Is It Too Late to Look to Flying as a Career?
- Thread starter mngtsystem
- Start date
bangheadmngtsystem
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the direction - was wondering if anyone knew of any specific threads that these members contributed to would be helpful - must admit when i started the search there were quite a number of posts. thanks again for insight.
Low&Slow
Ancora imparo
We're in similar boats. I started flying in 1990 but had to stop after I got my Instrument rating and ASEL/AMEL commercial due to personal issues at the time. I have always regretted stopping and have always wondered what my life would have been like had I been able to stick to it.
Well, I stopped flying but the world continued to turn. I'm 40 now and just beginning to work on my CFI (self-study) with plans to eventually go into flying aviation relief missions, but I am open-minded about other opportunities (flying or otherwise) as well. I don't think I'm too old to start flying again and find a career doing it, but I am too old to continue working at a job that I don't like just because it pays well. I want to do something that I enjoy and has more meaning than just a paycheck.
I found a few books that I was thinking about reading. One of them, that you might be interested in reading as well, is by Barbara Sher titled, "It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now: How to Create Your Second Life at Any Age."
I would also not recommend getting a loan for flight training. I am currently saving for my CFI (have $3k so far) and am planning on having the writtens done before I begin the flying portion (hopefully May or June). This should allow me to save another $1k and be more focused on learning how to teach and fly from the starboard seat.
Anyhow, I probably didn't help you out much, but at least you know you aren't the only guy out there getting a late start. Good luck to you.
Well, I stopped flying but the world continued to turn. I'm 40 now and just beginning to work on my CFI (self-study) with plans to eventually go into flying aviation relief missions, but I am open-minded about other opportunities (flying or otherwise) as well. I don't think I'm too old to start flying again and find a career doing it, but I am too old to continue working at a job that I don't like just because it pays well. I want to do something that I enjoy and has more meaning than just a paycheck.
I found a few books that I was thinking about reading. One of them, that you might be interested in reading as well, is by Barbara Sher titled, "It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now: How to Create Your Second Life at Any Age."
I would also not recommend getting a loan for flight training. I am currently saving for my CFI (have $3k so far) and am planning on having the writtens done before I begin the flying portion (hopefully May or June). This should allow me to save another $1k and be more focused on learning how to teach and fly from the starboard seat.
Anyhow, I probably didn't help you out much, but at least you know you aren't the only guy out there getting a late start. Good luck to you.
wrxpilot
New Member
Just remember, there are also other types of flying out there... This site is heavily slanted towards the airlines, but they have the absolute worst quality of life compared to everything except maybe bottom of the barrel charter (which still pays a lot better than regionals).
Is the romance of flying gone? Will you no longer look out the window and realize how lucky you are once you start flying professionally? According to some of the guys in this thread, yes. I disagree though. I still love driving down to the airport for a trip, doing a little BS session with the guys and girls at the FBO when I get there, and I still get pumped when we push the power levers up for takeoff and climb out at 5000 FPM. It's pretty damn fun.
This past year I saw St Elmo's fire for the first time, as we were flying through a snowstorm above MI one dark winter night. Electricity chased my finger on the windscreen as I moved it along. How cool is that?
Whenever we're flying at night, cruising along at FL450 I'm still stunned by all of the stars we can see, with the occasional shooting star to reward our attention.
I've been able to visit some amazing places with my job, and my facebook page is stuffed with photos that make it look like I'm on a constant vacation. Enjoying great food across the US, mountain bike adventures in Phoenix, sailing in southern CA, amazing museums and food in NYC, BBQ and green chile in Texas, etc.
The experiences above are just with my current job. I've also worked as a CFI and charter pilot (crew and single pilot), and each of those also rewarded me with some awesome experiences and life long friends.
Is the job perfect? Definitely not... But I'm much happier than I was a couple of years ago, sitting in my cubicle hating my boring life as an engineer. Now my life is definitely not boring.
Would I do it again? Yes, definitely. I don't regret any part of it. If you want to enjoy your flying career, stay out of debt. Paying for your training as you go is a must. If you don't believe me, create an Excel spreadsheet and prepare some budgets for the first couple of flying jobs. Make sure you have a backup if you get laid off or furloughed.
