At 38 years old, can I still become an airline pilot?

Question

Living abroad, Bad timing and bad advice and other careers have detoured me from an aviation career. Being a Flight Simulator Pilot, can I still become an airline or comercial pilot at 38?

Answer 1

u dont have to retire until age 65. why not?? go for it! besides at 38 u probably already have the momey in order to pay for ur training

Answer 2

You may, and it's easier now for 38 year old ab initio pilots than ever before.

Vietnam era (think baby boomer) pilots are retiring in growing numbers, even after the max age was boosted to 65 a few years ago, and there's soon to be a strong demand... right now, you can become a right-seat jet pilot with as little at 250 hours total experience.

However, I will caution you about the pay... it's pretty slim... but if nothing else will satisfy you, do it.

Answer 3

you can get your training fast if you can afford it. they slowist thing is that most people have to work  part time while they train

Answer 4

Absolutely - I believe the mandatory cut off age is 60 - so there is plenty of time to go to flight school and get your comercial license

then , most guys fly little prop commuter planes down in the carribean some place to get the necc flight hours built up that the airlines require - you will need many years of flying before the airlines accept you - but every one of them I know makes really good money - so its probably worth it - if you have the funds to get through flight school

Answer 5

As long as you can pass the medical and flight tests, the answer is yes.  IMHO, Flight Sim may help some, as far as being familiar with some of the instruments.

Get ready to make no money for awhile, and only do it if you really enjoy it.  Becoming a pilot is fantastic, but an airline pilot is not all it's cracked up to be.

Answer 6

if you really are 38 years old and looking for a career on yahoo answers, I believe you are in for massive disappointment.  What have you been doing?

Answer 7

Yes of course u can

Answer 8

Do you have any flight training at all? outside of a simulator?

Its absolutely possible, but there are a few things you need to consider. If you are starting from the bottom (with very little to no hours under your belt), its going to take a significant financial investment to make yourself appealing to a major airline.

The cost of training plus the meager wages of commuter flights or becoming a CFI yourself (what you will have to do to build hours) is something you really have to consider.

I assume you have a college degree (you'll need one) and aren't interested in one of the flight school/academies.

You have to keep your eyes on this economy. It could take you 5 years and a lot of cash to get to a point where a major airline would consider you.

Another concern you should keep in mind is that major airlines are looking for experience. Its going to take you some time to plug through your ratings and build hours - you're going to have to build your turbine experience significantly, which - going back to the above - will mean taking a commuter job. Its going to take time to make yourself hireable by a major airline.

That being said .... if you really enjoy flying, maybe major airlines aren't what you are looking for. My previous instructor is flying an Airbus now and she hates it .. its all computers - no more flying.

So, to answer your question ... nope, you're not too old. But it will take time and money (spending and losing) and most of all .. guts. The airline industry isn't a stable one.

Best of luck to you!!

And remember .. its better to break ground and take off into the wind than to break wind and take off into the ground!