31 Years too old?

[Ian_J]

I am the Original, thankyouverymuch!!! And this is why I changed my name!!irate:

Good call!

 

[Steelman43]

You know I'm in the same boat as you in a way. I had a cushy job selling IT equipment to the defense industry that came to an end a year after 9/11. Since then I've earned only my PPL because it seems like one thing after another has gotten in the way and five years later I'm still a dreamer and not a doer. Part of the problem was I was not honest with either myself or my wife and needed to make some personal changes that now that I have earned me the full support of my wife and every time my father, 35 years with United, basically tells me I'm nuts she is right back in his face about letting me live my own life. Also, I did fall in love with computer science during the past three years and am earning my MS in Computer Science and E-Commerce from DePaul University all online which is really nice.
Here's what I've learned. I've seen publications that state two years after I get my advanced degree, four years from now, I could pull down as much as 125,000 between regular and freelance jobs in DB admin and security. But if you go to websites like this one people are saying almost the exact same thing. Outsourcing is a worry. I need to enhance my skills so I don't get laid off when I'm 50 and not find another job because there are younger people willing to work for less. I would never have my kids go into IT. The point is that life can be hard for everyone at times and you better find a way to hit the floor smiling in the morning or you will end up hating the world and it will hate you back. This bug you have will never go away. Also, my dad used to take me with him to work back in the 70's when security was not nearly as tight as it is now and I would sit there all day and watch him work. Once I even did a walk around with an FO. My second point is that I have not found a product yet that will erase the memory of what the jet fuel smells like when you are at the gate and the sick thing is I would live in card board box the rest of my life if it meant that I could get up and go to work at the airport everyday.

 

[texas_pilot]

Sorry if I sounded conscending with the shaving comment- good thing I have this great career, my humor wouldn't support me as a comedian.

I let people put me off 3 times and didn't start til I was a 48 year old.

I became Texas_Pilot long before I found this forum. However, after reading this thread, (my own comments included) I probably would have pursued flying with different options.
Can you get a plane for $55 an hour wet? If you want, my CFI buddy is up here in Waco and will use his 150 to get you through.
I'll help any way possible.

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Sorry if I sounded conscending with the shaving comment- good thing I have this great career, my humor wouldn't support me as a comedian.

I let people put me off 3 times and didn't start til I was a 48 year old.

I became Texas_Pilot long before I found this forum. However, after reading this thread, (my own comments included) I probably would have pursued flying with different options.
Can you get a plane for $55 an hour wet? If you want, my CFI buddy is up here in Waco and will use his 150 to get you through.
I'll help any way possible.

So what stage of it are you now??? If I can ask age and progression. Thanks!

 

[texas_pilot]

CPL, 1340TT, 174 MEL, IFR Part 135
Assoc degree under part 141 @ 53 years old :insane:
Figured if I had no family & house was paid for and all the good circus jobs were already taken- I wouldn't have a better chance at flying. Prior to 2002, I was grossing 80- 90 K as X-Ctry truck owner operator.

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

CPL, 1340TT, 174 MEL, IFR Part 135
Assoc degree under part 141 @ 53 years old :insane:
Figured if I had no family & house was paid for and all the good circus jobs were already taken- I wouldn't have a better chance at flying. Prior to 2002, I was grossing 80- 90 K as X-Ctry truck owner operator.

Thanks, I'm now 41 (42 shortly) working on career change!

 

[Ian_J]

Thanks, I'm now 41 (42 shortly) working on career change!

Dude, here's the challenge. We both need hours, and from what it sounded like through your PM, we need them in the same timeframe.

The goal is: 250 hours.

The deadline is: 1 July.

We both fly part-time only, and, though I am a CFII, you own an airplane, so all is fair.

Let the games begin.

(BTW, I had planned on 10 hours a week, but this weekend's batch of low ceilings and icing squashed all that! I'm already behind the power curve!)

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Dude, here's the challenge. We both need hours, and from what it sounded like through your PM, we need them in the same timeframe.

The goal is: 250 hours.

The deadline is: 1 July.

We both fly part-time only, and, though I am a CFII, you own an airplane, so all is fair.

Let the games begin.

(BTW, I had planned on 10 hours a week, but this weekend's batch of low ceilings and icing squashed all that! I'm already behind the power curve!)

LOL, is your job 60-70hr week job too?? Actually I am out of town on business, but can't fly either as ceilings are 400-600 again here in PA.

I want to get 15 hours on the plane before the end of the month because it then goes in for annual....

GAME ON!

 

[Ian_J]

LOL, is your job 60-70hr week job too?? Actually I am out of town on business, but can't fly either as ceilings are 400-600 again here in PA.

I want to get 15 hours on the plane before the end of the month because it then goes in for annual....

GAME ON!

Let's see... 0630 to 1700 = 52 hours per week, plus occasional half days on Saturdays - so lets call it 55 hours per week. Close!

Unfortunately, I'm limited by students AND weather.

And PA ain't too far from here. If you're up this way and want to fly/hang out.... just let me know.

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Let's see... 0630 to 1700 = 52 hours per week, plus occasional half days on Saturdays - so lets call it 55 hours per week. Close!

Unfortunately, I'm limited by students AND weather.

