Am I crazy for considering this?

[Bumblebee]

I started flying at 42 and have had a pretty successful and lucrative career...just have to hustle and network and pay it forward....when I'm home if you want we can talk. PM if you are interested in how us old career changers do it.

 

[Cloud Surfer]

I am about to retire from 21 years in the military and am looking at a career change. I am currently an IT guy with an IT degree and certifications so shouldn't be a problem getting a good job. I'm just tired of it because I've been doing it for 21 years! I've got my PPL and have started the ground school for instrument and commercial. I'm overseas, so the practical (flying) portion of both I won't be able to do until I get back. Now the question: Is 40 years old too old? I 've seen plenty of posts talking about pay and passion. While both are important, is it possible to actually make it a career starting so late?
Thoughts?

Go for it. Forty is still a "young" age in my eyes. Life is too long to be doing something that you don't enjoy.

 

[MercFE]

Go for it. Forty is still a "young" age in my eyes. Life is too long to be doing something that you don't enjoy.

Agreed. I plan on doing the same. About 21 months from retirement and ready to start a whole new career in flying. One of the best parts about the military retirement is that you ARE still young enough for an entirely new path!

 

[A Life Aloft]

I am about to retire from 21 years in the military and am looking at a career change. I am currently an IT guy with an IT degree and certifications so shouldn't be a problem getting a good job. I'm just tired of it because I've been doing it for 21 years! I've got my PPL and have started the ground school for instrument and commercial. I'm overseas, so the practical (flying) portion of both I won't be able to do until I get back. Now the question: Is 40 years old too old? I 've seen plenty of posts talking about pay and passion. While both are important, is it possible to actually make it a career starting so late?
Thoughts?

No, it's not too late at all. Once you get your certs, and can build more time and maybe teach, all kinds of opportunities are possible. Just remember the airlines are not the end all be all of flying. In fact these days, I don't really recommend that route. There is charter, corporate, fire, rescue, air ambulance, freight, forestry, fish and game, all kinds of flying to be done all over the country. Don't limit your prospects. This is the second half of your life so you might as well damn well do what you want to do. Go for it!

 

[Aceninja]

Maybe I'm a bit late to the party to post, but I don't think money is everything. No matter what you believe in, be it re-incarnation, one life etc, you can't take money with you when you die. That doesn't mean it's a shame to chase after money, but I would put your main passion in life first and then try to make money by doing it. Maybe you won't make any serious money till your tenth year of flying, who knows? But in the meantime, enjoy the ride, love what you do, move about a bit and do whatever it takes to keep on moving up. None of us who are starting out can expect to fly a nice shiny wide-body right after "graduation". Yes there have been a few people who have done that in the past, in different countries around the globe, but that's another matter entirely. I think there is something to be learnt from having a linear progression, ie SE to ME, ME to Turboprop, to Jet etc. But I digress.

I'm in the same boat as you are, 30 years old right now and have been working the other side of the radio for the past 10 years. Flying has been my dream from day one, along the way there has been a few distractions that have kept me from flying, be it pursuit of money, marriage, wife in school etc. I'm at a stage in life where I make real good money (6 figs), and have a good retirement plan. I even work in "Aviation". In spite of all this I'm hanging up my day job and jumping full time into flying in 3 months. I have been flying for the past few years and have about 175 hours, I can fly once a week for fun and still keep my retirement and good pay if I wanted to. But at the end of the day I have to say the only thing I have been passionate about in life is flying. And I would gladly give up my current lifestyle to pursue my dreams, because at the end of our days the only thing we can look back on and take with us are our dreams and experiences, and not money. Am I about to regret it? Perhaps,perhaps not...but the biggest regret of all time would be not trying. My two cents.

 

[desertdog71]

Yeah, you can always go back to what you did before and realize all over again how much it sucked.

 

[Austin_Marshall]

You Can Do It!!!
whether you're 32 or 62. There's no excuse for sticking with a job that you no longer enjoy. you may regret it for the rest of your life.