Another stupid age question

[Future Heli Pilot]

I advise don't stress about it! Do it and see what happens... if you're not fullfilled, then go to Brazil and live 6 months! The worst that can happen is you lose weight, get a nice tan and you meet a beautiful 25 yeard old bug butt knockout! Oh, and you might never come to Stateside! :-)

[930XXX]

Longjourney,

This question comes up all the time on this forum with the usual responses.

Most pilots under the age of 30 will tell you forget it. They see 50 as there retirement age, an age they cannot relate to or envision. This is not deriding them it is just an age related fact. It is the same as a 50 year old that cannot relate to being 80 years old.

A 50 year old has a lifetime of experience. That expereince will tell you whether or not you should fly, noone else can.

You are too old to learn to fly once your dead and not sooner. Learning to fly is definately about the journey as much as the destination.

That being said I will tell you it will be much harder learning than when you were 20. You do not remember things as easy and thus you will work harder studying. Not a big deal if you want it.

You will recoup your money probably if you work hard enough but that is usually not the biggest issue with older new pilots.

I did it at 46 and at least I dont have to look up everytime a helicopter flies over and wonder what if.

Good luck. Randy

[heli.pilot]

... I dont have to look up everytime a helicopter flies over and wonder what if...

 

That's exactly what would drive me nuts - always looking up and wondering...

[ADRidge]

That's exactly what would drive me nuts - always looking up and wondering...

 

You know, I lived in south Louisiana for a year doing my primary training and PPL. I lived right under what is evidently an established route to the GOM. It got to the point where I could distinguish, just by sound, the different helicopter types used in that environment. It's a fairly useless skill here in Dallas, but it's still something to mention to your non pilot buddies every once in a while!

[Longjourney]

Thanks for all the responses. Part of my decision has to be based on being able to pay off my student loans and actually making a living on top of that. As you're all aware, if you read the school propaganda all heli pilots make 50K and up after their 1st year. I guess I was just wishing that it was actually true.

 

As I said in my original post, I'm currently flying gliders and having a great time in doing so. If I fly just as a hobby, I'll probably stick with gliders. There is plenty of challenge in trying to complete a 200 mile triangular course without a motor. OTOH, I would love to find a way to make a living in aviation.

 

Thanks again!

 

Longjourney

[heli.pilot]

if you read the school propaganda all heli pilots make 50K and up after their 1st year. I guess I was just wishing that it was actually true.

 

 

Thanks again!

 

Longjourney

 

I don't think that it's untrue, it's just a matter of if you can get a job - first as CFI, then your first turbine job. It is a lot more competitive out there than the schools seem to indicate.

[Gomer Pylot]

$50K is certainly possible, but only after you build a lot of time. You won't be hired at that with a brand new commercial certificate and the minimum hours. You'll need at least a thousand hours, and more is always better, before anyone will consider you for anything other than instructing. That's a sad reflection on the system, but that's the way it works.