Flight Instructor--and may eventually stop piloting

EatSleep,

I agree with you. my experience as a CFI so far is really well summed up in what you said.

In the past 9 months, I have given dual to about 20 people and in 7 different planes. Most already have their PPL.

Each day it's a scramble to make sure my brain is exactly positioned for the person that is paying me, and more importantly, relying on me to provide good instruction..

DeanR
 
Re: Missing the big picture

Listen, I think everyone that isn't already in the field, is missing the big picture. Someone in the main forum has a thread indicating that he has a furlough recall date for Dec. 1st. What's shocking is that this guy has 20 years of experience, a bunch of type ratings in various military aircraft. What makes "anyone" on this board, think for a moment, that they can scoot to an interview and be subsequently hired over someone like that? Someone who's paid dues for 20 years ? You can't ignore it, doing so will have you waste your time and your money. Doug mentioned its all about timing. If look around you, it's not just the airline industry, its everywhere. CPA's are applying for entry level jobs at my wife's company. I look to interview helpdesk staff and get MBA's with current certifications that wouldn't consider such a position years ago. Listen, Doug mentions "its feast or famine" and for the foreseeable future, until the economy is back to its pre-9/11 days, I advise that everyone that isn't there in the cockpit already, keep it as recreational flying, keep at it. But don't go in to this full swing at an FBO or ATP for that matter and think you have a decent shot at landing a paying job that will keep bread on the table, unless you're a prodigy and that aren't many of them around either. There is only 1 way to the cockpit of a regional for sure, and it involves money, buying your time in a twin and flying the hell out of a ME to up your time. Face it, if any of us had that kind of money, in the mid $100's, we wouldn't be asking "should I leave my job as a )(*&" for a chance at flying the big metal. Guys, focus, look around you and make the right decision. This is not mean't to be denigrating or discouraging, I just don't want to see anyone's psyche damaged by leaping to such an allusion in this day and time. I would love to make the leap and have $80k from the sale of my home just recently, but that's not enough to get me a job in this industry anytime in the foreseeable future (3-5 years).
 
Re: Missing the big picture

Cobra,
That's a little too " the glass is half empty " for me. I think you have some perfectly good excuses for giving up if one so chooses. But if one gives up then they are a quitter and it never would have mattered anyway.
If you want to know what "anyone" is thinking when they want to get a job at a regional when there are experienced pilots with type ratings on furlough, just think about it. Why would a regional want to hire a high time pilot with tons of experience that could get called back anyday, or leave for a better job. Especially considering that there are low time entry level pilots with little or no line experience, that would be sure to stay with that company until they found a more desirable job 5 years down the road.
Not to say it doesn't happen, because it does. However, regionals hire relatively new, low time pilots every day.
 
Re: Missing the big picture

[ QUOTE ]
What makes "anyone" on this board, think for a moment, that they can scoot to an interview and be subsequently hired over someone like that? Someone who's paid dues for 20 years ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because someone like that would be *VERY* stupid to resign his seniority number and go back to the regionals. Most places require that you resign your seniority number to get hired. I hired a Chief Instructor for our 141 program last year. He's a furloughed regional captain. He wouldn't dream of applying for a job that required he resign his number.

You cannot really look at the hypothetical situations when you talk about pilot hiring. "What makes sense" doesn't always match up to reality.

Having said all that, I am sending my resume into the regional airlines, but with a healthy dose of skepticism that I'll get many interviews / job offers. You should never give up trying, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." That's what my mother always taught me. Just be prepared that in times like this, you're more likely to get a "no" It's just a question of sticking with it!

Ray
 
Flying is all about making it, so many people give up its amazing. However, that is encouraging to people who refuse to give up and who get jobs because they kept plugging away.

At my flight school in the last year 2 instructors got hired by SkyWest and 2 by Horizon. The year before that a few were hired on for a company in Alaska flying B1900's. Another one is done with ground school at Ameriflight and is now waiting for a flight slot to open up. There is also two or three that have leads that should be either coporate or regional in the next year. Which is good for my prospects as I'll be finishing completing my CFI this winter.

The point is people are getting hired (atleast from here). These people instructed for 2-4 years after college and are now sitting in a good position. And this is after the 9-11 economic crash.

Just keep plugging away, it is not as bad as it looks. The amount of retirements over the next 10 years is going to be huge! Even if air travel doesn't pick up (which is highly unlikely) there will still be a demand for pilots.

People always think the whole world is crashing and will nothing will ever get better in the down times, then when things are up people think it could never come down.
 
OK. some are just totally fixated on the pilot or bust thing LOL!!!!!!!!!!! I sure totally was until my wife said thoe two magic words....."I'm pregnant".
That is what it took for the reality of aspiring to be a pilot to really hit me. Bills gotta get paid, etc.
If you're single, then go for it; if your well of financially, go for it; but don't think your just gonna breeze into the right/left seat of a 747 and start bankrolling over 60 a year.
Flying is too much fun to think you'll die wealthy and outta debt, that is after 9-11.
 
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