Expert: D. Norkus - 6/7/2007

Question
My kids are married and gone. I now have the time and money to achieve my dream and that's to become a commercial airline pilot. I'm 40 years old. my question is; do you think that 45, with a commercial multi engine and instrument license and a 737 rating do I still have a chance to get hire by an airline other than a regional.

Answer
Jose,

Are you in the United States? I ask as it would be highly unusual for a low time commercial pilot to have a 737 type rating- in the USA anyway.

As far as being over 40 and landing a job:
Your age wouldn't be a problem, your experience would. So, yes it would be very difficult if not impossible to land a job with just a commercial certificate- even if you had a 737 type- and no airline transport pilot or ATP certificate with low flight time like  <2,000+ flight hours. The major airlines generally hire applicants with several thousand flight hours and their ATP. Only one (Southwest Airlines) requires a type rating in any kind of aircraft to be hired.

If you have the money to pursue your dream, perhaps you should check out an accelerated academy program with a regional airline affiliation. You could get trained and hired in less than two years. Then spend a few years at the regionals and try for a major or national airline before age 47 or 48.

Here are two of the more popular schools:
Mesa Pilot Development- http://www.flightcareers.com/
ATP- http://www.atpflightschool.com/airline_training_programs/airline_career_pilot_pr...

I personally know graduates from both places and all got jobs a 15 months after they started their training. One upgraded to Dash 8 captain in just 3 years after getting hired with <500 hours with their the Mesa PACE guaranteed interview.

I also suggest you check out the most popular pilot message forum on the web at http://forums.flightinfo.com as their boards have a lot of good reading for someone in your position. Also visit the http://www.jetcareers.com website. It is extremely informative and their message boards have a career changers forum.

Hope this can help,
Dottie