hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Got a hot employment or interview tip to help a fellow aviator find a job or looking for a little job advice place your posting here.

Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore

Spinwmts
Rank 2
Rank 2
Posts: 81
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:33 am

hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by Spinwmts »

Is the road to landing your first 703 job a lot harder if you are (say) over 40? I would expect considerations such as more frequent medical exams may play into decisions to pass on the older pilot but I'd like to know how big of an impact age has on starting a 2nd career in this industry?
---------- ADS -----------
 
BearForceOne
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:14 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by BearForceOne »

I didn’t start flying commercially until I was in my early 40’s. I had no trouble finding my first 703 job. I was also in great physical shape. Life experience and maturity counts for a lot, but those 170 lb cylinders of propane and 800 lb pallets of pop won’t load themselves at 5:30 in the morning. If you can pass the medical and aren’t hacking up a lung, you’re good to go. I was also willing and able to relocate to anywhere I needed to be, for as long as was required. Family commitments may narrow your options. If you can handle it physically, are willing to be flexible and can afford the significant drop in salary for 5 or so years - go for it! I did and I haven’t looked back since. Good luck!
---------- ADS -----------
 
Spinwmts
Rank 2
Rank 2
Posts: 81
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:33 am

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by Spinwmts »

haha, better start hitting the weights more! Thanks for the response, I appreciate it (and happy to hear it).
---------- ADS -----------
 
pepsi
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2016 7:38 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by pepsi »

Spinwmts don't even think about that, you gonna think I'm rough but i'm not, i just want to be clear with you, except if you got the 6/49 or have a lot of money on your bank account, and your pension plan is full, stay away from it.

Don't put your family and yourself in a huge trouble, you will never get a job in an airline compagny in your age and you will never get a good salary also in an acceptable place.

You wanna be a pilot, ok pass the private licence with night flight, eventualy the ifr et don't go further, don't try to put your feet in this bullshit aviation field or you will regret it, 100% guarantee.
---------- ADS -----------
 
pilot4hire
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2017 9:16 am

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by pilot4hire »

The question wasn’t how financially viable is it to start a pilot career at the age of 40. I’m sure someone looking at a second career is capable of looking up salaries and determining whether it is good enough to invest their time and money into it.

Pepsi seems overly negative about aviation but it is all a matter of perspective and pilots are never satisfied with what they have. This profession isn’t perfect and the return on investment is much smaller for a 703 pilot starting at 40 years old vs a 20 year old with 705 ambitions but it doesn’t mean there is nothing in this industry for them. Also, there is more than money to consider obviously.

Each passing year I’ve noticed more and more entry level 703 pilot jobs. A few job postings caught my eye this past summer as a couple companies were considering 250hr pilots for king air and dash positions out west. Even if you do not land one of those positions, there will always be the option of working on the ramp as a “pilot in waiting” if you are in good physical shape.

Good luck!
---------- ADS -----------
 
kilocharliemike
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 187
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:47 am
Location: EI

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by kilocharliemike »

Make friends and be trainable is my advice. Canadian aviation is a small world, all my flying jobs were because I knew someone. I got my licenses at 38, did some cargo, some Medevac and now 705 at 46 . Age is meaningless! Ups and downs sure but money comes and goes. Do fun shit...
---------- ADS -----------
 
User avatar
Bede
Rank 11
Rank 11
Posts: 4427
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 5:52 am

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by Bede »

pepsi wrote: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:14 pm Spinwmts don't even think about that, you gonna think I'm rough but i'm not, i just want to be clear with you, except if you got the 6/49 or have a lot of money on your bank account, and your pension plan is full, stay away from it.

Don't put your family and yourself in a huge trouble, you will never get a job in an airline compagny in your age and you will never get a good salary also in an acceptable place.

You wanna be a pilot, ok pass the private licence with night flight, eventualy the ifr et don't go further, don't try to put your feet in this bullshit aviation field or you will regret it, 100% guarantee.
That's all nonsense.
---------- ADS -----------
 
toelessjoe
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 329
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:54 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by toelessjoe »

I'm a tubby 46 year old flying in the 703 world and have been for 20 years. Get flying now, be willing to work hard and you can be a 6 figure pilot within 3 years. Yes your everything will hurt, yes the pay will suck for a while, yes you'll have more fun than you should, no you probably won't die, yes at some point you'll wish you could (but you won't get the time off to do so), yes you will end up finding a way to mention you're a pilot to random strangers, yes you will at some point think about your horrible life choices, no you won't leave and finally yes, your penis will in fact grow an inch and a half to compliment your new, gianormous set of testicles.

