Late career switch?

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50spilot

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I’m in my late 50s, in reasonably good health, and flying under BasicMed, though I’m confident I could pass a first-class medical without issue. I’ve built a secure and stable career in a technical field, with an income north of $150K and very little uncertainty ahead.

That said, the daily grind is starting to wear on me—the endless cycle of unrealistic demands and covering for unmotivated colleagues. I’m also growing tired of doing work that, despite all the lofty claims, has little real impact.

I starting my aviation pursuits a long time ago. I earned my CFI/II in the early 2000s. I have over 1,500 hours—all in single-engine aircraft, but it is spread out over a long time, so my average is less than 75 hrs a year. I have no multi-engine time, but I’ve been toying with the idea of pursuing my ME and ATP, mostly just to prove to myself that I can. Cost isn’t really an obstacle, but time is.

I consider myself a skilled and active pilot and instructor—engaged as much as my schedule allows—and I’m a regular on PoA. Lately, I’ve been asking myself: why not take it further? Many of my former students are now flying for major airlines and loving it. Would it be crazy—or just outright foolish—for someone my age to consider a late-stage career shift into corporate or airline flying? Am I deluding myself thinking I could compete with pilots half my age? And even if I made the leap, would the daily grind and internal politics be even worse, especially as the new guy with no seniority or leverage?
 
If you're in a financial position to make the switch and you're not happy with your current situation, there's no reason to not take the shot. That way you're not sitting around later and wondering 'what if'. Best case, you have some fun flying jets around before you retire. :)
 
A few thoughts:
1) Can you retire now, or would your family, provider obligations require a steady income for next 15 years?
2) If you get into the right seat as a FO you'll have a substantial income drop, and your work hours will be drastically different. You'll have a lot of years to get back to your current salary - right before you'll get to retire.
3) Sounds like you're close, need the multi time and a few other things.
4) As a person in your late 50's, it's going to be harder to get through the ATP training. Folks like us just are a bit slower on such things. And how attractive will a late 50's person be vs a 20 year old somebody.
5) All of that said, a person usually regrets what they didn't do vs what they did do.
 
If you are looking for something different go fly bush Alaska.

A friend went 121 flying for regional at age 60. A few months later the company wanted to move him to a captain spot, but he stayed as a 1st officer, mainly for seniority reasons. He got retired at the required age and left with no regrets.
 
You can certainly achieve that goal if you so desire, and can accept all the lifestyle and financial changes, as mentioned in above posts. Just offhand, I'd think maybe corporate or Netjets-type flying might be a better fit than airlines, but that's just my perspective. (as I've been semi-religiously opposed to wearing ties ever since the day after Woodstock.)
 
I agree with going to get that 1st class medical first then make a call. It will be a financial hit but if you can swing it, go for it. The path you might end up on may not be to a major. With the hiring boom we've had recently you don't have enough time to have a decent career at a major but you do with a fractional, regional or corporate pilot job. Good luck! If you are doing it, start yesterday - time's a wastin!
 
Late 50s in juniority scheds? Yeah I'll take the under on that bet. I know one of our dearly departed legal eagle POA contributors made that pivot in similar age at a regional for a few years until 65; he even used to profer in good light the notion of making a living on CDOs and other wacky setups. I doubt any of it would have been in the cards if it had involved uprooting the spouse and established social network. So consider that opportunity cost if you have dependents with established lives.

Other than junior schedules at your age (hell, at my age and I'm mid 40s lol), my other aversion would be dependency on medicals anymore. Granted, if you can get a C1 and the money derived from C1 work isn't needed to get you to the finish line anyways, then losing it mid-stunt isn't a grave opportunity cost.

As others have said already, worst you do is try it out and quit if it ain't working for ya. Folks much younger than you on here have gone through it and decided it wasn't for them; they seem to have landed on their feet (FAA jobs, back to CFIing or local 91/135, full/part-time, etc). It's perfectly fine to try something and pivot, as long as you don't go wrecking the lives of your loved ones in the process. Where it becomes problematic if it's sets you financially behind. Vocational catharsis isn't worth retirement insolvency imo, and I say that as someone who's left a lot of money on the table for the sake of chasing the high that psychic wage has put through my veins mind you lol. username.checks. :fingerwag:
 
Go for it

But at your age and past experiences in life I’d go with a good 135 operator, SIC first no doubt, pay cut, be humble and learn but offer management any help your past life can give, if you’re bright and a go getter and good around the water cooler you’ll make PIC in a year or two, be near your current pay, exceeding it a year or so after that.

