I'm 30, no degree and a PPL with 120 hours. Too late?

B

BSC

Well-Known Member
I caught the flying bug late and got my PPL last July on my 30th birthday. One of my best accomplishments of my life! About 4 months ago I got onto this kick of doing it for a living. I researched ATP and others to see if I could do their program and get in line sooner rather than later. I even saw a guy who used to work for my company doing Sim work there. I'm just not sure that this all equals reality in the long run. I do have a mark or two against me that is holding up my decision; I have a reckless driving violation when I was 18 and a DUI (reduced to reckless) when I was 23 and a dismissed charge from 2 years ago. I'm not sure how bad that would look, even though they happened so long ago (probably 9+ years by the time they saw me).

I do OK for myself right now but I just feel like it's a job to attend. I feel like Peter from Office Space; collecting my paycheck and just doing enough to not get fired. While I might make more in the long run doing finance, at what opportunity cost does that come with?

I have been thinking and thinking, trying to figure this all out. I would need a degree to advance my career as it is, so that is a no-brainer for me to do. I'm sitting here debating what to do and I've come up with a few choices that I want to act on sooner rather than later;

1) Go to ACPP and get it done in 3 months, start instructing and go to online school while doing so.

2) Keep my job, go to school and get the ratings over the course of the next 12-18 months.

3) Screw aviation, fly for fun, go get degree and be a tie until I get old and senile.


Seriously confused but would appreciate any help.
 
First I wouldn't say you caught it late, 30 is still young and allows plenty of time to build a successful career in almost any field. There are pilots on this board who started later, some much later than 30 and are enjoying flying as a career.

I cant tell you what to do, or even make a suggestion, as I am in a similar boat trying to decide myself if flying for a career is still for me.

What I do know is that if you are not 100% committed I wouldn't go the fast track route. You pay a premium for it and if you plan to finance it, the interest rate is absurd and if you choose to go a different path, the debt remains. I would suggest you go self paced at a part 61 school. If you do choose flying as a career, you have your whole career to have a company tell you when, where, how and with who to fly, why not enjoy the learning phase taking some fun trips where you want with who you want. Paying as you go gives you more freedom if you change your mind somewhere along the journey.

That is my .02.
 
it's never too late...uhh, until it is too late...at which point you have to decide, what the point of the point really is...wait, now i'm totally confused...but what I am not confused about is, whatever you do decide to do, do it and do it now...yea that's it...
 
It's not only not too late, it's maybe just a hair on the high side of "average". More and more I see older guys who got in "late". For the most part, they at least knew what they were getting in to, which a lot of the puppymill grads did not.

I would choose 2 or 3, for sure. Between them, though, I think you have to decide. And remember, you don't have to decide today...it's a long process.
 
Thanks for your input guys. I really do appreciate it!

Something about turning 30 got me in a "now or never" state of mind for whatever reason. It felt like I was just going through the motions of life and not really doing what I wanted. I was doing what was presented to me and was safe. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's not me at all.

As I was driving home from the gym tonight, I was convinced I was going to walk into ATP and sign up tomorrow. But I don't know. What I do know is, I want the option to be able to do so in the future; whether that's in 6 months or 2 years. I want to be able to pull up to a gate in a big plane!! I also know it's a tough business that has no sympathy for it's pilots. I know the pay starts off terrible. I know you're away from home a lot. I know they run your life pretty much at first. And I'm OK with that.

The best thing about ATP, etc, is that they give you a quick sense of direction and accomplishment. It's almost like a shot of airline in the arm. You're there for a purpose and everybody knows it. I had a bad experience at FBO's getting my PPL (they milked me like a cow) and I'm hesitant to go back to one because of it.

Thanks for reassuring me that I'm not entirely too old to get in on this crazy business. Now, I just need to make a decision. Maybe I'll just go take my Instrument/CFII writtens and go from there. If I can't decide in two years, well, then somebody please run me over in whatever they're flying then!
 
I would go with option #1 and rip it off like a bandaid. You know it's going to hurt for a little bit but just pull out a loan, go to ATP and then get a job with them instructing with them. On their website they are offering 2 year contracts that are $2500/mo. That is 30k a year. If you can live like Hobo for those 2 years then you can put a serious dent in that loan and you're hirable after that.
 
30 years old and too late? Not hardly!

I'm 49, looking to be issued a Special Issuance medical in short order and will be in the SI program for at least a year and then I start my flight training. At best, I may have 10 years on the flightdeck at any one airline; whether pax or cargo, it doesn't matter. All I know....it'll be the best & most productive 10 years of my life.

Be not discouraged. You could possibly enjoy a 30 year career at one airline. Not to sound cliche-ish, but look at the glass as being half full.

Blue skies are ahead of you!





atp
 
I got my PPL just before my 35th birthday. It was not a problem.

One thought is to keep working and buy yourself a small aircraft (get a partner if needed). Fly the heck out of it - as much as you can afford - while you work on your instrument and commercial (and CFI).

The ATP fast track gets the ratings, but then you are a 300 hour pilot and with no dual given it's hard to even get a good flight instructing job. For roughly the same investment you could have way more hours in your own airplane, and you had a job and income to offset the expense while you worked at it. Obviously this would be more of a multi-year plan, where ATP would get it done quickly.

Good luck!
 
i was in the EXACT same situation as well. . . except I was 31, wife, kids, house payments. . . I had my loan sitting in ATP (back when you could get loans. . . no dice now) and after looking into ATP for "MY" situation it didnt make sense. I figured that I would need at least one year of money sitting in my bank account to help offset the low cost of flight instructing. Plus the new $400+ loan payment everymonth. So, for I kept working, and saw aviation as my 2nd job. It was a tough 8 months or so, but it allowed me to stay living at home, keep income coming in, and I felt I got great training for my ratings. I also got small advantages, of getting to take my friends and family up and around whenever I was time building or training. THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!!

the 90 day program seemed great when the airlines were hiring 250 hour pilots, but now . . . why pay a preimum to quickly get ratings in which there is nothing you can do with them. And warranted or not, I know several flight schools that are hesitant to hire CFI's from ATP. Also, there is nothing that says ATP will hire you once you have completed the course.

Anyway, your not too old ... and remember have fun!!! Have fun!! Have fun!!! Dont be hooked on just going to the airlines, there are a TON of other flying oppertunies out there. And whatever you decide, good luck with it!
 
jerrywhite7 said:
Dont be hooked on just going to the airlines, there are a TON of other flying oppertunies out there. And whatever you decide, good luck with it!
Click to expand...

+1

You are not too old. I will turn 30 in a few months! I am slowly working my way towards my IR this year. Take your time and as Jerrywhite said... HAVE FUN along the way.
 
30 isn't too late. To get to where you want quicker, I would go to a school that can hire you as an instructor when you are finished with the training, or at least has a bridge program to the airlines. I don't remember if ATP hires their students, but if they do then that would probably be a good option.
My experience with ATP is only limited to the ATP itself- they were the only ones in my area who did that kind of training. My personal experience was good, but there are just as many bad stories about them as there are good. It really does depend on the training center, so choose wisely!
If you're not in a hurry to complete your training, then go with a local flight school. They will likely be more affordable.
 
I started flight training at 42 (2003) and college (because Dough said to go to college) I now have a career and a degree...
 
That's roughly 35 years more of professional flying you have to do! Are you kidding?? There's a 40 year old in my new hire class.
 
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