How Old is to Old to Join the Industry?

[westcoasting]

Im just finishing up my 2nd year of university, which Im not enjoying. I have always wanted to be a commercial pilot, and figure its time to follow my dream. The way I see it though I would have to save up for around 2 years for flight training, and Wouldn't be done my commercial ratings until im around 25. Is that to old to be looking for your first flying gig? It seems that kids are starting flying at an early age, and most people are done there training by around 20. I feel like the window is closing, especially with todays climate.

[. ._]

You're not too old. My $0.02.

But then again, maybe I'm lying to myself. I plan on getting into the industry in a couple of years and I'm 40.

-istp

[Buzz Lightyear]

You're definitely not too old. I started at 28 and made it to the airline world. It's good to have a little background before you jump into aviation, it could help you more than you think at some point in your career.

Good luck!

B.

[200hr Wonder]

I did my first flight at 25, if anything a little extra maturity is a good thing and will help you.

[iflyforpie]

There really is no age limit, but it also depends on which route you decide to take. If you are sitting at 35 with no jet time, you aren't going to be super attractive to a major airline. But even if you were done your CPL at 25, instructed for a couple years, then did regionals for a few years more you'd be on-track.

I got my CPL a few days after my 25th birthday and I seem to be doing alright so far, but I am not planning to go into airlines.

I'd think your age would be about perfect. A bit of maturity, but young enough that it is still easy to learn new things. Don't forget about having a fall-back plan in case of loss of medical or loss of interest in aviation. A degree might come in handy...

[CL-Skadoo!]

Absolutely, you're definitely not too old. However, most of the posts will give you that "come on in, water's great, always room for one more" feeling, this is just not the case. This industry is extremely difficult to break into, can be very demanding on your family life, will require great sacrifice of every aspect of your life and other than being 'way cool' to do, is not very rewarding financially for the first 5+ years after you obtain you CPL.

Try not to allow the alleged "cool factor" of a career in aviation to steer you in the wrong direction. If you love it, if you have a passion for it, if it's the your life's ambition, the sacrifice may just be worth it. But, if it isn't, you may find yourself at the age of 30, making 28,000 a year, someplace you do not want to be, and considering a career change. Just be wary of this industry, it often promises you the world. Make an informed and educated decision, that's the best you can do. Also, a back-up plan, as Iflyforpie mentioned, is an excellent idea. Always have an out!

Good luck with the whole thing!

[Invertago]

you may find yourself at the age of 30, making 28,000 a year, someplace you do not want to be, and considering a career change.

Sounds good where can I sign up?

[200hr Wonder]

you may find yourself at the age of 30, making 28,000 a year, someplace you do not want to be, and considering a career change.

Sounds good where can I sign up?

Wait I am here now sept I am where I want to be an 31 :}

[Meatservo]

Finish university. You won't be too old when you're 27 either.

[North Shore]

What Meatservo said! Get a plan 'B.' That way, when you are 45, and your medical gets pulled because you've suddenly turned diabetic, you aren't posting on PlumbCanada, asking if you are too old....

[viccoastdog]

Started training when I was 35.

[toelessjoe]

If Ron Jeremy can still find work in Porn, then you DEFINATELY are not too old for aviation.

Sorry, I just wanted to mention Ron Jeremy in a thread in AvCanada. I want to be him someday.

Anyone know if that YWG kid went up to YZF yet? I gave him his marching orders a while ago.

I'll hand you back your thread now

[toelessjoe]

There really is no age limit, but it also depends on which route you decide to take. If you are sitting at 35 with no jet time, you aren't going to be super attractive to a major airline. But even if you were done your CPL at 25, instructed for a couple years, then did regionals for a few years more you'd be on-track.

I got my CPL a few days after my 25th birthday and I seem to be doing alright so far, but I am not planning to go into airlines.

I'd think your age would be about perfect. A bit of maturity, but young enough that it is still easy to learn new things. Don't forget about having a fall-back plan in case of loss of medical or loss of interest in aviation. A degree might come in handy...

Hey, I'm over 35 with no jet time and I'm very attractive to the airlines. They won't hire me, but I'd like to think they still find me hot.

[Rowdy]

You're never too old to fly.. but you may be out of the prime range for some airliners and operators to hire. i know guys who've gotten in in their 30's and 40's!! Even one who started in his 50's for a small ma and pa show.. and he loved it

Just remember its a rough go for families and wives... so have a backup in case your plan doesnt work out. Basically I'm reiterating what everyone else said

[ditar]

I also say finish university. You've already invested two years in it, you may as well finish. I was 25 when I started flying commercially after six years of university. I thought my degree would never relate to aviation (and it doesn't, per se) but it qualified me to take on additional responsibilities at my company that I'm paid extra for. So you never know how it'll help you, whether now or down the road.

[flyinthebug]

You still have plenty of time! As has been said above, finish your University and then start training after you are done. The degree wont hurt when you start applying to the majors and you`ll still only be 31-32 by the time your applying to these ops. As an FYI, I didnt do my CPL til I was 28 and started flying commercially at 29. You will still be young by Aviation standards even if you dont turn a prop til your 30. Best of luck with all your future decisions.

Fly safe all!

[KAG]

The average age of those getting hired at the airline level right now is in the mid 30's. To start at 25 gives you 40 years of flying ahead of you.

