Dilemma..

gne in prog said:
you've posted those cfi stats in a few threads. how many of those cfis are active?

though it's been at least 8 years since i've been in a light a/c and at least 10 years since i've instructed, i renew online every 2 years. some of my coworkers are in similar positions.

i'm not arguing that there are a lot of cfis, i just don't think there are as many active cfis as those numbers suggest.
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There's a shortage of planes.
There's a shortage of money.
There's a shortage of students.
There's a shortage of jobs.
But there is no shortage of CFI's!

My recommendation is to let the market catch up with the demand before spending money getting any CFI ratings. It's a terrible way to make a living (if you can call it that) in this economy.

I would imagine that MOST of the 90,000 FAA licensed CFI's are INACTIVE, at this time, simply because there are not enough students to keep them busy.

Joe
 
gne in prog said:
^using that logic we should all quit flying, is there is clearly no shortage of pilots.
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No that is not what this means.

What is means is that we currently have enough pilots and we do not need any more right now. That doesn't mean all the current pilots should quit.

According to the advertisements you can become a CFI in just 30 days. So just wait until the market opens up and then take the 30 advertised days and become a CFI. Pretty simple solution.


Joe
 
Kristie said:
how did this thread get off subject?

this thread is about going and getting more ratings or going to a job and getting the ratings on the side. not about any type of free this or that.

let's get back to topic please and take the other talk to another new thread or something.


TopGunn.....what job are you doing now? have you spoken to your boss to see if he will allow you to take time off to get your ratings and come back to the same job or would you be out of a job?

reason i ask is because in this *particular* day and age, jobs are hard to find...ratings can always be purchased. of course having the ratings would prove better over time and down the line but you need to have a job in order to pay for the ratings.

see the quandry?

now if you talked to your boss or the traffic job and they will allow you to begin after you're done getting the ratings, then you have a pretty good deal...but you really need to try and keep a flying job right now IMO because so many don't have one
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Kristie, i currently work for a debt settlement company :rolleyes:. I hate what i do right now. But i am one of the few lucky ones who can bring food to the table. I am getting a loan from my father to complete my ratings. My reason for aggressively pursuing the aviation career is because i have realized that is what i love doing. I have been to the other side of the fence. I hate to sound like a rich moron (which by no means i am not), but i have made over 300K between the age of 25-28. Of course, money makes things easier in life, but i hate what i did and do. Considering i am one of the top producer and i have extensive sales experience, i do not doubt that i will have any issue returning here if i ever left. The point is i drench coming here. If i get my CFI ratings,
a. i will enjoy teaching,
b. more experience gained.
c. i don't have to do it full time, but i can always figure out a way to do it full time.
d. i believe in god and whatever decision he makes for me, i am happy with it.
e. i know someone personally who is killing it as a CFI.

mshunter said:
:yeahthat: Most of the time, stats are meaningless number politicians use to make people vote fot them. CFI stas are one of them. I am a CFI, but no longer an active one (not by choice either. I have no airplanes to instruct in).
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So what do you do now?

JOEFRIDAY2 said:
No that is not what this means.

What is means is that we currently have enough pilots and we do not need any more right now. That doesn't mean all the current pilots should quit.

According to the advertisements you can become a CFI in just 30 days. So just wait until the market opens up and then take the 30 advertised days and become a CFI. Pretty simple solution.

Joe
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I respect your opinion and your consideration. Your stats may very well be true reflection of the market. But does it mean that the area i am in, i may have issue surviving as an instructor? Worst case scenarion, even if i do not land an instruction job, i still consider my goals somewhat accomplished and not to mention I will be more knowledgeable and trained. I know so many college kids that are graduating class of 2010 in various fields and have yet to land a job. I work with a guy who went to school for Sports/Business related field. Graduated from highly accredited college and is now sitting besides me making cold calls. :(

$2,995 is the fee for the course and 10 hours of flight time under part 61. It DOES not include books, extra flight time or lodging and or any written test fees. I have decided i will go to school for 30 days, will acquire my ratings regardless.

I rather walk around giving out my resume as a CFI- II over just a CSEL rating. I think this market will change. Do i know when? Absolutely not! But i bet you i wanna be prepared for the next boom, whenever it hits!

Happy Flying! :rawk:
 
TopGunn said:
...I am getting a loan from my father to complete my ratings.

...but i have made over 300K between the age of 25-28.
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I see a red flag there.