Also, take a look at the aviation industry and see who the bitter ones are. Not too many of the corporate, fractional, and charter guys are. The airlines are a different story... Even the ones that have dream jobs are freaking bitter people. Doug at this site seems to be a rare exception.
Good luck, if you do it right, work hard, and have a little bit of luck you'll have a great time.
Is the romance of flying gone? Will you no longer look out the window and realize how lucky you are once you start flying professionally? According to some of the guys in this thread, yes. I disagree though. I still love driving down to the airport for a trip, doing a little BS session with the guys and girls at the FBO when I get there, and I still get pumped when we push the power levers up for takeoff and climb out at 5000 FPM. It's pretty damn fun.
This past year I saw St Elmo's fire for the first time, as we were flying through a snowstorm above MI one dark winter night. Electricity chased my finger on the windscreen as I moved it along. How cool is that?
Whenever we're flying at night, cruising along at FL450 I'm still stunned by all of the stars we can see, with the occasional shooting star to reward our attention.
I've been able to visit some amazing places with my job, and my facebook page is stuffed with photos that make it look like I'm on a constant vacation. Enjoying great food across the US, mountain bike adventures in Phoenix, sailing in southern CA, amazing museums and food in NYC, BBQ and green chile in Texas, etc.
The experiences above are just with my current job. I've also worked as a CFI and charter pilot (crew and single pilot), and each of those also rewarded me with some awesome experiences and life long friends.
Is the job perfect? Definitely not... But I'm much happier than I was a couple of years ago, sitting in my cubicle hating my boring life as an engineer. Now my life is definitely not boring.
Would I do it again? Yes, definitely. I don't regret any part of it. If you want to enjoy your flying career, stay out of debt. Paying for your training as you go is a must. If you don't believe me, create an Excel spreadsheet and prepare some budgets for the first couple of flying jobs. Make sure you have a backup if you get laid off or furloughed.
Also, take a look at the aviation industry and see who the bitter ones are. Not too many of the corporate, fractional, and charter guys are. The airlines are a different story... Even the ones that have dream jobs are freaking bitter people. Doug at this site seems to be a rare exception.
Good luck, if you do it right, work hard, and have a little bit of luck you'll have a great time.
hey gremlin....Finally something we are in agreement about.
Couldnt of said it better.
I know a guy who was in his late 30's that is a career changer. Stayed focused, upgraded to captain at a regional and is flying around a civilian P3 now. I'll bet you dollars to donuts that if Southernjets was hiring, with his P3 experience (this place is FULL of P3 guys) and PIC experience at a regional, he'd be in the front seat of a 767 probably out of indoc.
It really all depends on your drive, how well you're networked and keeping your head in the game. Got to play the game to win it, but you also have to accept that just showing up on the field isn't going to mean you're entitled to a touchdown.
This is coming from a guy from South "T" street in a small, dusty town in the San Joaquin valley of California with no aviation influence whatsoever in his family and a parent that thought that if man were meant to fly, we'd have wings.
It really all depends on your drive, how well you're networked and keeping your head in the game. Got to play the game to win it, but you also have to accept that just showing up on the field isn't going to mean you're entitled to a touchdown.
This is coming from a guy from South "T" street in a small, dusty town in the San Joaquin valley of California with no aviation influence whatsoever in his family and a parent that thought that if man were meant to fly, we'd have wings.
LoadMasterC141
Well-Known Member
3 years ago I posted a thread similarly titled to yours..."Is 31 too old to become a professional pilot?"
I got the same mixed bag answers. Sifting through all of it though, I realized it WAS possible. Look at Captain Bob. He was a mid 30s career changer. How long now Bob since you left the po po? Anyway, he went through ATP, instructed for a little over a year, and made it to ExpressJet. At 2 years, he qualified for captain. He took it at 3. When Bob first started training, there was not a single airline hiring as a result of the last downturn (9/11 mainly). Year 3 captains pay at Xjet is around $60/hr.....That is quite a bit more than 30k/yr by the way.
