How old is to old

SixPapaCharlie said:
I am 46 and planning my midlife crisis. I start Commercial training next Monday followed by Multi. I have 1050 hours.
I am evaluating the option of exiting my mid life crisis as a professional pilot of some sort. The poverty years are what I am mostly evaluating.
Seems if you can get through those, the benefit on the other side is nice. Not committed but positioning myself to be able to commit in the near future.
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Go give ‘em’ hell! I’m betting you’re in a better sport than most.


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SixPapaCharlie said:
I am 46 and planning my midlife crisis. I start Commercial training next Monday followed by Multi. I have 1050 hours.
I am evaluating the option of exiting my mid life crisis as a professional pilot of some sort. The poverty years are what I am mostly evaluating.
Seems if you can get through those, the benefit on the other side is nice. Not committed but positioning myself to be able to commit in the near future.
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That will set you up well for your ultimate retirement job as an ASI at the North Texas FSDO.
 
texasclouds said:
1500 hrs and a pulse for regional airlines. 1000 hrs and a pulse will get you into a 135 charter operation. I don’t think you’ll be too old. We just hire some dude that is 100% white haired. Im guessing 60.
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Whoa, I have mostly (i.e. all) white hair and I'm only 47. Does that mean people think I'm 60? nevermind, don't answer that, LOL
 
Old huh? My hope is you that many of you pilots will in future years be able to join our ranks within the special & elite, 'THE UNITED FLYING OCTOGENARIANS'! (U.F.O,). We are international and also have an auxiliary wing for those in their seventies. If a pilot serves as PIC on or after their 80th Birthday, then you are good for admission. FAA data indicates there are about 10,000 pilots over 80 still active.
Yup many of our members 'Go West', but really none of us are 'Going East'. If you know of pilots who are approaching 80 years, please ask them to join us. Keep flying y'all!
 
Brad schneider said:
I’m considering a career change at 53 years old. Is 53 too old to get into the commercial pilot business? I’m currently hold a private pilot certificate with 250 hours or so. I know I have a long way to go to be marketable in the industry. The majors would be ideal but with only 10 ish good flying years left. I wouldn’t expect them to run in my direction. Maybe regionals or cargo. Just floating thoughts out there and wondering what team PA has to say.

Thanks in advance
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I have a friend who did that at about your age and spent many years flying business jets around the world. He has no regrets
 
I’m considering a career change at 53 years old. Is 53 too old to get into the commercial pilot business?
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As a mortician for 24 years, I will just say this:
At age 13, you’re “boujee ”.
At age 33, you’re “cool”.
At age 53, you’re “content”.
At age 63, you’re “lucky”.
 
I hesitated sharing this post because I didn't want to draw attention to myself. But then I remembered I wrote it on behalf of the older crowd and got good reception on the now gone AOPA forum. Then I saw a request to re-post it on another forum. Maybe it would help some folks, especially older ones, here. The original title was "Improbably Journey (especially for the older folks)". Hope this link works.

https://thepilotsplace.com/forum/index.php?threads/by-request-an-improbable-journey.2498/
 
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Brad schneider said:
I’m considering a career change at 53 years old. Is 53 too old to get into the commercial pilot business? I’m currently hold a private pilot certificate with 250 hours or so. I know I have a long way to go to be marketable in the industry. The majors would be ideal but with only 10 ish good flying years left. I wouldn’t expect them to run in my direction. Maybe regionals or cargo. Just floating thoughts out there and wondering what team PA has to say.
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Or, if you're financially able, you do what @LDJones did. You retire in your later 50s and make flying your retirement job. (That's one of the best threads on PoA, highly recommend reading the whole thing.)
 
[QUOTE="Ralph Parmenter Bennett, post: 3393584, member: 39114" 'THE UNITED FLYING OCTOGENARIANS'! (U.F.O,). [/QUOTE]

Funny. I just got a post card from this organization suggesting I go to the website for more information.
 
UFO has a new auxiliary wing for those pilots 75-80 years. Join now and then join UFO in a couple more years. We are looking for Wisconsin pilots that might help spread the word at EAA Oshkosh? Contact our UFO President Ken Brown!
 
Brad schneider said:
I’m considering a career change at 53 years old. Is 53 too old to get into the commercial pilot business? I’m currently hold a private pilot certificate with 250 hours or so. I know I have a long way to go to be marketable in the industry. The majors would be ideal but with only 10 ish good flying years left. I wouldn’t expect them to run in my direction. Maybe regionals or cargo. Just floating thoughts out there and wondering what team PA has to say.

Thanks in advance
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To do this, you need to be in top physical condition, ditch bad habits like smoking and drinking, you lose a medical your screwed. I’m told 135 and 91 have no age limits as long as you’re proficient and can hold a medical.
 
kayoh190 said:
Steve Martin type huh? At least you *have* hair - lost just about all of mine in my mid-20s. :)
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We never actually "lose" our hair. It's not really "lost"; it just falls out and doesn't grow back. I see mine go down the drain all the time (sigh).
 