If you made such good money why would you need a loan for a few thousand dollars of training? My suggestion is to be very careful about owing anybody (even family) if there are any money management issues still hanging out there. Why not spend another year or two making good bank, save enough to pay cash for your training, and also put enough money aside to support yourself during the lean years?

Allow me to make another observation that took me a lot of years to figure out: jobs don't make people miserable; people allow themselves to feel miserable by dwelling on the crap aspects of their jobs.
 
SteveC said:
I see a red flag there.

If you made such good money why would you need a loan for a few thousand dollars of training? My suggestion is to be very careful about owing anybody (even family) if there are any money management issues still hanging out there. Why not spend another year or two making good bank, save enough to pay cash for your training, and also put enough money aside to support yourself during the lean years?

Allow me to make another observation that took me a lot of years to figure out: jobs don't make people miserable; people allow themselves to feel miserable by dwelling on the crap aspects of their jobs.
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I dont want to dwell on too much as to where money went. With money came the lifestyle, cars, travel, expensive dinning. Also i made a huge investment that went south. When the mortgage market tanked, the bills remain same where as income reduced. You get the idea.

I have several assets that i have promised my father, in case if i am ever unable to pay him back. But i thank you for you suggestion and concern.
 
TopGunn said:
i currently work for a debt settlement company.
I am getting a loan from my father to complete my ratings.
I hate to sound like a rich moron (which by no means i am not), but i have made over 300K between the age of 25-28.
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I saw that huge red flag too. HUGE! Why can't you just save up enough money before leaving your current job to be able to pay cash for this grand adventure? From the figures you quoted you'd need only save two weeks' pay to cover tuition. If you can't save two weeks' pay before you feel like you have to go do "what you love doing", then I'm afraid to tell you that there's a long hard road in front of you.

Going back to your original question, why do you have to choose between flying traffic and CFI? Since you seem to have a high paying job and no money, why can't you keep your traffic job and use the proceedes of that job to pay for your flight training at your local FBO. I know you hate your current job and you won't be a CFI in 30 days, but is speed really that important that you need to mortgage your future so you can have it now? You don't even have a CFI job lined up, all you have is a kind words from a place where you are a customer. Look at it this way: you're in the debt settlement business, right? If someone gave you the same level of committment to make good on their debts as the FBO gave you for possible future employment, what would you tell your customer? If you're hell-bent on being a 30 day wonder, why not go to your FBO first and ask them to conditionally hire you.
 
I went to American Flyers for my cfi/cfii. Great training at pompano. It is their best location. As for the price. Expect to pay around 5k total. Most people need more training than what come in the package. Experience about $5k when it is done. I was done in 32 days and that was only because of Checkride scheduling with DPEs.
 
Maurus said:
I went to American Flyers for my cfi/cfii. Great training at pompano. It is their best location. As for the price. Expect to pay around 5k total. Most people need more training than what come in the package. Experience about $5k when it is done. I was done in 32 days and that was only because of Checkride scheduling with DPEs.
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Yes that is the input i have gotten from all the pompano graduates. Did you exceed your 10 hour flight time?
 
The whole money and loan thing aside, all i can say is follow your goals the best way you can while providing for your family, because over all they are number one, when planes, jobs, and life go south you always got them.. now the original question...with all that aside of coarse if your focused, prepared and have the time go ahead and get ur CFI/CFII, and if you can do traffic watch and be a cfi do that too. try to talk to your flight school and see if you can def have a job when you get back.

I wish you the best of luck whatever you choose to do and yes being a cfi u will get a great deal of experience, it may be more rewarding to you than just doing flight watch. just a fellow cfi's two sense (not worth much:D)
 
TopGunn said:
Yes that is the input i have gotten from all the pompano graduates. Did you exceed your 10 hour flight time?
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Everyone does. Just remember your cfi still has the responsibility to only sign you off only if you are ready.10 hours for two ratings isn't enough.
 
highalt41 said:
The whole money and loan thing aside, all i can say is follow your goals the best way you can while providing for your family, because over all they are number one, when planes, jobs, and life go south you always got them.. now the original question...with all that aside of coarse if your focused, prepared and have the time go ahead and get ur CFI/CFII, and if you can do traffic watch and be a cfi do that too. try to talk to your flight school and see if you can def have a job when you get back.

I wish you the best of luck whatever you choose to do and yes being a cfi u will get a great deal of experience, it may be more rewarding to you than just doing flight watch. just a fellow cfi's two sense (not worth much:D)
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Thank you sir :beer:
 
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