jhugz
Well-Known Member
Just a general thought I'd like to throw out there and whether it be right or wrong it's my opinion. For those up and comers going through flight training in a collegiate setting or even through FBO's please find the way to budget for your CFI's in advance, not one, but all three. Do not think of it as an extra, but think of it as the bare minimum before you hit the job market. This industry is not the same one it was 3-4 years ago and never will be. The days of getting by without a CFI are no longer here and probably won't be back anytime soon.
Now before I get some people's underwear in a bundle this is not an insult to those who have done it other ways. However sometimes jobs like aerial photography, dropping meat missiles, and pipeline patrol are few and far between. However, I've always been able to find CFI gigs even during some of the worst times in the recent economy.
A CFI ticket is also a great backup plan for an uncertain economy. When you get furloughed from your airline job at least you have a quick option to get money flowing back into your pocket. Your cutting way to many job options out by not having these items. It's like getting your CMEL and skipping your CSEL because you'll never use it in a perfect world.
I've also heard the argument, "I don't think I would make a good CFI, I really don't want to do it." I never thought I would make a good CFI, and no I really didn't want to do it either. However, I saw it as a means to an end. Let me make it very clear though, just because you see CFI'ing as a way to bigger and better things treat your students with the upmost respect as a customer. They're paying you as a professional so give it your A game. I was a "time-building" instructor, yet in my 1000 hrs so far of dual given I've had a 12 out of 13 first time pass rate with 6 of these being foreigners.
Let me put it in prospective for you in today's economy. I've been trying to help pay it forward recently and these are my observations.
A 500 hr CSEL, CMEL pilot looking for a job. Aerial photography jobs in this economy are going to people up and above 1000TT, Jump Pilot jobs are few and far between and pretty inconsistent, and pipeline patrol/banner towing jobs are pretty much non-existent.
A 500 hr CSEL, CMEL, CFI, CFII, MEI w/ 200 Dual Given I can get them a phone call in days. They're competitive for almost every CFI job out there. Not only that, a lot of these companies doing aerial photography and other misc. jobs like to see the CFI rating. It sets you apart from the other competition.
I hope this thread doesn't come off as, this is the way I did it, it's the only right way. I just want others to see the flexibility of having these ratings, especially in a rough economic climate. It's literally the best 6 thousand I've spent in this industry.
This has been a public service announcement.
Now before I get some people's underwear in a bundle this is not an insult to those who have done it other ways. However sometimes jobs like aerial photography, dropping meat missiles, and pipeline patrol are few and far between. However, I've always been able to find CFI gigs even during some of the worst times in the recent economy.
A CFI ticket is also a great backup plan for an uncertain economy. When you get furloughed from your airline job at least you have a quick option to get money flowing back into your pocket. Your cutting way to many job options out by not having these items. It's like getting your CMEL and skipping your CSEL because you'll never use it in a perfect world.
I've also heard the argument, "I don't think I would make a good CFI, I really don't want to do it." I never thought I would make a good CFI, and no I really didn't want to do it either. However, I saw it as a means to an end. Let me make it very clear though, just because you see CFI'ing as a way to bigger and better things treat your students with the upmost respect as a customer. They're paying you as a professional so give it your A game. I was a "time-building" instructor, yet in my 1000 hrs so far of dual given I've had a 12 out of 13 first time pass rate with 6 of these being foreigners.
Let me put it in prospective for you in today's economy. I've been trying to help pay it forward recently and these are my observations.
A 500 hr CSEL, CMEL pilot looking for a job. Aerial photography jobs in this economy are going to people up and above 1000TT, Jump Pilot jobs are few and far between and pretty inconsistent, and pipeline patrol/banner towing jobs are pretty much non-existent.
A 500 hr CSEL, CMEL, CFI, CFII, MEI w/ 200 Dual Given I can get them a phone call in days. They're competitive for almost every CFI job out there. Not only that, a lot of these companies doing aerial photography and other misc. jobs like to see the CFI rating. It sets you apart from the other competition.
I hope this thread doesn't come off as, this is the way I did it, it's the only right way. I just want others to see the flexibility of having these ratings, especially in a rough economic climate. It's literally the best 6 thousand I've spent in this industry.
This has been a public service announcement.
. In all seriousness though I don't think I could've ever learned nearly as much as I have by instructing as much as I have. Well said amigo, well said.
