Too Old To Start Teaching?

John Bryan

John Bryan

Filing Flight Plan
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Jan 22, 2018
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John Bryan
So... I'm a bit of a late bloomer. Should have my CFI by the time I'm 58 (give or take). Time for one last career. Thoughts on a new CFI taking on the challenge at that age?
Cheers.
 
Age isn't a problem. Attitude and patience towards your students are. Even when they tick you off and constantly make the same mistake on a task you have to correct them and encourage them. You have to be firm. Try it as it's the only way you'll know if you can handle it. BTW I'm 69 and still instructing.
 
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You should simply inure yourself to watching your life go by as you ingest copious amounts of television, geritol and the occasional Viagra. You can numb your pain with cheap booze, and if you can't stand it anymore expensive opiates.
 
steingar said:
You should simply inure yourself to watching your life go by as you ingest copious amounts of television, geritol and the occasional Viagra. You can numb your pain with cheap booze, and if you can't stand it anymore expensive opiates.
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No thanks. Two hundred channels and nothing good on. Don't need the Viagra and don't like the taste of Geritol. And as to cheap booze.. I prefer a little Jack now and again. Nope. Not ready to sit and watch life pass me by. When I get bored I tool around Road America on a Gixxer. But thanks for your input :)
 
steingar said:
You can numb your pain with cheap booze, and if you can't stand it anymore expensive opiates.
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You forgot the Icon A5.


When I get bored I tool around Road America on a Gixxer.
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Triumph Daytona 675 for me, but then I'm a couple of years younger than you. I buy faster bikes as I get older, since with every passing year I'm putting less and less of my life at risk. :)

Many of us senior citizens are learning to fly, and an older instructor might have an advantage. I was quite pleased with my instructor and felt he did a good job, but he was the same age as my youngest kid. Didn't bother me, but I think sometimes he was a bit uncomfortable. No reason at all you shouldn't try teaching.
 
Amen, Half Fast! To the O/P: Great idea! An older (relatively speaking, of course!) CFI is a great idea! You are not likely to be just adding time before you have enough hours to flee to the airlines, as some "youngsters" do. Good Luck!
 
Half Fast said:
You forgot the Icon A5.




Triumph Daytona 675 for me, but then I'm a couple of years younger than you. I buy faster bikes as I get older, since with every passing year I'm putting less and less of my life at risk. :)

Many of us senior citizens are learning to fly, and an older instructor might have an advantage. I was quite pleased with my instructor and felt he did a good job, but he was the same age as my youngest kid. Didn't bother me, but I think sometimes he was a bit uncomfortable. No reason at all you shouldn't try teaching.
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In one of my previous careers I ran the service dept at a BMW/Triumph dealership. The Daytona is a sweet ride. Gixxer 750 for me. It's fun to pass those guys on the liter bikes on the brakes going into one at RA. I think they start seeing God a bit before the brake markers.
 
mscard88 said:
Age isn't a problem. Attitude and patience towards your students are. Even when they tick you off and constantly make the same mistake on a task you have to correct them and encourage them. You have to be firm. Try it as it's the only way you'll know if you can handle it. BTW I'm 69 and still instructing.
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I think it'll be a good fit for me. I've had the opportunity to mentor and teach throughout my life. It's always such a rewarding feeling when you see the light bulb go on for them.
 
John Bryan said:
I think it'll be a good fit for me. I've had the opportunity to mentor and teach throughout my life. It's always such a rewarding feeling when you see the light bulb go on for them.
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Just give it a try for awhile. I recently resumed instructing after I retired from an airline, although I've held a CFI since '78. Two older students appreciate my availability as previous flight schools cancelled lessons and had no shows on the CFI's part. Many young CFIs are building hours for corporate and/or the airlines, and I don't fault them for that as it's a way to meet their goal of getting to a better paying aviation job.
 
Go for it,if you enjoy teaching ,you’ll love it.
 
Half Fast said:
Triumph Daytona 675 for me, but then I'm a couple of years younger than you.
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About the same age, enjoy flogging my R1200GSw at Deals gap and other great roads in the mountains.
 
My CFI for my IR training is 58. My CFI that trained me many years ago for my PPL training was 20.

I will take the 58 year old CFI any day of the week.

Go for it!
 
John Bryan said:
No thanks. Two hundred channels and nothing good on. Don't need the Viagra and don't like the taste of Geritol. And as to cheap booze.. I prefer a little Jack now and again. Nope. Not ready to sit and watch life pass me by. When I get bored I tool around Road America on a Gixxer. But thanks for your input :)
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You are far, far, far from the first to ask the same question, and I get tired of the heartfelt and well-meant, though utterly schmaltzy responses. So a jocular anti-response for you. With luck it puts things in perspective.

And Jack isn't cheap, just overpriced.
 
John Bryan said:
So... I'm a bit of a late bloomer. Should have my CFI by the time I'm 58 (give or take). Time for one last career. Thoughts on a new CFI taking on the challenge at that age?
Cheers.
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Never too late. And it’s incredibly rewarding. If you have any interest at all, I’d encourage you to go for it.

Loren
 
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