TOO OLD TO MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE?

Commercial Training

TOO OLD TO MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE?

Petiule 04/09/2009, 2:51 AM
Hi everybody,

I am 42 with no university degree aiming at modular cadet programe with a burden of a bank loan covering whole course from zero to frozen ATPL(with 200 hours total) starting in spring 2010. If all goes well and smooth I should be ready for hire just before I reach 45. I am completely aware of the financial risk I am about to face after completing the training as there's no guarantee of getting hired right away and thus being able to start paying off the huge loan. And even if I get a job it will very likely be with regional services on small aircraft with miserable paychecks hardly matching my financial needs. So logicaly most of people would say "Don't do it!". However the flying bug will stay in my head till my last day when I will definitely feel very sorry that I never gave it a try. The question is: Will the tremendous finacial stress lasting for at least ten years be better than the depressing regret lasting for the rest of my life or not?
What do you people think? Any post very welcome especially suggestions how to increase my chances to succeed.
Thank you for reading.
Petr from Czech Republic.

Re: TOO OLD TO MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE?

CFrost 04/09/2009, 10:24 AM
I say go for it! If you can manage the financial aspect and you are prepared to make sacrifices then I think you should do it. However this is coming from someone who doesn’t have the burden of dealing with finances yet. :s

Re: TOO OLD TO MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE?

debiassi 17/09/2009, 12:08 AM
May be an oversight but how would you feel at 45 with all of your amassed life experiences being ordered about by an early twenties high flying graduate with rich parents whos still wet behind the ears? Also the chances of getting hired would be relatively slim in my humble opinion. Even if your super fit and have really looked after yourself, its still at best going to be a short career. Even when your training is complete, you will still be low time with a frozen ATPL. How are you then going to get the quality amassed time. The usual routes are flight training which is more expense and takes up more training time for little end reward. Parachute club flying which may build hours but counts for very little. Ferry flying is a good hour builder but you need experience of atlantic crossings before you can get insured so you need to try and hop a few lifts and pay your own way to get the required 5 atlantic crossings to get some decent time. I really dont mean to rain on your parade but its a massive financial investment with very little guaranteed at the end of it. I know loads of multi thousand hour pilots on part time who are doing other piloting jobs just to make ends meet. Would be cheaper to get a CPL IR ME/MCC then do a type rating for whatever bizz jets are in popular demand this season and offer yourself to be exploited to get some time on type.
Good luck in any event.

Re: TOO OLD TO MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE?

Anthony Tester 26/10/2009, 7:14 AM

debiassi wrote:
early twenties high flying graduate with rich parents whos still wet behind the ears?

Some people just have it lucky, although having a degree and a command in your early 20's is nigh on impossible. With no degree, fresh out of school, integrated training and almost straight into a job I'll be lucky to have a command by 25 and that'll be because of my experience on the Flight Deck. Also my parents are by no means rich, just supportive enough for me to secure a loan on their house, what better motivation to find a job then potentially making your family homeless! I appreciate that offence was not intended, but be careful what you say debiassi.

There are young Captains and old FO's, 45 is on the old end of the scale but aslong as you are capable theres no reason why you shouldn't be able to make it. It may require further sacrifices to get yourself that dream job, Self Sponsored Type Ratings etc. Plus you'll have to weigh up how much you'll achieve, you may just pay off your training loan in time to retire.

Best of Luck

Ant

Re: TOO OLD TO MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE?

david Perry 12/04/2010, 8:31 AM
If you wake up in the morning dreaming of being a commercial pilot, and you go to bed at night still dreaming of being a commercial pilot, then do it. If however you love something else too, then do that instead and fly as a PPL for fun.

I'm serious: its a great career but no place for the half hearted. Think of it as an expensive mistress...

The question is: Will the tremendous finacial stress lasting for at least ten years be better than the depressing regret lasting for the rest of my life or not?

Er, to quote someone cleverer than me, always regret what you DID, not what you did NOT!

D

Re: TOO OLD TO MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE?

adobewombat 13/04/2010, 1:24 PM
Hi,
You are not too old, as somebody else here has said you have 'life experience'.
Take caution though, their are far fewer jobs than training schools lead you to believe. It can be a harsh industry!
Be honest with yourself and ask how much you realy want this. If you do, a good way to start is to get an M-1 visa for the States and later a j-1 visa. These allow you to train and then work as a pilot over there.