Expert: D. Norkus - 4/11/2008

Question
Hi Dottie:

I have been an aviation enthusiast ever since I was a small child.  Severe myopia dashed any hopes that I would be employed in the field, but I dreamed of flying.  Well, here it is decades later, I'm 47, have had Lasik, and am now about five hours into lessons in a 172.

Interestingly, I flew with a flight instructor out of my area when my husband and I went to our daughter's senior recital at her university, and the instructor asked if I had considered a career.  Was he just kidding, or is it still possible to find a career in aviation for someone my age and with essentially no hours (although that is changing rapidly, finally!)?

Answer
Sarah

If you mean a career as a pilot in some regard, sure you can still do it at age 47 provided you can pass a First Class medical exam. (That's 18 years from airline retirement!) I don't know if you want an airline career or maybe would enjoy staying local being a flight instructor, an aerial photo pilot or other light GA aircraft type job. A friend of mine was age 44 when she was hired at a regional airline and I know there have been pilots older than her who started their career at a regional. Your age really won't be a barrier to a career. What you expect out of it or the lifestyle will determine what you should pursue. Not knowing what kind of family life you want to have or the kind of income you expect, I can't really recommend the 'right' pilot position for you. That would be something you would really have to investigate for yourself and discuss with your husband.

From an airline pilot career standpoint, you should expect to be away for 3-4 nights a week and the starting pay is not very good but how quickly it goes up depends on the airline. If you and your husband are financially secure and don't have to worry about your pay the first few years, then you could be in an ideal position to make a mid-life career jump. If you can find a regional with a pilot domicile near you (or in your city) that would be perfect. Otherwise you would have to commute by air to work and that gets tiresome.

If you think you want to research the possibility of going to a regional airline when you get 250-500 hours, then I suggest reading over these links for career info you should know:

http://www.pilotcareer.info
http://jetcareers.com
http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com
http://www.clearedtodream.org

The Jetcareers.com site has a message board with a career changers forum just for people like you-
http://forums.jetcareers.com/changing-careers/

Also, as a female I highly suggest that you join the Int'l Organization of Women Pilots, aka the "Ninety-Nines" (after the number of charter members in 1929). The organization will provide support, friendship, and mentoring as you progress in your training. They even offer flight scholarships.

http://www.ninety-nines.org/  

Hope this gets you started.
Dottie