Bronx-based aviator in training seeking advice for late in life career

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Bronx_Aviator

Well-Known Member
Greetings aviators,

Ernesto here. I'm sure like many others, I've wanted to become a pilot since I was a kid. In my case, it was flying between family in Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico as an unaccompanied minor and having the kind flight attendants bring me into the cockpit. At 19 I started pursuing the career, and despite her full support, ended up putting my mother in debt before I could finish my private.

Almost 20 years later, and many years as a College and Career Counselor, I finally went back to pursuing my own career dreams, and just received my Private Pilot's License, which I am extremely proud of.

I'm about to turn 40, and I still want to become a professional aviator. I'm of course a bit nervous about the time it's taken me to get to this point and how much longer I have to go, not to mention the pay cut I'll have to take when I finally leave my full time job.

I met a United Airlines pilot on my way back from Houston last weekend and shared my journey thus far and he suggested joining this forum to connect with others for advice on my career goals. I'm hoping he finds me via this post, and even if not, I hope to hear from others who may have started their aviation careers late in life to learn from them as well.


Screenshot 2024-10-19 at 10.39.51 AM.png

(me after passing my check ride)
 
Ernesto, welcome. 40 is absolutely not "too late" these days. What sort of flying do you want to wind up doing? What things do you feel that you don't understand about the industry/progression therein? As Steve says, helping guys like you is what we're here for (even if it sometimes seems more like "political bickering" is the point.)
 
Congratz on your PPL. Ask away with any questions you have. If you can fly on the side and keep you job that would be best. Get thru the ratings to CFI and then quit your job. Yeah, big pay cut but you'll have to put your time in as a CFI to build hours to move on. I would suspect after a couple years of instructing that you could find a job that would equal your current pay. If you work in a school system you should have summers off and maybe enough time after school to do some flying.
 
Bronx_Aviator said:
Greetings aviators,

Ernesto here. I'm sure like many others, I've wanted to become a pilot since I was a kid. In my case, it was flying between family in Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico as an unaccompanied minor and having the kind flight attendants bring me into the cockpit. At 19 I started pursuing the career, and despite her full support, ended up putting my mother in debt before I could finish my private.

Almost 20 years later, and many years as a College and Career Counselor, I finally went back to pursuing my own career dreams, and just received my Private Pilot's License, which I am extremely proud of.

I'm about to turn 40, and I still want to become a professional aviator. I'm of course a bit nervous about the time it's taken me to get to this point and how much longer I have to go, not to mention the pay cut I'll have to take when I finally leave my full time job.

I met a United Airlines pilot on my way back from Houston last weekend and shared my journey thus far and he suggested joining this forum to connect with others for advice on my career goals. I'm hoping he finds me via this post, and even if not, I hope to hear from others who may have started their aviation careers late in life to learn from them as well.


View attachment 80247
(me after passing my check ride)
Click to expand...
Welcome, Ernesto! I was the one who flew you from Houston - thanks for reaching out on your way out of the plane… very glad you made it here. I’m a bit removed from the flight training scene but I knew there were people here you could lean on.

I’ll tell you this quick story though. I joined this forum in 2007 and at the time most people were aspiring airline pilots or in their first year or so at a regional. Now, nearly every single one of them are at a career flying job. Those that persisted made it happen. Many were older as well, and like I told you I didn’t get to my airline until I was 45.

Best of luck and hope to see you around here often!
 
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