You can solo a glider (with a student license) at 14. So one could be born as late as 1990 and become a pilot in 2004. Someone born as early as 1981 is still

You can solo a glider (with a student license) at 14. So one could be born as late as 1990 and become a pilot in 2004. Someone born as early as 1981 is still in their 30's today. "A few years ago" winds the clock back to 1978ish. So there's about a 12 year window that fit the constraints.