Expert: David A. NewMyer - 3/29/2006

Question
Hello,

I don't know if you answer this question or not but here goes.
My husband was a helicopter pilot in the Navy and flew H-3's off the Kennedy Aircraft Carrier.
He is certified in both rotary and fixed wing.
He misses flying very much and I know if he could get a job flying he would be gone in a heartbear :)
My question is, he is no spring chicken anymore and wondered if you knew at what age they say "sorry too old?'
I surprise him once in awhile, maybe on birthdays so that he can experience the love of his life again and he is like a kid in a candy store :).

Thanking you in advance for your help.

Answer
Hi, Lynn:

I appreciate you asking this question...in fact, it is one that I get a lot from older aviators!  [as you might imagine!]

The only age restriction that I am aware of is the so-called "age 60 rule" that restricts anyone who is past his or her 60th birthday from flying as a pilot in command of an airline aircraft in the USA.  This restriction does not apply to the corporate aviation and general aviation world....meaning, flying a helicopter for a private company is not subject to any age restriction.

However, it also comes down to "currency"...that is, how current is your husband in terms of recent flying experience?  Most employers will want him to be current in the last six to 12 months (having actively flown in that time).  If he has not, then, that would be the first order of business:  He would need to get some flying hours, preferably in the type of aircraft or helicopter that he would like to fly in the civilian world.  And, that might be a bit expensive.

There are a couple of websites devoted to aviation jobs:

www.findapilot.com

www.avcrew.com

www.aviationemployment.com

www.aviationinterviews.com

www.aeps.com

Also, if he gets serious about a job search, there is a neat little aviation jobs newspaper that has listings from all over the nation called AIR JOBS DIGEST.  The cost is around $50 to $60 for a three month subscription.  Call them at 1-800-AIR-JOBS if you are interested.

These might help provide some additional information about the aviation/pilot career field.

One final thought is that aviation is a large industry comprised of over 2.0 million jobs....and, only about 15% of those are professional pilots.  Maybe there is something out there in terms of a job that is close to airplanes but is not necessarily flying them?

I hope my answer is of help to you.  Best wishes,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu