also not sure it is right to put her through it even if she is.
2) "Are you sure you are not just playing a grass is greener episode?" "Its' just a job after a while" "I would sell my left testicle for $70K/yr"

How about this:
Year one--I get a PPL and high perf/Retract gear rating immediately. Fly some weekend fun trips.

Year two--I take a 4 month leave of absence from my job, after saving to compensate. I go to ATP and get IFR, MULTI, ATP, CFI, CFII tickets. Downside is the fat loan here. Basically, I'll trade the beemer for a $15k car, and use the freed up money to pay the loan. A tradeoff I have absolutely no problems with really.

Year three--Job Switch! I become a school teacher (Easy to do where I am) and take advantage of long summers, ample other time off, to supplement my income by instructing. Thus building hours as well.

Year 5-6--Take the plunge into a flying environment, if I am not happy doing what I was doing, or want more. I actually think I would prefer a corporate job more than anything, and have a few good ins. The company I work for has two well kept, but old, lears. The are purchasing a Citation this year with plans for another in a few years. Besides that, there are a few other opportunities. I could see myself content as the teacher/Flight instructor guy for some time. The income would come close if I worked at it, and my wife and I could have sex in the school janitor closet everyday. hehe just kiddin. Wanted to get some eyes open.

OK So I have one serious question:
Do I go here:http://www.templeaero.com/ . I called the number yesterday and got a lady who immediately gave me an instructor number. I called him and he said he was Lt.COL out of Ft.Hood and was in Michigan this week. He said we would get together next week and set up a schedule. School is now Part 61 only. They have 5 aircraft (2 172s, a 150, and Arrow, and a Seneca). 3 are GPS equipped. The only real upsides are that they are local and have a decent mix of aircraft to rent in the future.

OR Do I go here: http://www.allianceflight.com/ft/private.pilot.license.html
I would need a loan or payment plan to start this one. It is also a 1.5 hour drive from my house versus the 10 minutes for the other place. The only upside to this one is that it seems a more professionally developed school, curriculum.
Click to expand...

I like your plan up to about stage three. Become a teacher. Flight Instruct weekends and summers. GREAT QOL, decent money. It's exactly what I am doing starting in 3 months.
 
I hope 31 isn't too old. If it is I am screwed. :)

I am 34 and just getting started. If its what you want, and you have the sack and cash to handle the transition. Go for it man.
 
OH. Also do not buy into that Part 141 crap.

Read the FAR guidlines. You will see that part 141 and 61 are not any different when it comes to PTS standards. I find Part 141 to be too structured and I will never understand why the Hour requirements are relaxed for Part 141.
I train under Part 61. The requirements for Hours are more demanding, but the curriculum is also more flexible and catered to my strengths/weaknesses and needs.

The most important thing is to find an instructor that will teach you to be a pilot. Not just pass checkrides, also personallity matters with an instructor. You want to find someone that you enjoy flying with. You are gonna spend alot of time in close contact with them.

Thats just my $.02 there are many people on this board that will help guide you in the right direction. Good Luck Man.
 
Well I am with the make dang sure and don't burn bridges crowd.

I am 32, have 2 kids from a previous marriage and re-married. I also have a high paying job. I hate the work. I mean loathe it. It is hot, sometimes dangerous, long hours, physical work. Occasionally I get to do what my mind is capable of and program some automation which I enjoy. Other than that, the only good part of my job is the Cabbage. I was set up to leave the navy and start at Ari-Ben in Florida. I decided maybe I should save some money first so I took this job which I have rapidly promoted through. Sounds kinda like what you did. I went and got my private. I bought a 150 not too long ago and am trying to build some hours. I still have the job and am spending way to much time at it to fly as much as I would like. I figure, I will finish my ratings sooner or later and decide after that what I am doing. I'll see how much I like instructing as a part time gig and hopefully by then the wife will have moved into true "Suga-mama" status.

My advice, get someone to help you buy an IFR Cessna 150(wish I had). Get your private in it. Then work on instrument and all your time building. You will save so much money over renting another persons airplane for all of that. Plus, you can be one of us rich airplane owner types :) . You should see peoples face when they actually see the airplane my wife and I own. I guess they pictured a lear jet or something. Unless you have no time with your job to spend a couple of hours 2 or 3 times a week at the airport, keep your job. $70K is nothing to scoff at and honestly gives you some oppurtunities that a lot of people on here don't have. I agree with Aloft that seniority counts at an airline. I also believe that maintaining a somewhat confortable lifestyle is important as well.
 