And PA ain't too far from here. If you're up this way and want to fly/hang out.... just let me know.

I'll put you on my places to fly! I owe a trip to IN first though.

 

[CalixtoC]

I come from a long lineage of Military Pilots and always wanted to continue it. After High School, I joined the AF and became a C-141 Loadmaster. After 4 years, I left to get a degree and go back as an officer and pilot. During my tenure in college, my eyesight slowly driveled away to a horrible –3.00 Diopters(Corrected to 20/20 with Contacts). At the time, the military was not granting waivers for laser surgery, so I was out and miserable. To be honest, I would have stayed a Loadmaster had I known I could not fly.

Instead of playing it smart, I took my 3.94 community college GPA and got delusions of grandeur and got myself into Cornell University to study Psychology. Even with the GI bill, I found myself working long hours as a nighttime tractor trailer driver to pay for it all. I ended up graduating with a 1.96 GPA (Yes it hurts me too). After realizing Psychology was interesting but not satisfying enough to go to a doctorate level, I ended up in a career field that I started paying for my expensive school with.

So here I am today, a 31-year-old logistics analyst with a wife, no kids, a $200K Mortgage, and a $70K a year job I like simply for the $70K a year. All I have ever dreamed of is becoming a pilot. I left that dream kicking and screaming like a little kid not getting his way when the military option fell through.

My wife, being the wonderful supporting person she is, has said numerous times that I should go back and do what makes me happy, no matter the cost. So now I am considering it.

I have about 60 hours in single engines (Mostly 152, but some Tomahawk, Mooney, and 172) from years ago, and about a dozen or so takeoffs and landings in a 141 simulator . I know I have a knack for flying. My initial thought is to head to the local FBO here in Temple, TX and finish my private training, and maybe instrument too. This way I could keep my job and my house, for the time being.

From that point, I’ll need to nix the house I guess, and my Beemer tooL, suck up another large loan, and head to a big school like ATP to finish out.

Questions arise though…..

1) Am I too old? Will it hurt my chances walking up to a major airline 8 years or so from now, pushing 40, asking for a job? Has anyone been down this path at my age that can give personal feedback?
2) Even though it was a tough college, and I am personally proud I even made it through competing against rich kids with nothing better to do, how hard is that GPA going to hurt?
3) My eyesight is not even close to 20/20 uncorrected (Correct it is). In the military, this was my showstopper. How bad is it in civvy street?
4) Is it feasible to work slowly over a long period of time, keeping my current job, at local flight schools?
5) Should I look into alternative flight employment outside of the airlines? IE Corporate, Cargo, etc……..
6) Any other considerations I should take into account that I am missing?

I realize this is long-winded, but wanted to paint an accurate picture for those that want to respond. Thanks so much in advance for taking the time to do so.

 

[Mr.Maximus]

You're never to old to pursue a dream. Who wants to be old and wonder "If". The biggest things are to make sure your 1,000% sure about this and understand the wide variety of sacrifices to your current life-style you will have to make. Also, if not more importantly - does your significant other fully understand the sacrifices that will have to be made in order to make the dream come true? Paint the bleakest picture for her, and if she still gives her nod of approval - go for it.

Take a very calculated approach to it. Set goals that are attainable, but goals that will move you forward as rapidly as possible. For each year you don't have to sit at a regional making lousy pay is an added year at the end of your flying career making good pay. Stay with the security of your current job and money as long as you can, while pursuing all of your flight requirements as aggresively as possible. Be wary of taking out huge loans for training. Some of the first officers I fly with make 20-23K their first year and have massive monthly loan payments.

Consider purchasing an "inexpensive" aircraft to build time up as quickly as possible. I bought a Cherokee 180 for 30k, put 500 hours on it in about 12 months and turned around and sold it for 35k. Got my PPL and Instrument in it - then turned around and bought a Commanche 250 and put another 400 hours in that in 12 months. I sold that for the same price I bought it for, and got my Commercial on that. I then went and added a Multi to my commercial and got some multi time. I got on with a regional where I sat right seat on a turboprop for 1-1/2 years then upgraded to left seat. I currently have 2500tt, 1500 Part 121 multi turbine with 750 of that being 121 multi turbine PIC. Once I cross my 1,000 ME Turbine PIC, I will have the required numbers to allow me to begin applying for the decent flying jobs. My biggest expense during all of the above was all of the fuel I burned (alot) and aircraft mx, ins, and a couple of annuals. This was by far cheaper, and significantly more expeditious in moving the flying career forward. Oh, and I have NO loans to repay, unlike the bulk of the regional guys that have 50k to 100k staring them in the face to be repaid to Key or Fannie Mae or whomever.

To tie this all together, my first flight in an aircraft was January 20, 2002 at the advanced age of 37. In the next couple of months I'll be shooting for and should get a good paying, QOL flying job.

At 31, as long as you and your wife are in agreement and understand the committment and sacrifices that are required - you too can achieve your dream.

Just my .02

 

[Stone Cold]

I became Texas_Pilot long before I found this forum.

I've used the e-mail address "txpilot" since 1993, so I've been using it for a long time also...and as far as I've determined, I was the first to use any version of txpilot/texas_pilot/texaspilot/txav8r/whatever names are out there on JC.