Best Place to Learn CFI and be Hired after Grad

FlyBoySlim

FlyBoySlim

Member
Hey guys first off im fairly new to the forum. So as a preface links to other threads are fine and appreciated.

Heres the deal, I have $40,000 cash money and I want to end up at an airline, i have 0 time. I know the best way to gain exp is CFI. Also I know it is most cost effective to get private, multi, inst, at a local FBO. Got that done i'm thinking it will be right about 22,000 ish

The question I have is about what academy to attend for a CFI CFII and MEII that also has the best chance of hiring at graduation. Relocating doesn't bother me. (i'm in VA so FL is fine, CA maybe, etc)

What i cant find is a list of top places to learn, or the best, or most well known. (besides the order in which google will display them) Its not like college, where you know Harvard, Ivy League, and so on. What I want is a school with prestige that other pilots or potential employers actually know. Also it MUST be SALARY after graduation. (less stress) even if the salary is small thats okay, I love to fly.

I have spoken to American Flyers in FL and US Aviation in TX, I need guidance from an unbiased source :stir:

Thanks
 
1) There is no such thing as "prestige" when it comes to flight schools. Does not matter to anyone.
2) Flight instructing is not generally a salaried job, but if you are going to an airline, it hardly matters, you won't be doing it for more than two years.
3) Anecdotally, I don't hear great things about Part 141 trained CFIs from my peers.
4) You are correct, the best way to go is to get a PPL at a local FBO. After that, you will be in a much better position to answer your other questions yourself. It should cost 8-10k.
5) The CFI/CFI-I does not actually cost much, it is mostly studying on your own time. But you can worry about that later. You don't need and an MEI/multi for another 1,500 hours, so don't worry about it.
 
I am not a CFI yet and have been looking at options as well. AF seems good, I went and checked out their operation at Morristown, NJ and thought it was okay. Flight Safety Academy has a program now that gets your CFI, CFII, and MEI for free with a 2 year contract to work at the school (starting pay is $16/hr, I believe). From what I can gather from the CFI world it is hard to find a salary gig.
 
Yeah, you can pretty much forget about a salaried position.

Honestly, I have worked with hundreds of CFI's and I can say from my expert opinion that American Flyers puts out a good product. Do not go to ATP!

Like anything else though you are gonna get out of it what you put into it no matter where you go.
 
Any good Salary CFI jobs are pretty much gone these days. The one I had was pretty good, but from what I hear now, its more work and less money.

American Flyers program is awesome. If I had to do the CFI over again I would do their program again without thinking twice about it.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
1) There is no such thing as "prestige" when it comes to flight schools. Does not matter to anyone.
2) Flight instructing is not generally a salaried job, but if you are going to an airline, it hardly matters, you won't be doing it for more than two years.
3) Anecdotally, I don't hear great things about Part 141 trained CFIs from my peers.
4) You are correct, the best way to go is to get a PPL at a local FBO. After that, you will be in a much better position to answer your other questions yourself. It should cost 8-10k.
5) The CFI/CFI-I does not actually cost much, it is mostly studying on your own time. But you can worry about that later. You don't need and an MEI/multi for another 1,500 hours, so don't worry about it.
Click to expand...
My CFII add on cost me $800 including written test and DPE fees.
 
Awesome thanks for the replys. So a salary position is out of the question I'll assume. Next best thing is a school I know that flys a lot I'll assume?
I intend to leave my full time job and jump head first into this thing so any words of wisdom or caution would be great.
I hope not to jump on the first eventual offer at a crap regional and hate the hours and pay like some of the horrior stories I have read. But again I've always known I want to fly so I'll be fine and pay my dues.
1)Anybody know a potential time frame from their own experience from Zero to CFI?
2)what is a realistic expectation for compensation for a wet behind the ears CFI?
 
Also I would think having a ME and MEI would make me more competitive in the job market? Or don't worry about it? I know I'll pretty much need a college degree and over 1500 hours to even be looked at by a high salary air line.
 
Think you're getting way ahead of yourself. Get a few hours in the air before you quit your job. Hell, get your private before you quit. It's good to plan and all but there are a lot of variables you can't account for right now.

I'm not a CFI but: 1) 6 months to years
2) $15 - 30 per flight/ground hour (actual instruction time)
 
Where can you get a Pvt, Multi, and instrument for 22K? If that's doable, you left out commercial, which requires 250 hours total (part 61) which is gonna run up the estimate. I only mention this because I know a guy who wants to enter the industry from zero time and I'm telling him 100K to be employable (zero to CFI). I'm shooting from the hip with that so maybe I'm way off. Best of luck.
 
TransPac Aviation Academy will probably hire you after you do your CFI CFII there. We get paid 28000 salary and fly a bunch.
 
I didn't do any training there, but I did work there as a CFI, and I'll add another vote for Transpac. Salaried, scheduled days off, and all the flying you can handle. I've heard that if you actually do your training there, it can be a bit pricey, but as far as working there, it was fantastic as a CFI job. It's great to see your enthusiasm. I know you're excited to get the ball rolling and it's so great that you're on here and doing your research, But I will echo everyone else in saying get your private done first locally and cheaply just to get your feet wet...as the old saying goes, when eating an elephant, take it one bite at a time.
 
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