Do I Really Need My CFI

I never thought I would become a good CFI but it has been very rewarding for me. No regrets here. It will open a lot more doors as well. Our 135 company hires our own CFI's and if you didnt have a CFI, you would never make it flying on our charter side. Not saying every company is like this, but I bet you are hundreds of small companies that prefer hiring their own CFI's.
 
Look at it this way. How much are you planning to spend on the CFI? 2500-3000, something like that? If you charge $40 an hour for flight and ground, and assume you can get a private student done in 40 hours dual and 40 hours ground, that investment pays for itself after one student. Also, having more tickets and ratings is always helpful on the ol' resume. I guess what I'm saying is it might seem like a pain in the ass in the short term, but if you look at the long game it's a no-brainer.
 
Being a CFI is certainly a great experience in more ways than one but, I find that it has other practical benefits as well. I was recently furloughed from a regional during training and it gave me great peace of mind to know that I could go anywhere in the country, find an Instructor position and make at least $30K; I had a job again within the week. Also, I recently had two phone interviews with 135 turboprop operators and they seemed very interested in knowing if I was an MEI. They wanted to verify that I was indeed an MEI even though I had listed it on my resume. It would seem that these employers hold Instructors in high regard.
 
@op. I don't have my CFI but wish I did. I've been pretty fortunate in my career to have some good success without it, but recently one of my co workers has taken interest in flying and I wish I could be more help. Get it. It will help expand your horizons. FWIW at the moment, I fly air ambo and love it. Good gig, don't need to be A CFI to be here but for your career it would be a GREAT box to have checked.
 
If you think you would be a "bad" CFI, that means you have encountered a deficiency in your skill set. The proper response to encountering such is to remedy it, not to ignore it and continue on a predetermined path where you believe yourself to be hot s---. Particularly at the ripe old age of 18. If you are already so self-satisfied that you describe yourself as a "great pilot" and discount the necessity of learning new things, you are not on the path to becoming a professional.

Even if you have no intention of working as a CFI, the skills and mindset you pick up solely through the transition from student to teacher will serve you well for the rest of your career. Einstein's old chestnut about not really understanding something until you can explain it simply is in full effect in the aviation world.

Oh, and your projected flight time for the next few months? That resume comes across my desk, I'm thinking the guy logging all that time has either done some pencil-whipping, or was completely useless for a good number of those flight hours. And I know I said it in the last thread, but look into college, for God's sake. As competitive as the job market is now (and will continue to be, no matter what that idiot Boyd tells you), how do you think you'll look next to someone with comparable flight time, a CFI and a college degree?

Just for reference, I have my CFI, and I have never used it in a professional capacity. It's lying dusty in my room, lapsed forevermore. But the things I had to learn to get it have been critical both for getting jobs, and making sure I keep it.
 
Jumping on the bandwagon here, but seriously consider getting your CFI, even if you don't expect to use it. As others have noted, the process is a boon to your knowledge, and many (especially lower-time) positions look favorably upon someone with their CFI. A CFI is also a great back-up plan when you find yourself standing after the music stops.

Further, I'd like to echo the quality-vs-quantity statement. Working at a DZ can be excellent for stick-and-rudder skills, but I see a lot of guys whose instrument, procedural and cross-country flight planning skills degrade in that environment. Still great pilots, but the rust can be the difference between passing a hiring sim ride and not. I tend to see fewer issues with CFIs and CFI-rated DZ pilots. Which is to say: if were in charge of hiring and had two low-time, equally qualified candidates with similar backgrounds, but only one had their CFI, I would lean towards that one. And if airlines are out of the question and you're therefore looking at smaller operators, little things like that loom large. Also: work on your 4-year degree if you aren't already.

TL;DR: Strictly speaking no, but get it anyway.
 
College, girls and get ur cfi.. All of u have givin great advice thought I'd finish with that. Three years of instructing are some of my best flying memories.
 
I also thought I didn't need a CFI and didn't want to teach. Big mistake. I also flew jumpers. And although skydive flying is super fun and you learn some valuable skills there, that time has very little value when looking for real job in aviation. The CFI gives you cred, and the CFII will get you that job.
Got my CFI a while back and loving it.
Two words: get it.
 