[mbav8r]

Westcoasting, I suggest before you get into this racket you do some serious reading about the negative things said in here. They are mostly true and very much the reason I wish I had continued with university instead. You see, I've been doing this for 15 years, I'm almost 40 and biggest T4 in the last 15 years was actually post 911, when I was driving a truck. I won't break 60k for probably at least 5 years. I had a choice and chose flying and as fun as it is, it is NOT worth it. If one of my kids told me they wanted to get into this, first I would breakdown, the next step would be denial, then anger, you see where I'm going with this. Get a degree, make some real money and fly privately, I assure you, that will be a much happier life.
I had some very longtime pilots try to steer me clear of this when I first started, I shrugged it off, thought just because they're jaded doesn't mean I'll be....

[kevenv]

I am some glad I have zero interest in flying. I hate to think I would ignore the state of this industry (as related here on AvCanada) as well as the great advice offered here just because I thought it was a cool job and my life's calling. Guys I work with that came over from the pilot world, have both the time off AND the extra money to fly whenever they want. If people keep chasing the dream, there will always be too many pilots and too little pay. More money for driving a truck? Insane! Was it at least a really big truck?

[100_above]

The only one who can tell you that you are too old is you! Everyone has their story, good or bad. I got into this at the tender age of 32...do I regret it? NO...not on your life. Has it been all sunshine and buttercups? No, but life generally isn't. I am a Captain flying Medivac and love it. I am excited to be where I am right now and look forward to my next move. Am I too old for the airlines? Perhaps some, but we'll let time be the judge of that. Besides maybe a good corporate gig will be more of what I would like to see. In my life I have had to fight the odds on more than one occasion, every time I have won (even when I didn't think I did). If this is what you want to do, put your boots on and jump in with both feet...use hip waders if you have to! Good luck!!!!

[mbav8r]

It was a big truck, made about 6000 a month driving a super B train. Generally 41/2 to 5 days a week. The best paying flying position was C.P of a medevac company working 3 weeks on call 1 week off, spending most of my week off in the office catching up on paperwork, going through resume piles, and it was expected to be in the office a certain amount of time even when on call(illegal, unless it was included as duty) and all this for 5000 a month. Although when they were going under and laid myself and the ops manager off, I had kept a record of all my time in the office(during days off) and recieved an nice tidy sum for overtime on top of severance. Still barely broke 70 that year.
So if anyone has done the math I'll have 20 years in before I'll have a 2nd t4 that breaks 60 and will have to wait for a left seat, before I'll see more than I did driving a truck. Oh yah in investment terms very bad ROI, should have continued university.
I think the best advice anyone offered westcoasting, was get the degree, then pursue flying, in the meantime there's still hope. Maybe while you're getting that degree, something will dramatically change the industry for the better and it will be a worthwhile career again.
Also think about the fact there are numerous people on here who compare flying to a trade or driving a bus, do you really want to INVEST 50-60 thousand on a bus licence. You can get them for free and your local Transit. The process is quite simple, apply for a job, be able to read and pass a written and road test, a week of on the job training. Voila you're a pilot, oops a bus driver.
I dont feel that way, I paid 1500 for my class1 air licence, that was a few lessons in a truck and use of the truck
for the road test. The day after I got my licence i was out earning over 5000 grand a month. Not a bad ROI

[Jack Klumpus]

My uncle's neighbour, who drove a toyota (pre-gas peddle issue), has a friend, who's cousin worked at air canada, and he met a pilot there that started flying when he was in his mid 30's.

In all seriousness, that's what you'll hear, different stories from different folks.

What you need to do, is figure out where you'd wanna be in 5, 10, 20 years.

To do your research, look at your options once you're done your licences. Look at how much you will make the first couple of years, and how much moving you'd have to do, etc.

Also, look at what the regionals pay, and what experience they look for. This migh be tricky, since a company may want 1,000 hours today, and 5,000 hours of space shuttle command next month. When I started, a right seat on a navajo required 2-3,000 hours, with some 500 multi-command time. By the time I finished my training, and instructed for 2 years, I had 1,100hrs, and got in a single pilot IFR position on a chieftain/navajo.

If you do decide to get into aviation, keep in mind the following;

It takes alot of hard work, determination, sacrifice, and a ton of luck.

One more thing I'll leave you with, don't be in such a hury to chase the big tin, enjoy the ride.

[Highflyinpilot]

I would say that you are not even close to being to old.

having said that, I would definelty take the advice given above as in DO YOUR RESEARCH beforehand, and make CERTAIN it is what you want.

Here is my personal experience:

20 years old and wanting nothing more than to be a pilot, took some private lessons that drained my bank account while working at AandW, couldnt keep going like this as it was much to costly so applied to a aviation college and got accepted. I moved 14 hours away to attend college with that thought that there is nothing else that matters more but to become a comercial pilot. I graduated from college with a shiny, and i mean shiny new cpl with floats only to realize that the pilots lifestyle is not meant for me, I wouldnt mind the lifestyle so much if it paid decent wages and didnt have to move 3 times a year(overexagerating here but you get it), all over the country.

Today, I am back living in my home town with a loving family(wife and one daughter), working as a tradesperson, making excellent money, home every night, off every weekends, Just recently bought a dream house with a big garage, bought myself a brand new truck along with a quad, and im only 25 years old and happy as a pig in shit(and this was all during this reccesion). Had I been able to acheive that as a pilot, HELL NO, not as fast anyways, if ever.



Now if I could do it different, I would have done some extensive research, canned the whole aviation college thing, worked in the chosen trade and gathered some money to only get my PPL privately and fly for fun.



Just something to think about.

[FlaplessDork]

Get out now if you have the chance. I'm in it too far to get out. I don't know how to do anything else.

[westcoasting]

Yeah I figure finishing my degree would be a good decision. The job market just seems like a such a mess right now, even in the states there seems to be more flying jobs. I guess it is what you make of it though. How hard is it to get a gig hauling bags at yvr these days?