The key is finding a 135 small enough your past experience can shine and get you noticed and bumped up, but not so small they can’t afford the “bump up”

121 you are seniority number, nothing more and nothing less, you past experience will mean nothing.
Long term prospects for 121 are better, but it’s all about when you get in and how long you’re going to be in. Also the “that’s not my job” mentality is much more prevalent in 121 for the above reasons.

In my opinion if you are a successful 50yo in a non aviation field, you should have lots of the “soft skills” and maybe some other skills that a 23yo CFI who had the same class date and the same hours from the local flight school is not going to have, this will net you gains somewhere that looks and can advance off that, a union 121 simply can not do that.
 
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I would try to get hired by a 135 operation. Did it part time for awhile was enjoyable for me.
 
You can make $150k first year at SkyWest with a little extra flying, per some of my co-workers that were there. If the hiring craze picks up again, you could see yourself at a major airline in 3-5 yrs I’m sure. Do it.
 
The pilot hiring has gone back to 'pre-insane covid' levels. Most legacy carriers are not hiring at minimums any more and most flows to legacy's are back to the 5-7 year schedule. The only thing Delta is hiring is flight attendants... last year I saw 15 coworkers move up to Delta... this year 0... and we have a 'pathway' program.

At 50+ you'll take 2-3 year to get to 1500hrs, then sit at a regional for 3-5-7 years, then MAYBE get into a legacy. So if you're luck at 56 you might get a legacy job, otherwise its charter or cargo. Still flying, but not the mega money of a legacy.

Edit: most legacy's will want a BA in something.

Read up on airline pilot forums to get a better idea of what hiring is like. From what I can tell 1500hr CFIs are not in demand.
 
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Isn't there a guy on the forum that did this at age 62 and did a long write up a few years ago? He seemed very happy with his decision to go for it
 
Had a friend that was about 54 when he did the switch. He had about 3000 hours and about 1200 of that multi time, when he got his ATP. Got accepted to a class and was about 90% done when family issues forced a change on him...His wife started having some medical issues and he was going to be based halfway across the county for several years. He bowed out of the class and last I heard, was flying part time for a medical transport company.

Interesting note, He was the company lead engineer when they were part of the team that won the Collier Trophy for the Auto GCAS system....
 
I'll offer a slightly different perspective. When I was a little kid I wanted to be a pilot, but quickly found out that my terrible vision (at the time) would preclude me from flying either for the Air Force, or commercially. Fast forward to college, and engineering, and I did a pivot to avoid that life and go into the computer thing. I turned my hobby into my career, and it's worked out well. For many years it was just fun. Now, several decades later, it's a bit like you're describing in the first post. But I'm also realizing something else. At the end of the day, career goals and work time just don't mean much. It's just a means to an end for you and your family, and a thing you're doing for the profit of others.

So my suggestion is to balance getting into a position to retire comfortably as soon as you can with spending time with family and friends doing what you enjoy. As compared to taking time away from all of that now to change careers, and potentially postponing retirement out a number of years. Or in other words, your work environment is telling you that you've got your head in it too much...don't double down on that during the home stretch.
 
samiamPA said:
Isn't there a guy on the forum that did this at age 62 and did a long write up a few years ago? He seemed very happy with his decision to go for it
Click to expand...
hindsight2020 said:
There was; he passed in a gyrocopter accident in 2023.
Click to expand...

Jones had an inspiring story and he is definitely missed.

I didn't have the impression Mr. Jones was 62 at the time, but I was. I am still around and here is my story...

By request...An Improbable Journey

This is from May of 2016 when I posted my story on the now gone AOPA forum. Had a request to re-post it here. (Thank you for the interest). I had to draft the content separately so I still have a copy of it. I will post in 3 parts as I did before. Part 1... My apologies for this long post, but...
thepilotsplace.com thepilotsplace.com
 
noahfong said:
Jones had an inspiring story and he is definitely missed.

I didn't have the impression Mr. Jones was 62 at the time, but I was. I am still around and here is my story...

By request...An Improbable Journey

This is from May of 2016 when I posted my story on the now gone AOPA forum. Had a request to re-post it here. (Thank you for the interest). I had to draft the content separately so I still have a copy of it. I will post in 3 parts as I did before. Part 1... My apologies for this long post, but...
thepilotsplace.com thepilotsplace.com
Click to expand...
Yes you are the one! I thought your name was Noah. I remember reading this original post on the Red board years ago. Really inspiring!
 
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