The most common questions the Career Advisor receives have a similar theme. Here’s one:
Q. I am a 44-year-old female and have just earned my private pilot certificate. I am not interested in a career in the airlines, but would like to make a career in aviation, ideally as a pilot. Given my age, am I being unrealistic?—Sacha
Here’s another:
Q. I have wanted to become a pilot for many years but simply haven’t found the time to do it. At 45 I’m an old guy! Are there flying careers available for people like me?—Brian
A. I am living proof that aviation career opportunities await “older” pilots. Flying Beech 1900s for a regional carrier and B-737 instruction came after three decades in the broadcasting industry. Add to this owning and operating an air taxi service and hot air balloon touring enterprise in the Rockies.
The first consideration is opportunity. Will there be positions to be filled? In the September 2011 issue (“Career Pilot: You Heard It Here First”), you read a synopsis of what USA Today has to say about the future of pilot hiring. If the demand for air travel goes stratospheric, the big airlines start the hiring binge, and the domino effect is felt right down to the small flight schools, corporate flight departments, and air charter.
Back in the day, 30 was considered old. But, with the upcoming shortages of flying personnel, employers must open that hiring window a lot wider and welcome pilots of all ages. Besides, the airlines in particular learned a valuable lesson. When major carriers hired those 30-something pilots in the late 1960s, including many Vietnam veterans, what happened? They all started retiring at the same time 40 years later.
But—and this is an important “but”—whether 25 or 45, it is important to be qualified and experienced. To gain those credentials takes time, patience, and money. Will you need 2,000 hours of flight time to get a job, as was the requirement in the 1960s and 1970s? Probably not. Time will tell. But in the 2007 hiring boom, 500 hours total time got a lot of folks a seat up front for pay.
The would-be professional pilot must reckon with the financial consequences of launching a flying career. That dream job can be nightmarish when the bills pile up and the $1,400-per-month take-home pay won’t cover them.
Finally, aviation is a huge industry. Look at all angles such as starting your own flight school, selling used aircraft, building an aerial photography business, or managing airplanes for high rollers. Just open your eyes and you will find that age doesn’t necessarily matter.
Related Articles
