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Notatestpilot

Notatestpilot

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Notatestpilot
I'm 54 years old. I have over 1500 hours, with all of it being single engine time; PPL only.
However, I do have an A&P license, and I'm now looking into what's available in paid flying jobs.
Any advise and or suggestions, please comment. Thanks!
 
Notatestpilot said:
I'm 54 years old. I have over 1500 hours, with all of it being single engine time; PPL only.
However, I do have an A&P license, and I'm now looking into what's available in paid flying jobs.
Any advise and or suggestions, please comment. Thanks!
Click to expand...

With private pilot certificate, you can't get paid except in very limited cases, such as a test pilot, demonstration flight for potential customers, etc.. You would need a commercial, but that really shouldn't be a major obstacle with the experience you have.
 
Thank you for your response. Going forward and getting a commercial/multi is what I would be considering...
 
Two questions. Are you thinking airline or non-airline? Are you willing to relocate?

Non-airline will be very doable. Not all of it will likely be very lucrative, but getting the gigs will be very doable. Airline however will be a challenge to say the least. Even if you manage to get a gig that will get you 500 or 1000 twin turbine pic hours in the next year or so, your age is going to move down the list for most airline hiring managers. Note that I'm not saying airline will be impossible. But options will be limited to say the least.

The relocate part is important though. If you're not willing and able to relocate to pretty much anywhere, multiple times on short notice if necessary, then your options are limited to whatever commercial ops happen to be based near where you live.
 
I'm willing to relocate and am interested in non-airline positions...
(Thanks for your response.)
 
Something to consider. Many non-airline employers will want to use your A&P along with your pilots lic. for the same pay. So fly it all day, work on it all night, but only pay you for one license, and probably the cheaper one at that. It's a big problem. Employers seem to think they can get two professionals for the price of one.
 
The non airline jobs I’ve seen have had pretty high mins. I’d say just network at the local airport and see what you can find after you pick up your commercial license.
 
Notatestpilot said:
I'm willing to relocate and am interested in non-airline positions...
(Thanks for your response.)
Click to expand...
So what kind of flying are you interested in doing?

Banner guys and jump operators will hire you all day long. I think pipeline ops are still going as well. And of course you can always teach. I don't know that I'd expect to make much North of $30k/yr for most of those gigs. And pretty much all the of them are going to want you to wrench on the planes for 'no additional charge...' Quite a few of them will likely expect you to wrench on their cars as well.

If you get yourself good and instrument current, you'll probably be able to find a right seat 135 gig somewhere. Money will likely be a bit better than teaching or pipeline/banner type stuff. But the schedule will probably be a 'be ready to fly within 45 minutes at all times and we'll call you when we need you' type deal. At least that's what it was like when I was considering it.
 
I think my ego, and admittedly vanity got me thinking of flying professionally. I always have to remind my self to just enjoy it as a hobby.
(Thanks for your response.)
 
Oh, cool. I'll check it out...Thanks!
 
If you just wanted non-airline then get your Comm SEL and instrument rating. Then with 1500 you could apply to Plane Sense and fly the PC-12. If you then got a Comm MEL add on you could also apply to Wheels Up and fly King Airs. For any other Fractional you would need 500 Multi.
 
Notatestpilot said:
I think my ego, and admittedly vanity got me thinking of flying professionally. I always have to remind my self to just enjoy it as a hobby.
(Thanks for your response.)
Click to expand...
I saw a twitter post the other day that said something like 'Do what you love and you'll work twice as hard for half as much money because your boss will exploit you to make a profit from your passion while slowly driving you to hate the thing you once loved' and I can say that perfectly sums up my experience working at the lower end of professional aviation.

Far and away the absolute happiest pro pilots I've known were the ones who flew corporate gigs. But corporate gigs are generally going to want several thousand hours of twin turbine pic.
 
That's well said, and I appreciate all these good responses.
This forum has been good for me...
 
jayhawk74 said:
If you just wanted non-airline then get your Comm SEL and instrument rating. Then with 1500 you could apply to Plane Sense and fly the PC-12. If you then got a Comm MEL add on you could also apply to Wheels Up and fly King Airs. For any other Fractional you would need 500 Multi.
Click to expand...

Looks like 750 total time with commercial SEL is minimum, or 1000 total with CFII and 75 instrument for highly qualified.
 
Good lord, don't pick a path for reasons of ego or vanity. Nothing good or lasting will come of it. It's great that you were able to catch yourself and admit it quickly, though.

You'll always find someone who you are better than at a given skill, and there will ALWAYS be a long list of people who are better than you at the same thing. So, there's little to be gained for pursuing something purely for the recognition. You hold a PPL, that's fantastic. You have a lot of time (more than most non-commercial pilots), excellent. The next thing that you do should be based on a desire to do it, not to prove to anyone how good you are. Do you WANT to fly a PC-12 from one of the bases that PlaneSense lists on their site (https://www.planesense.com/careers/openings/pc-12-first-officers)? If so, then get your commercial and apply.
 
Notatestpilot said:
I'm 54 years old. I have over 1500 hours, with all of it being single engine time; PPL only.
However, I do have an A&P license, and I'm now looking into what's available in paid flying jobs.
Any advise and or suggestions, please comment. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I was a mid-50s career changer. Other than CFI, I started the pro pilot stuff in Alaska flying a 207 (mostly) VFR only. Moved to turbine equipment there and L48. Aged out of 121 flying now, but still fly part 135 part time for 2 carriers. Be aware that it's not as easy later in life as it might be if you were in your 20s. In talking to check airmen over the last few years, they see most washouts and checkride failures in late life career changers. But don't let that discourage you. Just know you may have to work harder than you think. I know I struggled at times.
 
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Oldmanb777 said:
Something to consider. Many non-airline employers will want to use your A&P along with your pilots lic. for the same pay. So fly it all day, work on it all night, but only pay you for one license, and probably the cheaper one at that. It's a big problem. Employers seem to think they can get two professionals for the price of one.
Click to expand...
One time I’ve run into that problem. Everyone else has either not allowed me to touch the airplane as an A&P or paid me separately as a mechanic. I have heard the same advice from several people over the years but have found it to not be a problem. Perhaps I was just lucky.
 
Htaylor said:
I was a mid-50s career changer. Other than CFI, I started the pro pilot stuff in Alaska flying a 207 (mostly) VFR only. Moved to turbine equipment there and L48. Aged out of 121 flying now, but still fly part 135 part time for 2 carriers. Be aware that it's not as easy later in life as if you are in your 20s. In talking to check airmen over the last few years, they see most washouts and checkride failures in late life career changers. But don't let that discourage you. Just know you may have to work harder than you think. I know I struggled at times.
Click to expand...

This is good advice. I was in the same boat and started to advance in my ratings when in my late 50s planning to be an airport bum with a CFI/I certs. This led to a flying job that got me 1500 hours (in 172s). A friend convinced me to try the regionals and I went for my multi and MEI to meet the qualifications. Got hired by a big, well known regional when I turned 63. Flew CRJs out of SFO. Aged out after 2 years only 3 years ago. Best job I ever had.

But Htaylor is right. Expect to work harder and longer...but doable and possibly worth it.
 
I don’t think @LDJones posts here anymore but he was a career changer and flew for a regional for a little bit. He’s now a sim instructor at my old shop. You don’t need a medical to teach in the sim and you won’t age out
 
I needed a sanity check, and so I posted my question yesterday.
All of these replies have been very helpful. It's helped me solidify me decision to continue to enjoy by hobby with passion. Thank you all - I really appreciate it!
 
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