Well I'll break the trend. If you don't want to teach, don't. It's a little harder to break into a better gig, but it can be done. I don't have a CFI. I can see a day when I'll get it for the hell of it, but other than that..... I also know that I'm not a worse pilot for it. There's a lot of skills CFI's never learn because they hardly leave the pattern in comparison. But at the end of the day, the guys on the line next to me do the same job, and manage to get the same job done. We come from a variety of backgrounds.

Although, flying skydivers, which I've done, does not build quality time. After about 50 hours it's taught you all it's going to.
 
Wiser voices than me have spoken. I will advise from a different angle:

If you change your mind and decide you want the CFI, make sure you want to be teaching. It will come across if you don't really want to be there, and then you're doing yourself and your students a disservice. Don't teach if you really don't want to.
 
you'd be surprised who makes a good CFI Cessna310. I'd say since you put some time into the material, go ahead and get it even if you don't use it. It's one more box to check that sets you apart from those who don't have it. Imagine 2 applicants, same job; both have 1000/100, one has their CFI. Which candidate would you interview first knowing nothing else about the candidates, and why?

Look at it like another rating as well, people go get their glider, seaplane tailwheel, etc. It's another way to get some hours and have some fun learning while doing it.

To answer your other question with 1000/100 you should have a number of jobs to apply for including:
-bigger skydiving gigs
-aerial survey
-freelance ferry pilot
-oil & gas research
-fish spotting
-jobs in Africa!

you're opening your doors without the CFI but IMHO you open more with it.
 
Most (not all) pilots I've run into that decry flight instruction as being "not for them" are generally horrible pilots with no CRM skills.

This is not a rule, just a general observation. Instructing for a while and getting burned out is one thing, but never doing it (and never even getting the certificate) because "it just isn't for you" generally means that they can't hack it.

That being said, I've been surprised a few times with guys that were awesome pilots and great a communicating who never instructed. Generally, though, the best are teachers. The REALLY REALLY REALLY good ones are STILL teaching.
 
Get your CFI if you can afford it. I missed if you're in school or not, but if you're not in college, GO TO COLLEGE!

Remember, just because you have a CFI certificate doesn't mean you have to teach, but the certificate will be there if you ever need it. Do us all a favor though, and don't teach if you don't want to be a teacher. I've flown with people who are CFIs simply to pad their logbook and it's rough flying. You can tell they don't want to be there, and no student paying $150/hr deserves that. I taught because I wanted to teach, and wanted to learn too.
 
For the sake of all that is awesome, get your CFI!

I mean, seriously...you cannot legitimately put an "instructor" patch on your A2 flight jacket if you're not a CFI
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Patches are the epitome of 'awesome'
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Nor will you be able to wear this stylish t-shirt
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Nor will you be able to put the clever matching bumper sticker on your 1982 honda civic
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And without any of the above, your chances with the ladies is seriously weak...and your place is society will be much lower.

Embrace the awesome, get your CFI.
 
I am going to defend him, I to am a great pilot. I tell myself it everyday I look in the mirror. Than I realize, my job is being eliminated by July. And being a great pilot means nothing. I a ton of all the requirements for most jobs, but the the job market is still crappy. But i got a nice little CFI job all lined up. So my greatness streak will continue.
 
jtrain609 said:
Most (not all) pilots I've run into that decry flight instruction as being "not for them" are generally horrible pilots with no CRM skills.
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I can generally tell within the first 10 minutes of flying with a new guy whether or not they ever instructed. It is the case now, and it was the case when I was still an FO. Guys that didn't flight instruct (or it really wasn't for them and made no effort to learn the skills) generally (and there were a few exceptions to this rule), were terrible people to have in a multi crew environment.
 
The CFI initial has the highest checkride failure percentage. If you're not passionate about teaching and don't want one, then don't get one. There is nothing wrong with not having a CFI.
 
Get the CFI... It's a challenging certificate to get, but proves you're willing and able to work hard and get through a challenging training program. Getting the CFI isn't gonna hurt you, but NOT getting it may cause you to lose out on some pretty fantastic opportunities. Anyone interviewing you knows the pass rate, so if you bust don't worry about it, just fix your mistakes and get it done.
 
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