Knew a guy years ago who did it. He already had the hours and ATP, he kept in touch with us for awhile as a junior FO, living in crash-pads, constantly on call. Seemed like a pretty miserable life for someone in their mid 50's. Haven't heard from him for over 10 or 15 years, he'd be retired by now if he stuck with it.
 
Brad schneider said:
I’m considering a career change at 53 years old. Is 53 too old to get into the commercial pilot business? I’m currently hold a private pilot certificate with 250 hours or so. I know I have a long way to go to be marketable in the industry. The majors would be ideal but with only 10 ish good flying years left. I wouldn’t expect them to run in my direction. Maybe regionals or cargo. Just floating thoughts out there and wondering what team PA has to say.

Thanks in advance
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Honestly you could find yourself at a legacy flying WB. Movement is unprecedented.
The downside however is seniority. You could retire as a line holding RJ CA, but don’t expect the regionals to be nearly as large in 10 years. A majority of that flying is coming back to mainline. You’d be a pretty well placed NB FO at one of the big 3 after 5-7 years, but your QoL depends on where you live…
Certainly not too old for a good career..
 
Brad schneider said:
I’m considering a career change at 53 years old. Is 53 too old to get into the commercial pilot business? I’m currently hold a private pilot certificate with 250 hours or so. I know I have a long way to go to be marketable in the industry. The majors would be ideal but with only 10 ish good flying years left. I wouldn’t expect them to run in my direction. Maybe regionals or cargo. Just floating thoughts out there and wondering what team PA has to say.

Thanks in advance
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I just started studying the books for my PPC, no AME visit yet, zero hours, I am a 64 year old retired USN, working on my second career. I plan to to be chauffeured on a gurney to my next retirement. Let an AME will let you know when you're too old. When that happens, I recommend getting a second opinion. FAA changed age limits for airline pilots to 67, so what's to say that it couldn't happen similarly? It's airtime. In the air. Career lengths are no longer lifetime or even 20 years like they used to be. Ten years goes by very quickly. Just thinking.
 
wcallen1959 said:
FAA changed age limits for airline pilots to 67, so what's to say that it couldn't happen similarly?
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The House of Representatives passed a bill that would raise the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots to 67. The Senate has not yet passed it. Right now, it is still age 65.
 
Health Health Health. Exercise and eat right to keep and hold on to your medical to age 65.
Check back in with POA and give us an update after getting your instrument.

67 is the new 65.
nauga, probably
 
NorthEast Ohio said:
Health Health Health. Exercise and eat right to keep and hold on to your medical to age 65.
Check back in with POA and give us an update after getting your instrument.

67 is the new 65.
nauga, probably
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I agree. Eat healthy, get plenty of rest, and stay away from alcohol if possible.
 
If you really want to spend the time and money and are healthy and plan on staying that way go for it.
 
Profileclimb said:
To do this, you need to be in top physical condition, ditch bad habits like smoking and drinking, you lose a medical your screwed. I’m told 135 and 91 have no age limits as long as you’re proficient and can hold a medical.
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Agreed on the fitness/nutrition angle; professional aviation is a great way to force one to focus on one's health as a primary concern.

Re: "no age limits, Part 135/91" - well, it depends. I've been a pure Part 91 guy for my whole career. Our flight department is one of many with a mandatory Age 65 retirement rule. Not all operators do this, but it's increasingly common. I am hopeful that the Age 67 rule passes the Senate, which means that I'll have the option of retiring at that age if I want to. Part 91 operators mirror 121 in this regard.

... with each passing year I'm questioning my desire to keep going past 65, though. :)
 
I was just thinking about this post.. immediately after my boss looked me in the eye and said we'll need to work 1.5x as hard for the next 2-3 years.
 
didnt some guy just get a fedex turboprop hauling job at 53 or something ? So its obviously not too old for getting a commercial flying job. You just might not be getting much seniority at a legacy airline.
 
Anthem said:
didnt some guy just get a fedex turboprop hauling job at 53 or something ? So its obviously not too old for getting a commercial flying job. You just might not be getting much seniority at a legacy airline.
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I joined a legacy in my mid fifties. I’ll retire around 40%- solid NB CA (soon to be global flying with the Airbus XLR) or maybe even a sniff at RSV CA on the 787. That’s not bad for ten years
My class had an age range of 25ish to almost 60 and 2k h regional FO’s to 10k 747 freight and LCC Captains..
 
Update. I was post #21 in this thread a while back. I went on to become the assistant chief pilot/instructor/check airman for that company. Loved every minute and I'm still on staff there.

I was recently head hunted for a job flying a Pilatus PC-12 air ambulance. Just passed my check ride yesterday. Pay/benefits is more than I ever made in the cube farm of the Big airplane company.

Mandatory retirement from this company is 70

Air ambulance isn't a job for the folks chasing the dangling carrot for 121 operations. Maybe you fly, maybe you don't. Pays the same either way.
 
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