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Matt. Just as a plan C or D, could you stay at your present school, get your CFI and mostly instruct single engine, have your 50 multi, and then get on at Amflight what you hit 1200 total? If you are happy with your current school and where you live, I think this is something you should consider. My friend at Amflight (trybysky) is doing just fine without having ever gone to a big academy or having loads of multi time. His hardest thing was even getting 50 multi, which is already part of your program. Also, Airpac hires locals with low multi.
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Hey Don, since you emailed saying I could get on at Ameriflight with only 50 multi that's exactly what I've been thinking about as another option.
The flight school I'm at is no longer going to be eligible for Key Bank loans so business will probably drop off and it often seems like there are 2 or 3 instructors hanging around- or not there at all (and the planes are on the ground too) so I don't know how quickly I'd be logging time there... if there is a lack of work for their instructors.
$18 an hour plus an additional $1 an hour for each additional rating you have is awesome pay for an instructor- but only if I'm able to get a decent amount of hours.
Also I have observed the owner being very condescending to my instructor, talking down to him on several occasions- so I'm not sure that I'd want to work for him!
I asked an instructor how many hours they log a year and he said it was 500 to 600 so to get 1200 total time it would take over two years. This is in addition to the year he said it will take to get all the licenses and ratings so that I can be hired as a CFI.
So it would take three years there, but at ALL ATPS it would take probably 7 days to get that 25 hours PIC Cross country time I need to get into the Airline Pilot program plus 90 days for everything else.
Then I would be logging multi time as an instructor which should put me in a better position to someday get on at a regional like ExpressJet and then eventually Horizon Air after I've spent several years logging Jet time. Of course I would have to move to Houston to work at ExpressJet and I have no idea if I'd like it there- or if I'd even get hired.
My current program is $40,000 for 50 hours multi.
The ATP program is $40,000 + 2,400 (examiner's fees) + 25 hours of PIC Cx Country time in their 172. They told me that $75 an hour includes the 172 and an instructor (though I won't need the instructor).... around $45,000 or so to come out with 190 hours multi (only 140 is actual instead of FTD I think).
I also was thinking about their CRJ FTD training program to impress a regional who operates those (Skywest perhaps?)
I'm realizing right now that maybe I am more interested in getting on at regional with CRJs than I indicated in my email to you!
Basically I am basing my decision on what will enable me to make my $459 a month Key Bank payments the easiest.
I know I would enjoy flying for AirPac or Ameriflight (I just want to fly), but the thing I'm afraid of is that I don't know if I would have enough income to pay that $459/month payment as easily as I would be able to if I was working at ExpressJet or SkyWest.
Of course I am assuming that I would be hired by ExpressJet or somebody (like ALL ATPS says I would after being an instructor for 7 to 12 months, based on the experience of their students who are being hired every month at the following link).
http://www2.allatps.com/AirlinePlacements/
I just want to be able to make that payment and also be able to pay the rent!
Thanks for your help, Don!!!