- Toeless. :smt040
---------- ADS -----------
 
Lightchop
Rank 6
Rank 6
Posts: 464
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 10:03 am

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by Lightchop »

pepsi wrote: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:14 pm Spinwmts don't even think about that, you gonna think I'm rough but i'm not, i just want to be clear with you, except if you got the 6/49 or have a lot of money on your bank account, and your pension plan is full, stay away from it.

Don't put your family and yourself in a huge trouble, you will never get a job in an airline compagny in your age and you will never get a good salary also in an acceptable place.

You wanna be a pilot, ok pass the private licence with night flight, eventualy the ifr et don't go further, don't try to put your feet in this bullshit aviation field or you will regret it, 100% guarantee.

You don't know what you are talking about.
---------- ADS -----------
 
C.W.E.
Rank (9)
Rank (9)
Posts: 1262
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:22 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by C.W.E. »

Is the road to landing your first 703 job a lot harder if you are (say) over 40? I would expect considerations such as more frequent medical exams may play into decisions to pass on the older pilot but I'd like to know how big of an impact age has on starting a 2nd career in this industry?
Your age is a plus in that you are more mature than if you were twenty years younger.

If you really want to try flying for a living by all means do so.

If you find you can not afford to live on what you are making then you can always quit flying and find a better job.

If you do not do it you are denying yourself something that you want.

Hell I chose flying and somehow survived both physically and financially, so if I could have done it so can you. :mrgreen:

Let us know if you do.

. ..
---------- ADS -----------
 
pepsi
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2016 7:38 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by pepsi »

Lightchop wrote: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:08 pm You don't know what you are talking about.
You are wrong.
Whatever I completely change my mind, thank to your clear logical argument, I'm impressed. :shock:
---------- ADS -----------
 
aeroboy
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 9:23 pm
Location: ontario

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by aeroboy »

There hasn’t been a better time to get into Aviation! Just scroll through the Job Ads. I’ve been flying since 1995... I’ve never seen a demand for pilots like there is today.

Go get your private and commercial as quick as you can. Go at it full time if you can afford to.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Roadrunnersmother
Rank 4
Rank 4
Posts: 204
Joined: Thu May 17, 2018 1:17 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by Roadrunnersmother »

aeroboy wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:42 pm There hasn’t been a better time to get into Aviation! Just scroll through the Job Ads. I’ve been flying since 1995... I’ve never seen a demand for pilots like there is today.

Go get your private and commercial as quick as you can. Go at it full time if you can afford to.
No demand from 705 operators for experienced king air captains like in past.
Get your facts straight, demand is poor. You haven't applied to 705 operators recently.
---------- ADS -----------
 
shimmydampner
Rank (9)
Rank (9)
Posts: 1764
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2004 3:59 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by shimmydampner »

Don't listen to all the butthurt naysayers. At 40 you still have 25+ years to do whatever you would like to try in this industry. You could easily be making 6 figures within 5 years the way things are going at the moment. Oh, and it's a great job.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Phaedrus8
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 4:59 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by Phaedrus8 »

I left a 6 figure office job at 32 for flight training and started at a 703 operator at 35.

For me getting into aviation was one of the best decision I've ever made. After putting in some time, 7 years including flight training, I work less, pay is comparable and I sincerely love coming into work each day which I couldn't say about my office job. The way the industry is moving now maybe that transition only takes 5 years for a focused, committed individual. Support from my partner, family, friends etc in the first handful of years was crucial as I had very little personal time and low income.

Physically I am/was in pretty good shape but the hardest part of working in 703 ops for me was managing fatigue due to the constant max duty/min rest days. 703 operators vary on how they operate and what they are looking for but from my experience the decent ones will value someone with a mature, experienced outlook on work. It only took 18 months to build enough time to move on. Looking back some of that 703 time was the most fun I have had flying commercially. The regionals also seem to appreciate a mature pilot.

