Career in Aviation - is it too late?

yahooguy

Hi everyone,

Recently i've rediscovered my love of all things that fly. Approx 14 years ago (biggest mistake of my life - hindsight eh) i pulled out of the last round of the Aer Lingus cadet program to become a pilot. The reasons at the time seemed legit (reloacting to shannon/pay etc) but more to the fore was that i was young and stupid!

Anyway, im now 34 and am getting itchy feet in the career path i chose all those years ago. I have a Masters in Pharmaceutical Science and currently hold down a well paid job. I am facing redundancy in a year or two and am currently exploring the idea of doing what i have always wanted to do with a view to doing part time courses/flying lessons etc outside of work hours here.

I know its a longshot etc but was just seeing if other people have been in a similar situation themselves and what they did. I see DIT run a few relevant courses and i have enrolled for introductory flights in Weston with a view to doing my PPL.

Appreciate anyones thoughts and advice.

Ald

As someone in their mid 20's training at the moment I would say don't just toy around with the idea. Know 100% that you want it if you commit. It is a tough road. ATPL's are a bitch. It's expensive and no guarantees are given until you sign a contract. Weston is a rip off. They charge you apparently for showing you how to fuel the plane. That's like being charged in Tescos for using the cashier.

34 is probably as old as you would want to start training. I wouldn't imagine it would be impossible but I think you'd have a steeper road to climb than younger lads. If it's an itch and you really want it and you'd be doing nothing else anyways why not go for it. It's a gamble for the best of us. If you can afford to lose the money you'd invest and not look back in regret then go for it is my advice...

kona

Your never too old to do what you want OP, Id say go for it.:)

aviteire

Aer Lingus will begin taking applications for there cadet scheme in 3 weeks time.
You should mabey apply for that, again!

To apply for a job with EU/Irish airline, you will need the following ;

• Private Pilots Licence (45 Hours(ish) course).

• Have passed the JAA (soon to be EASA), 14, multiple choice ground school exams.

• 100 Hours Flying as Pilot in Command (Hour Building in a light aircraft).

• Commercial Pilots Licence (27 Hours(ish) course).

• Multi-Engine Instrument Rating (50 Hours(ish) course).

• MCC (8 day course of ground school and how to work with another pilot, done in a simulator).

When you have all of the above, you have a Frozen ATPL(A) and can then apply for a job as a co-pilot with an airline.

As the age old saying goes, "go burn where the cheap oil is to be found".

You should do the above for €40-€50K.

You will find the best flight instructors at the schools that dont advertise becuase they dont need to "Do your own research".

Dont be another statistic in a pilot factory, dont trust a school that spends more on marketing and advertising then it does on annual instructor wages!

Take what you like from that and goodluck with your career and god-speed.

Lustrum

aviteire wrote: »

To apply for a job with EU/Irish airline, you will need the following ;

• Private Pilots Licence (45 Hours(ish) course).

• Have passed the JAA (soon to be EASA), 14, multiple choice ground school exams.

• 100 Hours Flying as Pilot in Command (Hour Building in a light aircraft).

• Commercial Pilots Licence (27 Hours(ish) course).

• Multi-Engine Instrument Rating (50 Hours(ish) course).

• MCC (8 day course of ground school and how to work with another pilot, done in a simulator).

When you have all of the above, you have a Frozen ATPL(A) and can then apply for a job as a co-pilot with an airline.

As the age old saying goes, "go burn where the cheap oil is to be found".

You should do the above for €40-€50K.

Where can you do all that for €40-€50K?

xflyer

You should do the above for €40-€50K.

LOL, you can add at least 20k onto that figure. For a full time integrated course add another 50k.

You're not too old but your age won't help matters in terms of learning and getting jobs. But I know of several people myself including who got flying jobs later rather than sooner. So don't let that put you off.

