Changing over at 39...

mooneyguy

mooneyguy

been around forever
Hey all. First let me say i know there may have been some threads like this, but i'm looking for more specifc info that fits my situation. Im sure you have heard this one before but I'm a midlifer who has decided to make a go of flying for a "living" I'm 39(as of just a couple days ago) im about 1 week from finishing up my instrument rating and will start on my comm right after that. I am flying a mooney as much as possible to build some time and experience and have flown about 100 hours last 7 months, with plans to increase that. I am curious, what chance do I have to make it in a 121 op.? Both reg. and major...Right now I do not have a degree, but intend on starting a program right after i get the commercial license(mid summer). if i have the right "time" built inside of the next two years (I would then be 41, and probably only half to 3/4 done with the degree) do you think it would be possible to make a go at the airlines? I would like to hear from people who have made the switch already or if you know someone who has made it and is now flying part 121.
Thank you for reading and any advice you might have!
Tim
 
I say go for it! With that being said take into consideration your family and lifestyle. I don't know if you have kids and/or a wife. Because they will have to sacrifice with you. There are guys/gals at my airline who started at the 40-50 year old range. If you really want something in life go for it. You don't want to look back in a few years and say that you "should have," done that flying thing. Life is too short. Be happy and enjoy what you do.
 
Definitely go for it, but with wife and kids I would say plan it out very carefully. I am not a pro yet, so I won't say much more other than that I am 32yo with a wife and daughter. I'm also chasing my degree online.
 
I am older than you and most people think that it will not be a big factor, especially after my first career pilot job. Here are some things I think I have learned about chasing the dream.

I was going to fly in AZ but the school I was going to go to is having financial problems. I have learned from getting involved with "forumjetcareers.com that in todays climate of getting hired with commercial airlines, it does not require going to an expensive school. Good or bad the hiring minimums have dropped and most places are not even requiring a degree to apply. However I have read a statistic that reports that nearly 100% of new hires have a degree in one field or another.
Colleges take longer, academies are very fast and expensive but, a lot of people in the business think you can get your hours at a Fixed Base Operation or a FBOs and that most are flexible enough that you can get your hours as fast as an academy but for a lot less money.
I have chosen to go to an FBO in Spanish Fork Ut and believe that I will fair just as well finding a job as anyone who went to an expensive academy. I realize that even though Regional Airlines will hire well below their posted minimums I may need to build some time and experience before I get hired. Remember that application requirements for hours and degrees are one thing and actually being offered the job over the other prospective candidates is another. If you talk to people at different FBOs you find there are many different ways to do build time, from Instructing to Utility line spotting. I have heard of some smaller freight companies with low hiring minimums that don’t pay much but can really help you build up some serious hours and experience for your resume as opposed to paying a school for time building only.

Every one needs to do their own research and not any one path works for everyone. In my research this seems to be the best path for me. Also be aware of a serious pitfall with colleges. They wont tell you this when you are signing up with them but - if you take any flight classes with them, then you are locked in with them to buy all your flight credits with them if you are looking for a Degree. Where as if I would have gone to any other accredited school or academy and then came back to them for a degree they would have just given me credit for those classes. I don’t think it is wrong for them to do that but I do think it is CRIMINAL for them not to explain that to you. So now I will pay my FBO school for flight lessons and then be forced to pay for them at my local college as well. Also be aware that not all your flight classes are needed for your degree ie....Multi Engine does not count towards my degree at my college but they are still trying to tell me I have to buy that credit from them as well.

Anyway from one older newbie to another - Good Luck to you and hope to see you out there someday soon.
 
Thanks for the replys, As a follow up, Im fortunate that I should be able to make the switch without having to worry about losing the current pay, or without having to worry about the wife (very supportive) and kids (will be nearly out of high school when i reach the mins.)
That said...I would still love to hear from someone who has already gone through the "midlife change over". I would like to hear about the experience
Thanks again!
Tim
 
Someone on here changed careers at 37. I've seen a few people change over at about the same age...the flight instructor I had for my private recently was offered a job at a regional and he's in his mid-late 40's. So whatever.
 
Just turned 43 a couple of months ago. Seven months ago my wife and I sold the house, quit our jobs in Oklahoma City and moved to Florida to begin my flight training. Both our kids are grown and she's a nurse so getting employment for her is not a problem. I am currently about 3 weeks away from getting my Commercial Multi check ride done and hope to be CFI/II/MEI certified by June.

With the way hiring is going at the regionals right now, I hope to be gainfully employed at one by this time next year. I've seen many other guys my age at my flight school move on to regionals such as American Eagle, Express Jet, Colgan to name a few.

I started training 6 months ago, So far we've been blessed..,things are going well financially for us and I am VERY excited about future prospects. Here's what I've learned from this experience so far..,

1. Dude if it's in your heart, and within your means financially and family wise, go for it! Your not too old, alot of folks here will tell you that (as they told ME) I am seeing it now (guys my age getting hired by regionals) with my own eyes so I know it was sound advice.., I can now pass it on to others like yourself as "eyewitness testimony" of sorts so there's my two cents on that. :)

2. Not a good idea to go into debt for this, you're not going to be making much for a while, so it's best to be able to pay for it how ever you can.
For me it's my home 's equity and the VA.