I'm with the old folks here. I'll be starting my training at 35 years old in a short couple years from now. I'll be leaving a career where over 10 years of hard work I now make over six figures a year (of source this level of success comes with extreme hours and pressure and stress to perform better than your peers and subordinates and to watch the guy behind you that might take your job and push you out of the company which has a good 50% turnover rate due to a sales type culture being super aggressive... how did I survive so long and keep my health... argh!).

Anyway, my first good memory is of an airport and it's been my dream since I was a child. My family been against it since I was born though since they see pilots as nothing more than blue collar bus drivers that have no stability. Hey, I lost 60% of my income after 9-11 so not sure where the stability is in any career... and with my comment above in quote, that's not stability either! To make a long story short. I knew I had to do this whole thing on my own and have every support line I have look at me in disbelief (we talk about my plans all the time and I hear constantly how I am out to destroy my life... is this why I like goth music?). Well, good 5 years ago I set out seriously pursue my dream. I put a written financial plan and persoanl goals plan together that's on track for a 2008 go date. Here is what I done so far to prepare (and what else I will do before I start since I work best when I fully jump into a situation with 100% focus):

1) I bought a house to build some equity over a few years while I pay off old debt.
2) Now I just did my first major life restructure since i just sold my house after beig in it a few years. I used the profit now to pay off a chunk of this large debt load I aquired to stay afloat after 9-11. Yeah, stability in the corporate world... we get layed-off or forced to take pay cuts to keep our jobs too (I was lucky since I got the pay cut, the other option was being out the door!). And I'm moving to back to the apartment life to be mobile in the future since I know I can't be tied down with a house payment or tied to a certain geographic region since to get ahead in aviation it seems you must be mobile to take the best opportunities as the arise.
2) I am now working on being 100% debt free. Owe not a penny to anyone, for anything. Zero credit cards debt. Own my 2005 car out right (10 years of relibale transport). Own my 2006 motorcycle out right (the bike was my personal reward for getting this far since it's been a long battle over the last 5 years and things are still right on track... and I paid cash for the bike so it did not incurr extra debt for you critics out there... if paying off debt the rule is to never take on any new debt of course).
3) Then in about a year I'll quickly save at least $50K in cash since once debt free in about a year I should be able to hoard away around $4K a month into savings after just paying for rent and utilites and having some fun money to enjoy life since in my stressful corporate gig a person does need one day a week to let loose in order to keep sane.
4) Be sure to have maintained a perfect credit score since once I hit $50K+ in cash savings I'll take out a loan from good ol' Sallie or Key for the cost of the program I chose (Ari-Ben and Falcon and Flight Safety are the three choices I'm watching right now, but I'll decide once closer to a start date which suites me best... leaning toward Falcon right now). Although, I won't need most of the money I get a loan for, it's "safety money" to ensure I get through the program without money worries of any kind (heck, I have to pay for housing and everything on my own and the total cost of everything does add up to a good sum no matter where you go for 8-12 months of schooling without working). At the end of the program and when I begin as a Flight Instructor, I can pay one big lump sum back to Sallie or Key since then I hopefully will feel like I do not need any "safety cash" to fall back on since I will have very limited debt and hoepfully be able to get by for a few years on very limited income since I still have a late model reliable car and a motorcycle I can always sell if I really had to at that point (things can always be earned back over time)...

So I think if someone really has a plan that makes sense and works for them, go for it! Sounds like a lot of us here have different plans, but all seem very sound and well thought out.

And remember, you can always go back to where you came from if the new direction does not work out. Now of course I can't jump right back into a $100K+ position if the flight stuff is not what I thought it would be, but I can work my way back up over a few years once again in the corporate world by being that aggressive new guy once again who works his way up to the top of the pyramid. I doubt I dislike flying for a living though since it is my passion. And I have a PPL from a few years ago (non-current due to lack of time to fly on the one full day a week I get to truly relax). I'm ready for my office with a better view!

And will would I like to be in 10 years? A corproate flight department! That is where I will add tremendous value to a company since I can be more than just a pilot with the 10 years of business experience I'll have backing up that flight time. See you all in the sky...
 
This post really puts some hope into my life. I am 25, and just beginning a degree in a field that is totally unrelated to aviation. I started this late becuase I didn't have the money to start earlier, and I am doing this, becuase although being a pilot is a lifelong dream, I can't afford it right now. So I will be done at 29 with a first degree. At that point, hopefully before I hope to work on my PPL and eventually get up to my commercial rating. I was really worried about being too old, to get hired by an airline, but the truth of the matter is, I don't mind flying for regionals, cargo airlines or simply recreational flying. Regardless of the route I choose, it is good to known that I am not too late.

P.S. My first post, great site.
 
Good luck, first of all in whatever direction you choose to go.