Ignore the snipes at Weston which I presume are aimed at the NFC which is the only one training to CPL standard. Frankly my experience is quite different and I could line up plenty of others who would give them a good recommendation.

Besides it's the only game in town when it comes to the Dublin area. Unless you want to go away and train full time.

The DIT courses are I presume for the PPL written exams. The ATPLs will be done under the auspices of the flying school or through one of ground school specialists in England.

The main thing is to get started with the PPL and see how you like it and how you get on. Flying professionally isn't for everyone, better to find out now than when you've blown multiple thousands of Euro.

One thing to point out is that merely getting your 'frozen ATPL' and less than 300 hours probably won't get you a job. Ryanair expect you to pay for the training they give you, something like €30k? That's assuming they even select you.

Check the wannabees section on PPRuNe for some reality checks.

My advice finally is to think carefully before you embark on this. You might just be better off getting a PPL and having fun at weekends.

yahooguy

Great advice so far guys and much appreciated. I only wish i did this sooner but thats life and recent events have made me think more about what i want to do with the rest of my life career wise!! Money is important yes but i'd rather be "living the dream" than going through the motions!!

First step is to take them few flying lessons and i'll see if i still feel as strongly about it as i do now!!

The course in DIT is a 2 year one and all theory - and to be honest i'm full to the brim of mundane theory courses where you dont get a chance to practise the theory but if it helped my cause i'd go for it!

Thanks agains guys and keep the advice/opinions coming as it isnt your everyday "ring joe duffy" (not that i do!!) problem.

Cheers

donkey balls

Here is my 2 cents worth OP I have a mate flying for FR he is around 29 on average he spent around €90k on training (including the TR) he did it the modular way,Now both of us know a few guys who we met while training at different stages who completed there training and have since to get a job,They had interviews with FR and both of them were not succesfull some did it the modular way and Others the integrated way.
As for the age barrier one of our chief pilots was in his late 40s before getting his CPL so it has been done.

yaeger

Go for it without a doubt. I don't know your financial situation but no doubt you have weighted it all up, If you have another year or two of earning just go out and do the PPL part time. Go get some intro hours see if its for you, next stop class one med and then decide where you wish to do you PPL..Where you decide to do it is another discussion. Not a whole lotta cash gone if you get your PPL done and you be in a good position to decide to continue or not.
As for age it does'nt matter a damn for 90% of jobs, and if you plan well you can instruct, paradrop, glider tow etc etc while waiting for a airline job.
Jobs are in short supply and competition is numerous to say the least but if your willing and able ! If you ain't in you can't win.

Good luck :cool:

xflyer

and if you plan well you can instruct, paradrop, glider tow etc etc while waiting for a airline job.

Sorry but that's a bit of myth, those jobs are few and far between in this country apart from Instructing which is low paid or unpaid and requires a biggish upfront investment. Not to mention there being few jobs in Instructing anymore. You can build time as an Instructor with a club usually unpaid though.

As for the other two, they're either unpaid or very low pay. Generally speaking in this country both gliding and paradropping are a closed shop. They won't even look at low time pilots waiting for the airline job. They look for experience and maturity so being slightly older can help. But hours are all important. 300 hours just won't cut it. Then there's the likes of Aer Arann Islands who look for lots of twin time. Ironically it can easier to get an airline job and then come back to fly the other sorts of operations.

yaeger

Ahh X-Flyer its no myth... its hard to get but no myth, ya gotta give some light at the tunnel end.
My first 2 jobs were para drop, both paid well and the first I landed with sub 300hrs, I also done glider tow for abit, positioned plenty of aircraft for maintenance and delivered a few planes from europe for buyers in UK. Plenty of drop sites and odd flying jobs on my CV prior to airline career. Although hard to get, two of them were in Ireland and were gained by me getting in my car and knocking on doors despite people saying its a closed shop in a market that was overcrowed..
So What can I suggest...
Take on board what people tell you but go out and hussle for your own answers and don't be listening to myths in my experience ! they don't amount to $%^%, Don't be in doubt the job search
now is highly competitive but I've never know it to be any other way.

xflyer

Well I said it was a 'bit of a myth' in fact and indeed my own experience slightly contradicts my own statement. But sometimes it's a case of the right place at the right time.

