A 26 year old man in need of some major advice from career aviators

BR549

New Member
Hello everybody,

I am new to this board and this is my first post. I have so many questions for you career aviators, so bare with me. I am currently 26 yrs old (w/o a pilots licence) and have always wanted to get into the aviation field. However, I feel that I am getting to old to start my career. Where I would like to eventually end up is in a major airline, but how possible is that for a 26 year old who hasn't started yet. My big hang up is whether or not I should go to a 2 or 4 year aviation college, receive my licencing through a local airport, or go get my training through the military. I am currently applying for the Marine flight program (knock on wood), but if I do not make it, I was considering on going to the army enlisted, and then join their WOFT program in a yr or 2. What would yall do in my shoes? Do I still have a time to land a job with an airline? Please be honest. In addition, what is the retirement age for airline pilots? I heard from 60-65 years of age? Yalls advice is deeply appreciated. P.S. I currently have a degree from Texas A&M University, so thats out of the way.

Thank You
DC
 
Texas A&M,

sorry never gunna fly. (HA!)

seriously, I took my first lesson at 30, and now 9 years later I am flying for a good sized charter company with no desire to fly for an airline.,

I did not even **THINK** about flying for a career until I was 35. If I had wanted too I could have run 100% to the goal of an airline and been flying there in a few years.

Aside from the industry downturn issues you should have no probem meeting the goals of flying for an airline.

Go to your local FBO take an intro flight, and start your PPL, youmay find out you don't like it.
 
I already took a "discovery flight" with a company. The only thing I discovered was that I want to do it more.
 
Hello and welcome to JC.

I'm a year younger than Eagle and, like Eagle, I did not make the decision to fly for a career until I was 36.

I'm now 38 and working on my Commercial rating (via the Multi-Engine/Instrument rating which I should have behind me within a week).

I'm open to whatever route I can go. I will instruct, fly rubber dog-poop out of Timbucktoo, fly for the regionals, fly corporate, or even eventually - fly for the majors.... whatever.

I'll consider them all and hope to find my niche.

You're young enough not to have to rush. So, go to your local FBO and get your Private certificate - then go from there. You may, like me, decide to stick with your FBO for the rest of your ratings - or you could go to one of the big "pilot mills" (academies).

Whatever is best for you.

If you've got your eyes set on the regionals/majors though.... GET A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE.

Best of luck!!

R2F
 
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I'm open to whatever route I can go. I will instruct, fly rubber dog-poop out of Timbucktoo, fly for the regionals, fly corporate, or even eventually - fly for the majors.... whatever.



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R2F,

IWould you do INL with me down south?
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I would *hope* you're not too old - I'm currently 29, working on my Commercial. You've got the 4 year degree, which is a biggie that a lot of people have to worry about when wanting to get into flying.

Definitely do your private certificate such that if you decide you don't dig the flying as much as you thought you would, there's no problems. I knew by the time I was finishing up my PPASEL that I wanted to do this.

Two pieces of advice, it's that simple: keep your options open and NETWORK. Be involved. Join clubs, organizations, meet people. If you do those two things, stuff starts falling into place for you quite nicely. I'm already finding that out even at my (still very early) stage of the game.

Good luck.

Sarah
 
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R2F,

IWould you do INL with me down south?
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Heeeeck yeah!!! Where do I sign up???
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P.S. I currently have a degree from Texas A&M University, so thats out of the way.

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Whoops - missed that.
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Everything else I said - do that.
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R2F,

IWould you do INL with me down south?
cool.gif


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Heeeeck yeah!!! Where do I sign up???
wink.gif
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It would be damn risky. Getting shot at/shot down with little chance of rescue.

You remember the Caravan knocked down a few months ago. Those guys are still MIA.
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But the $$$ are good.
 
If you are going to do the WOFT program in the Army..Why not go ahead and put your packet in now. You do not have to be enlisted in the Army to become a warrant officer. Having some college and flight time does help though. As a matter of fact you can be selected for WOFT straight oout of high school. I didn't know this until 8 years after getting out. 26 is a good age to start and I would exploit all possible avenues.. military and civillian. Just my 2 cents.
 
Hey MikeD..I would go down to Central/S. America and do INL with you too. Funny I had a interview with a certain Govt agency around that time, unfortunately it wasn't for a flying position. I wonder where they find the pilots to fly the crop dusters in Peru and Colombia? Are they coming from the military ranks?
 
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Hey MikeD..I would go down to Central/S. America and do INL with you too. Funny I had a interview with a certain Govt agency around that time, unfortunately it wasn't for a flying position. I wonder where they find the pilots to fly the crop dusters in Peru and Colombia? Are they coming from the military ranks?

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Seem to be a number from there, from what little I know. I'd guess they like already having a security clearance and experience in that type of flying.
 
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It would be damn risky. Getting shot at/shot down with little chance of rescue.

You remember the Caravan knocked down a few months ago. Those guys are still MIA.
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I hear ya loud and clear.....so, what's your point again??
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They way I look at it is that I missed my opportunity to serve in the military - at least I'd be doing SOMETHING productive.

Drop me a PM if you have further info.

R2F
 
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I feel that I am getting to old to start my career.

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Awww... you're such a young thing still. Honestly, I think you'll find lots of pilots here who didn't start until much later than you. My hubby is 40 and just started flying 2 years ago (career changer). He started at a local FBO, and is now at one of the "pilot mills"
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. Although he's now at an academy, I know he found the instruction and experience of starting at an FBO very helpful, and he still keeps in touch with most of the pilots he met while there.

When I was about your age, I agonized over whether to attend law school because "my God, I'll be 30 by the time I graduate." I thought I'd never get anywhere because I was getting such a late start. Very funny to me now. Go for it.
 
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When I was about your age, I agonized over whether to attend law school because "my God, I'll be 30 by the time I graduate." I thought I'd never get anywhere because I was getting such a late start. Very funny to me now. Go for it.


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So....... did you go to law school or not??
 
If you are willing to do the military route you need to get going. The cutoff point is 28 and rarely gets waved.
If you want to go army, go straight to the flight warrant officer program otherwise forget about it. It should not be to hard. The Virginia National guard is looking for pilots. If any try to tell you that you have to enlist to fly walk away.

If you go through the civilian route you are going to endure several years of poverty with no guarantees unless you have a sugar mama. So get you private at you local airport ASAP. Then decide if this is really what you want to do and if you are willing to pay the price.

I am 29 and i am about to start my CFI

If you have a real job and I would work on my ratings on the side, while paying the bills. TIt worked for me so far and I don't owe a penny for my training.
 
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When I was about your age, I agonized over whether to attend law school because "my God, I'll be 30 by the time I graduate." I thought I'd never get anywhere because I was getting such a late start. Very funny to me now. Go for it.


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So....... did you go to law school or not??

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Yes, and now I'm a partner in a successful law firm and very much enjoy my career. Oh, and I get to be "sugar mama" to my student pilot husband.
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