So here I am 3 years later, a 1000 hr CFI. My 6 figure job has been over for a year now. I work twice as hard for 1/4 the pay. A little bit of the initial glamour of flying has ebbed and there are days when it is just a job. There are times when I look back and wonder what the hell I was thinking. My goal was to flight instruct for 6 months and be at a regional. Now I am at a year and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Then I start thinking about returning to my old industry.....and I SHUDDER! No way. I really love to fly even if it is just Cessnas and Seminoles right now.
I still worry about my age when things do turn around. At 34, I feel like an old man around the average age CFI. My aspirations are not that high though. It would be great to fly big metal, but I would be just as satsified flying a King Air.
If it is something you want...do it. Just realize that it is alot of work, costs more than you will plan for, and you have to roll with the punches. For me, it has been completely worth it, even if it ended now. Also, just because the airlines are not hiring right now, don't think training is a bad idea. They will hire again.
I got the same mixed bag answers. Sifting through all of it though, I realized it WAS possible. Look at Captain Bob. He was a mid 30s career changer. How long now Bob since you left the po po? Anyway, he went through ATP, instructed for a little over a year, and made it to ExpressJet. At 2 years, he qualified for captain. He took it at 3. When Bob first started training, there was not a single airline hiring as a result of the last downturn (9/11 mainly). Year 3 captains pay at Xjet is around $60/hr.....That is quite a bit more than 30k/yr by the way.
So here I am 3 years later, a 1000 hr CFI. My 6 figure job has been over for a year now. I work twice as hard for 1/4 the pay. A little bit of the initial glamour of flying has ebbed and there are days when it is just a job. There are times when I look back and wonder what the hell I was thinking. My goal was to flight instruct for 6 months and be at a regional. Now I am at a year and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Then I start thinking about returning to my old industry.....and I SHUDDER! No way. I really love to fly even if it is just Cessnas and Seminoles right now.
I still worry about my age when things do turn around. At 34, I feel like an old man around the average age CFI. My aspirations are not that high though. It would be great to fly big metal, but I would be just as satsified flying a King Air.
If it is something you want...do it. Just realize that it is alot of work, costs more than you will plan for, and you have to roll with the punches. For me, it has been completely worth it, even if it ended now. Also, just because the airlines are not hiring right now, don't think training is a bad idea. They will hire again.
juskl
Well-Known Member
So yesterday I went to work (flight instructing) and after a lesson, went to look at my schedule. I was told to grab a helmet (aerobatic). I didn't realize that I was going to do an aerobatic fun flight. Several guys had been given the gift of a fun flight. This was made even better by my Chief Pilot comming up to me and briefing me on our flight. We were both going out at the same time. He told me that they wanted to take pictures of eachother in flight so this was going to be a fun one.
Long story short, we took off a flight of two and headed south to our aerobatic area. We then gave these guys the rides of their lives. A bit of close in aerobatics. These guys ate it up and were snapping away with their cameras. It was the most fun I have had in an airplane to date. By the time we landed, I think my smile was bigger then the guy I gave the flight to.
Amazing...... this is why I do what I do. It was a very special time, a pivotal moment if you will. But it was a very nice reminder of why I love what I do. Anyway, I never thought three years ago that I would be teaching aerobatics in an open cockpit biplane and getting a nice healthy tip at the end. Whenever I thought of flying, I thought about biz jets (which I love) or the airlines..... Their pay is better by far, but this is flying and this is fun.... bar none..... at it's purist....
Long story short, we took off a flight of two and headed south to our aerobatic area. We then gave these guys the rides of their lives. A bit of close in aerobatics. These guys ate it up and were snapping away with their cameras. It was the most fun I have had in an airplane to date. By the time we landed, I think my smile was bigger then the guy I gave the flight to.
Amazing...... this is why I do what I do. It was a very special time, a pivotal moment if you will. But it was a very nice reminder of why I love what I do. Anyway, I never thought three years ago that I would be teaching aerobatics in an open cockpit biplane and getting a nice healthy tip at the end. Whenever I thought of flying, I thought about biz jets (which I love) or the airlines..... Their pay is better by far, but this is flying and this is fun.... bar none..... at it's purist....