However my statement is true for Ireland anyway. I wonder how long ago your experience was? The current scene here is very tight and very much a closed shop.

It is fair to say that if you go out and hustle sometimes you can get your foot in the door. But there is a fine line between being the annoying p**** who won't get the message and the nice chap who deserves a break.

But it is worth a try, just don't have any illusions that there are lots of little jobs with a high turnover of pilots, in Ireland anyway.

John_Mc

aviteire wrote: »

Aer Lingus will begin taking applications for there cadet scheme in 3 weeks time.
You should mabey apply for that, again!

To apply for a job with EU/Irish airline, you will need the following ;

• Private Pilots Licence (45 Hours(ish) course).

• Have passed the JAA (soon to be EASA), 14, multiple choice ground school exams.

• 100 Hours Flying as Pilot in Command (Hour Building in a light aircraft).

• Commercial Pilots Licence (27 Hours(ish) course).

• Multi-Engine Instrument Rating (50 Hours(ish) course).

• MCC (8 day course of ground school and how to work with another pilot, done in a simulator).

When you have all of the above, you have a Frozen ATPL(A) and can then apply for a job as a co-pilot with an airline.

As the age old saying goes, "go burn where the cheap oil is to be found".

You should do the above for €40-€50K.

You will find the best flight instructors at the schools that dont advertise becuase they dont need to "Do your own research".

Dont be another statistic in a pilot factory, dont trust a school that spends more on marketing and advertising then it does on annual instructor wages!

Take what you like from that and goodluck with your career and god-speed.

You need all those just to apply for the EI cadet scheme? I was hoping it was a case of being offered the job on the basis that you pay for & pass the training they specify

bladeruner

John_Mc wrote: »

aviteire wrote: »

Aer Lingus will begin taking applications for there cadet scheme in 3 weeks time.
You should mabey apply for that, again!

To apply for a job with EU/Irish airline, you will need the following ;

• Private Pilots Licence (45 Hours(ish) course).

• Have passed the JAA (soon to be EASA), 14, multiple choice ground school exams.

• 100 Hours Flying as Pilot in Command (Hour Building in a light aircraft).

• Commercial Pilots Licence (27 Hours(ish) course).

• Multi-Engine Instrument Rating (50 Hours(ish) course).

• MCC (8 day course of ground school and how to work with another pilot, done in a simulator).

When you have all of the above, you have a Frozen ATPL(A) and can then apply for a job as a co-pilot with an airline.

As the age old saying goes, "go burn where the cheap oil is to be found".

You should do the above for €40-€50K.

You will find the best flight instructors at the schools that dont advertise becuase they dont need to "Do your own research".

Dont be another statistic in a pilot factory, dont trust a school that spends more on marketing and advertising then it does on annual instructor wages!

Take what you like from that and goodluck with your career and god-speed.

You need all those just to apply for the EI cadet scheme? I was hoping it was a case of being offered the job on the basis that you pay for & pass the training they specify

I think the two articles are unrelated .
You wouldn't be a cadet if you already had all the training done.

The top bit says the cadetships will be announced soon, the bottom bit just says what you currently need if you want a job with an Irish airline.

bladeruner

Yahooguy, have a good think about your current standard of living and your current social life.
You will probably be in your mid forties by the time you are earning in aviation what you probably are now.
Few weekends off or Christmas or new years etc for family & friends.
You probably will also be older then some of your future captains, how do you feel about taking orders off someone younger?
Or If you don't get a job with Aer lingus , Ryanair or Cityjet/Aer Arann then you will have to live elsewhere permanently.

If you still want it badly then go for it.