There you go J. As per my my PM to you, words of wisdom from Doc and CatDriver as well.
Keep us posted and all the best with your decision making process.
Becoming a Pilot after age 35 - is it worth it?
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JHill
HAPPY ARE THOSE WHO DREAM DREAMS AND ARE WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE TO MAKE THEM COME TRUE: CARL BOENISH
Not to be confused with Springjob, Handjob, Blowjob or any other job......except a flyingjob!
Not to be confused with Springjob, Handjob, Blowjob or any other job......except a flyingjob!
I started flying at 42, and got CPL at 45. A friend of mine a few years younger did the same and spent a lot of time and money getting CPL and multi IFR. He found it hard at his age to learn the theories of IFR, etc.
After that, he spent some time looking for work. Although he had been flying for at least fifteen years as a private pilot and had float experience, he never found work. He finally gave up on flying for a living and drove a truck in northern Ontario for 75K /year instead.
I also think that young dudes with aviation college diplomas will always move quicker through the ranks and get the airline jobs.
If you are really interested in a career, get an ATP with the minimum hours, learn French and apply for a TC job at 100K/year.
Cheers
After that, he spent some time looking for work. Although he had been flying for at least fifteen years as a private pilot and had float experience, he never found work. He finally gave up on flying for a living and drove a truck in northern Ontario for 75K /year instead.
I also think that young dudes with aviation college diplomas will always move quicker through the ranks and get the airline jobs.
If you are really interested in a career, get an ATP with the minimum hours, learn French and apply for a TC job at 100K/year.
Cheers
Success in life is when the cognac that you drink is older than the women you drink it with.
As long as you can pay the bills, 35 isn't too late to start. I know a pilot who started out mid 30's, instructed, and gradually moved up the ranks to captain a Saab 340 before 40. Wasn't talking to him lately, but he is probably on a jet now. And he wasn't lucky either, just hard work and dedication. Even at 35, you would have 25-30 years in the industry, not a bad career.
Never point your aircraft to some place your brain hasn't already been 5 minutes earlier.
Obtaining Your Pilot's License at Age 35 - Is it Worth It.
I think a couple of you may have gotten the wrong idea about my selling my house.
If you are picturing a nest egg that we have spent many years building equity in, that is not the case at all.
Actually, we only purchased it a year and a half ago with a very modest 5% downpayment. As it is mainly interest you are paying at the front end of a mortgage, there is not much more equity in there than our original 5% down anyway.
The house we purchased is on the outskirts of town, so my husband and I have been making a very large commute to work each day. After a year of this we had already discussed selling it and moving closer in. This leaves the question of what to do with the small amount of money we would receive after selling and moving back to town. We want to invest it in our future however, the amount will just not cover a downpayment in town. I believe investing it in education towards a career in something we love (i.e. piloting) would be one good use.
So rest assured, this is only a house we have had for a year and a half, and had only spent a few years previously saving up the downpayment. This is not a lifetime worth of savings!
I have also considered the other possibility of getting a loan off the equity in my home however, as I have said before there is not much equity there, I would still need to move in closer to town to go to school, and I don't want to over-extend myself on payments each month considering the first several years being a pilot will be very lean.
Hope that clarifies things.
Thanks.
"Lest We Never Forget"
If you are picturing a nest egg that we have spent many years building equity in, that is not the case at all.
Actually, we only purchased it a year and a half ago with a very modest 5% downpayment. As it is mainly interest you are paying at the front end of a mortgage, there is not much more equity in there than our original 5% down anyway.
The house we purchased is on the outskirts of town, so my husband and I have been making a very large commute to work each day. After a year of this we had already discussed selling it and moving closer in. This leaves the question of what to do with the small amount of money we would receive after selling and moving back to town. We want to invest it in our future however, the amount will just not cover a downpayment in town. I believe investing it in education towards a career in something we love (i.e. piloting) would be one good use.
So rest assured, this is only a house we have had for a year and a half, and had only spent a few years previously saving up the downpayment. This is not a lifetime worth of savings!
I have also considered the other possibility of getting a loan off the equity in my home however, as I have said before there is not much equity there, I would still need to move in closer to town to go to school, and I don't want to over-extend myself on payments each month considering the first several years being a pilot will be very lean.
Hope that clarifies things.
Thanks.
"Lest We Never Forget"
You bought your house with 5% down, Real Estate will hit you 6% to sell it. You'll need first and last month's rent when you move. And the move itself wont be free. I guess you could invest the remaining twenty dollars in an education.....? And then, it'll take YEARS before you can even qualify for another mortgage.....years after you find work as a pilot?
And about wanting to become a pilot....have you even taken a lesson?
And about wanting to become a pilot....have you even taken a lesson?
Doc,
I'm sensing you like to play devil's advocate. I understand you are trying to point out all of the possible downfalls for me, but I think we're jumping ahead a bit.
I've already done all of the calculations. IF we decide to sell, after everyone gets their cut and all expenses are paid, we will be walking away with approximately $17,000.00.
Not a lot of money, mind you, however it is a little more than $20. We would not have any trouble in being approved for a future home (because of our credit rating and also my husband's parents have let us know they would be fine with doing an inter-alia mortgage off the equity in their home, if needed). So that would not be a problem. The problem is the ability to pay our bills during the first few years that I would be making next to nothing.
No, I have not started taking flying lessons yet. Right now I am in the stage of compiling information to find out realistically what can be done in our situation.
I'm sensing you like to play devil's advocate. I understand you are trying to point out all of the possible downfalls for me, but I think we're jumping ahead a bit.
I've already done all of the calculations. IF we decide to sell, after everyone gets their cut and all expenses are paid, we will be walking away with approximately $17,000.00.
Not a lot of money, mind you, however it is a little more than $20. We would not have any trouble in being approved for a future home (because of our credit rating and also my husband's parents have let us know they would be fine with doing an inter-alia mortgage off the equity in their home, if needed). So that would not be a problem. The problem is the ability to pay our bills during the first few years that I would be making next to nothing.
No, I have not started taking flying lessons yet. Right now I am in the stage of compiling information to find out realistically what can be done in our situation.
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stevewilson
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