3. Get a Physical done. Before you spend a red cent, quit, sell your home etc. you need to make sure (without a doubt) that you'll medically qualify for at least the Commercial Liscense that requires a Class 2 Physical. I personally got a Class 1 just to be sure as some airlines may reqire it.

4. Because of my age, my personal search for a flight school began with schools that provided a flight training program that gave me as much multi engine time I could get in the shortest time possible AND was VA certified AND that had a good flow of students so I could continue to be gainfully employed as a CFI building multi engine time as quickly as possible (whew, inhaling).
Everybody's situation is different and you'll know where you want to go as you learn more.

I'm sure there's more that others have experienced so don't hesitate to ask questions, there's ALOT of collective wisdom here. Best of luck!

Rudy
 
By the way, I should probably add that the instructor I spoke of turned down the regional job because he had 2 kids, a wife, a house, etc. He wanted to be home for his kids, the pay was actually less than what he was making as an instructor, and the QOL just wasn't good enough. Just something to think about if you're at that point in your life...
 
mooneyguy said:
Thanks for the replys, As a follow up, Im fortunate that I should be able to make the switch without having to worry about losing the current pay, or without having to worry about the wife (very supportive) and kids (will be nearly out of high school when i reach the mins.)
That said...I would still love to hear from someone who has already gone through the "midlife change over". I would like to hear about the experience
Thanks again!
Tim
Click to expand...
I am not much younger than you and I am midway through the career change thing, definitely doable. I personally know two people who made the move well over 40 and are now flying 121. Bottom line, no problem. Feel free to PM if you need more info.
 
I began flight training in October '03 at age 42. I also started at UVSC online to get my degree. I went throught an accelerated flight school, and completed all of my ratings by April '04. I didn't have enough TT to be a traffic pilot yet, so I got a job at a local FBO and did some flight training and photo flights, basically anything I could do to build time. I got a job as a traffic reporter so that I could slide into the pilot job once I had 500 hours. I then was hired by the accelerated flight school in June. I worked too many hours a day for the next six months getting nearly 650 TT with over 400 ME time. In January '05 I went back to flying traffic full time and began looking for turbine gigs. I got a job in Oct '05 flying SIC 135 and PIC 91 in King Airs, but it was slow and I wanted to work more. As spring '06 progressed I began looking for new opportunities. I saw a June open interview for SkyW advertised in May and decided to go and was in ground school in July. I really feel like it happened pretty quickly and I was glad to have had other experience (such as ferrying a Skipper from Reno through the Rockies into Canada using dead reckogning and pilotage with one really crappy VOR) before going to the airline. I was hired with 1600 TT and 500 ME. Things are good, I love my job and two people from my class are already upgrading to Captain.

While I was in ground school I met a new hire 10 years older than me! (I was 45 at the time).

Good luck and live your dreams.

(It looks like jawright has nightmares:D )
 
Go for it. Life's to short to not pursue your dream(s) - whatever they may be.

Some food for thought. Get your ratings and build time to a regionals minimums as inexpensively as you can. Expensive schools are just that - expensive schools. A regional does not care these days where you got your time, just that you have the time requirements. Spend the extra money on your college education - you'll need that degree down the road to move past a regional. Go to a regional with the quickest upgrade time. Figuring that out will be at best - an educated guess. Get into the left seat of a turbine (either jet or turboprop - doesn't matter) and get that ME Turbine PIC - in the end, that is the only hour number that really matters.

A good example. I flew with an FO last week that was 46. He decided to change careers at 40. He spent two years building time, ratings. The next two years as an FO for a regional, and the following two years as a CA for the same regional. He just came off IOE about a month ago and is now sitting right seat in a 717. Needless to say, he is a very happy camper and a pleasure to fly with.

Do it as expeditiously as possible, do it as inexpensive as possible, and don't forget to continue grinding out that four year degree.

Best of luck to ya.

Max
 
Mr.Maximus said:
A good example. I flew with an FO last week that was 46. He decided to change careers at 40. He spent two years building time, ratings. The next two years as an FO for a regional, and the following two years as a CA for the same regional. He just came off IOE about a month ago and is now sitting right seat in a 717. Needless to say, he is a very happy camper and a pleasure to fly with.

Max
Click to expand...

See, there's even hope for me!
 
I am 35 and in the same boat. I got all my ratings and 450 hours so far in just a year. Things are looking good so far.
 
Hello Mooneyguy,
I don't get tired of reading posts such as yours since I am going through the same thing as you. I am 40 and have decided to pursue my passion with aviation. Reading posts such as yours has helped me make my decision. Knowing that it is not to late to pursue a long time dream.
Best of luck to both of us!
 
Thank you all for the replys! I appreciate your input. I spent a few years away from flying and really missed it, so im glad to be back at it.
Good luck to the other "change over" folks here!
 
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