I think you intially stacked the deck against yourself by thinking that you have to rush into it...in MY opinion: if you go balls to the wall and invest in a full commercial program that gets you from zero to hero in 3 months-- and then go right into CFI wages it will flat-out kill you.

I agree with peoples advice at engaging your wife in a solid plan for this, but I did like your 5-6 year plan. As most have said-- after your PPL, IFR tickets you will really have a good idea on the direction you'll want to go. Maybe you can look into SATSAir. You may even get into Angel flights...

Make sure you connect with people that have been on the flip-side of the airlines. I have an employee that used to work for me at our flight school who built 100 hours of multi, and went and flew a Bae146 for Mesaba and was furloughed within a year. That means he woke up in the morning and had nowhere to go. He came back asking about flight instructing again-- and I felt so bad for him. The good news was that he had built quite a bit of SIC turbine time and was a good candidate for other airlines. now he flies for Eagle. But that time off from work-- with loan payments, etc is something that many may not consider, so although it sounds pessimistic-- be prepared for the worst.

I guess my main advice is to plan it out carefully and don't be super rushed-- I have a friend who is 39 and is flying a CRJ out of Dulles starting next week. (just got hired).


Go Big Red. I am proud to say I was NOT a rich kid with nothing better to do. PM me sometime, I would be happy to help if I can.


JM
 
I took the opportunity of losing my PPL instructor to stop and start saving money to pay-off debt. I got rid of my expensive vehicle, cell phones, cable, started selling things, and began following my wife around turning off cell lights.

I have managed to pay off $15k in debt in the last 5 months. My idea has been to finish my PPL and head to ATP in Aug-Sep with $15-20k saved towards the loan.

Anyway, big news today!
Since I began this endeavor, my wife has been very supportive and willing to sacrifice things except for ONE little thing: We had to keep the house. Well she told me tonight that she would rather sell the house and move to the Dallas area while I am training and instructing! Her preference would be to stay in Dallas for a while, but unless American Eagles' upgrade times go down alot, we may have one more move....and she was ok with that too!
God I owe my wife the world.

This will significantly help our financial situation. With little to no debt left and a small house or condo rent, we can easily afford to get through ATP and survive the lean instructor and 1st yr regional pays. She is a very qulaified teacher, so finding a new job for her is no worries.

I could be in the ACPP by mid to late May! Yeah Baby! I am gonna have to ramp up and start finishing that PPL soon. I get to fly again soon! Yes!
 
LoadMasterC141,

Congratulations on taking the steps to realize your dream to become a pilot! Regarding your comment on American Eagle, I wouldn't count on their upgrade time to be reduced any time soon. Anything can happen but history has shown that AE has one of the slowest upgrade time often upwards into 10+ years. Having a supportive spouse and staying out of debt are great assets to your aspiration. Keep up the great strides! Best of luck to you sir.
 
Similiar story- While deciding my MOS, this corporal says, "Man with your scores you can do anything you want."
" Ok, I says, I'm up for jet jockey."
He looks at my vision score and says- "fella, you might be a pilot one day- but with your vision, you sure as hell won't be flying anything the US gov't owns!!!
30 years later I started training. CPL- Vision is correctable-Macht nichts
Tell me, were you a Texas resident when you joined up and were active duty a full enlistment w/ hon. discharge?
There's a big @#$%% diff between flying when you want to & when you have to. Give me a shout & I'll get you a ride on one of our 402's at night in bad weather, when you know you HAVE to go anyway, THEN decide.
31? are you shaving yet?:whatever:
 
I was a NY resident. Yes I was honorably discharged from the active duty.

402 in bad weather sounds like fun to me. I have some pretty good hair raising weather stories from my 141 time too.
 
texas_pilot said:
Similiar story- While deciding my MOS, this corporal says, "Man with your scores you can do anything you want."
" Ok, I says, I'm up for jet jockey."
He looks at my vision score and says- "fella, you might be a pilot one day- but with your vision, you sure as hell won't be flying anything the US gov't owns!!!
30 years later I started training. CPL- Vision is correctable-Macht nichts
Tell me, were you a Texas resident when you joined up and were active duty a full enlistment w/ hon. discharge?
There's a big @#$%% diff between flying when you want to & when you have to. Give me a shout & I'll get you a ride on one of our 402's at night in bad weather, when you know you HAVE to go anyway, THEN decide.
31? are you shaving yet?:whatever:
Click to expand...

Am I reading this post wrong or does it sound... unusually condescending?

And how many versions of "texas" pilots do we have around here?
 
X-1. Stone Cold is a former member of the "Texas Monikered Screen Name" Gang.
 
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