I know several have commented on being in the 40s, and with a mid-life career change in mind, is not uncommon and not necessarily a bad thing. I have received a lot of feedback that making a change out of a successful IT career, can be both challenging (financially) and rewarding (getting to fulfill a life-long dream) since there are still several years of flying that I could get into.
That is where my questions start. Making the change, and enrolling with ATP to get into the regionals with the hope to get to the majors, how realistic is that really? With all the youngsters entering into the area and all the great plan available, my logic tells me that majors would prefer the younger recruit since they will have a longer return on investment. Is that a fair way of thinking? Meaning that my career as a commercial pilot in the ATP line will be limited to regionals. Would it be more realistic to target freight flying post ATP training?
You’re right, a younger pilot long term might be a better investment BUT that doesn’t make you a bad one for a few reasons.
If you start now (or at least soon) you should be able to get to a Major before 50 which still gives you 15+ years there which isn’t bad. (I actually got hired by my Major at 49 and that was before the shortage).
In case you haven’t heard there’s a pilot shortage! That means EVERY airline is grabbing every qualified pilot they can.
Interesting recent phenomenon. Since everyone is hiring and pay rates keep going up with each new contract, we’re seeing going pilots jump ship from one Major to another to try and grab a few extra bucks. While I personally feel this is short sighted on their part it actually makes an older pilot more attractive because losing 2-3yrs of seniority means much more to you than it does to those peckerheads so once you’re hired you’ll most likely stay.
With all the above in mind you should of course know there are no guarantees anyone will ever get called up. Checkride busts, bad behavior or maybe you just interview very poorly could all leave you stuck. The good news is the Regionals and the LCCs are paying much more than ever so if you did it’s still not a bad life.
On a side note you might not be aware but there’s currently a bill that’s stalled in the senate to raise the pilot age to 67 (it was passed by congress). Personally I’d love to add a couple of years to my career and if you feel the same (whether you’re flying or not) I encourage you to call or write you state Senator to vote in favor of the bill (yes this is a shameless plug).
I do not think that you would have a hard time getting to a major, provided you start training very soon and keep a clean record. The airlines often prefer older candidates for the reasons Adam mentioned.
Adam,
The term “Congress” refers to the legislature of the United States, which is composed of the lower body, known as the House of Representatives, and the upper body, known as the Senate. The bill was only passed by the House of Representatives, not “congress”. These slips of the mind, while seemingly small, can be very dangerous in an aviation setting and only increase with age. This is exactly why it is so important that the age 65 rule remain in place (an opposing shameless plug).
Thank you both (@Adam and @Chris) for the valuable feedback.
I am aware of the pilot shortage. Unfortunately, I have also seen the actions taken in some other areas where shortages existed, and it has not always been favorable. It is good to know there are still options available for those of us who are considering a career change a bit (way) later than most. To be honest, I would love to make it all the way to the majors, but if I can sustain my family by just being in the regionals, I would still be fulfilling a dream that I had to stop a few years back.
