I’ve heard many people saying online Airline pilots die early like at 70 or 75 or get a little more older early (Like when you’re 40 and you look like 50). My profession was to become an airline pilot for Delta but now I want to switch my profession. Is this true at all? I have about 8 years left before I finish college and start my job and I really don’t know the answer to this.
Vincent,
Sure some pilots die at 70-75, some older, some younger and I’m pretty sure you can find similar statistics for just about any profession. I know there have been studies done on the effects of spending time at altitude and radiation levels. I’ve also seen some things are the effects of flying “back side of the clock” (ie,flying between midnight and dawn) being hard on the body. Being a pilot can also make it challenging to maintain a healthy lifestyle (staying in hotels and eating restaurant food often). I’ve yet to see anything conclusive and more important I know pilots who are portraits of good health and others who are a mess.
Bottomline is if living a long healthy life is important to you there are many lifestyle choices you can make (exercise, diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, etc) that should and can help BUT if you do any real research the experts generally agree that genetics and heredity have more to do with longevity than your career choice. As for my take even if it did I’d willingly sacrifice a few years having spent a life doing what I love than have extra years of regret. But that’s me.
Adam
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Also, I’m from Oregon, Beaverton, close to Portland, and I would like to work in Delta Airlines. Do pilots here get to go home often? I also want to visit my family once in a while.
Vincent,
Not sure what you mean by “pilots here” but your schedule and ability to get home will depend on the airline you work for and your seniority at that airline. As you build more seniority you’ll have more control over your schedule and give you more opportunities to get home. Delta has a Portland base, depending on how senior that base is or not you could get there right away or it could take you some time but you have quite a few years before you have to worry about that.
It also just occurred to me that if you have “8yrs left before you finish college”, unless you’re going to medical school or working on your Masters you’re probably younger than 16 and too young to participate in this forum.
Adam
it’s just that I’m very interested in this profession so I seek professionals like you to answer my question. Yes, I have a sophomore in High School. Thank you so much for helping me out.