Good luck!
---------- ADS -----------
 
User avatar
Chris
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 1:07 pm
Location: Canada

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by Chris »

I say do it, your work and life experience will carry a lot of value. I've lived with the regret of not pursuing flying since the last time I was paid to fly...about 10 years ago. I now live in the rat race, commuting 2hrs+ a day, making great money (140k+), doing boring work, and I would walk away tomorrow for a flying job.

I've kept current, even wrote the IATRA last year, put my name in the hat for lots of postings, but no luck. My lack of mobility out side of the GTA is probably my biggest problem. I feel like it's being too selfish to move my family from the community they love. So I'll suck it up and continue to sit down here in stop and go traffic, wishing I was up there.
---------- ADS -----------
 
tps8903
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 191
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 8:40 pm

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by tps8903 »

Spinwmts wrote: Wed Dec 19, 2018 3:08 pm Is the road to landing your first 703 job a lot harder if you are (say) over 40? I would expect considerations such as more frequent medical exams may play into decisions to pass on the older pilot but I'd like to know how big of an impact age has on starting a 2nd career in this industry?
I started at 35. Have a large family and took a huge paycut.

Haven't looked back. Took about 3 years to get my salary in the ball park of what I left. 5 wouldn't have been unreasonable, I had a little luck on my side.

There is likely some sacrifices with moving around the country ahead, or a lot of commuting.

First job was the hardest to get, after that they got a lot easier with multiple companies making offers. The old timers tell me the marketplace for pilots is as good as it's ever been, I have no reason to doubt their claims. If you are going to do, get going. Don't miss the boat.
---------- ADS -----------
 
BE02 Driver
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 185
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 4:43 am

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by BE02 Driver »

Roadrunnersmother wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:37 pm
aeroboy wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:42 pm There hasn’t been a better time to get into Aviation! Just scroll through the Job Ads. I’ve been flying since 1995... I’ve never seen a demand for pilots like there is today.

Go get your private and commercial as quick as you can. Go at it full time if you can afford to.
No demand from 705 operators for experienced king air captains like in past.
Get your facts straight, demand is poor. You haven't applied to 705 operators recently.
Hey cry baby. Tom got let go at EVAS. Why don't you reapply. I'm sure they'll take you now. They are short 20 pilots as of the last union meetings. Maybe you can start in time for AC to pull the pin!!!
---------- ADS -----------
 
maturepilot83
Rank 2
Rank 2
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 10:01 am

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by maturepilot83 »

Spinwmts wrote: Wed Dec 19, 2018 3:08 pm Is the road to landing your first 703 job a lot harder if you are (say) over 40? I would expect considerations such as more frequent medical exams may play into decisions to pass on the older pilot but I'd like to know how big of an impact age has on starting a 2nd career in this industry?
I believe there is something positive to be said about anyone who makes the jump into this career later in life. It takes a lot to take the entry-level wages and work your way up from the bottom. Making a career jump is not easy, especially when you have a family. It takes a lot of discipline, courage and commitment to follow through. I gave up a six figure salary to start again "from the bottom" but I do not see it that way. To me age is just a number. You're as old as you feel and I'm still 12.

Eat healthy and keep fit. Following your passion is enough motivation and positive on one's mental health. You have a lot to offer to a 703 operation and not just on the flying side.

If you're in the older age bracket and think your age and experience entitles you to not take leadership decisions from a 21 year old something Captain don't get into this career.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Spinwmts
Rank 2
Rank 2
Posts: 81
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:33 am

Re: hiring factors (older entry level pilots)

Post by Spinwmts »

Thanks for all the advice/encouragement (which I'm surprised to see such much of). Prior to posting this my mind was made up as I've already sank way to much of my time, money amd credit (which I will be paying off forever) towards doing something for the next 25 years that I have a real passion for. 705's is my goal eventually but if you can't be happy on your way to a goal than I'm guessing you are going to be miserable anywhere you go.. not sure if that's the case with you Pepsi. I do worry about missing out on a lot of time with my son but will just have to make the best of the time when I'm home. I know I will piss my wife off a little less the more I'm on the road, so there's a positive ;)
---------- ADS -----------
 
Post Reply

Return to “Employment Forum”