Introduction and a question

R

Red-Baron

New Member
Hello everybody!

Just want to introduce myself, my name is John, I'm 35 years old, I'm a US-citizen residing in Germany where I was born. I hold a US CPL (Single & Multi) as well as a CFI+I license. I haven't been flying since Oct. 2003, but kept my CFI license current by attending CFI refresher clinics. I have a total of 521 hr. of flight time including about 50 hr. of multi engine.

In 2003 I returned to Germany in order to convert/validate my FAA license into the (European) JAA license (Joint Aviation Authorities) but I had to quit the conversion because of personal reasons. Well, to keep it short, I'm thinking about returning to the States an get back into flying again.

My question is:

What would be the best (economic) way to get back into flying and how are my chances (35 years old) to get a job as a CFI and as soon as I have enough hours a job as a FO with a commuter airline?

Or, should I forget about the CFI job and buy the hours myself, lets say taht I have a total of about 600 hr. and 100 hr. multi time, and go straight for the FO job with a commuter airline, since the commuters seem to be in need of FOs and the hiring minimums are pretty low at the moment!

Thanks and best regards :)
 
There's no reaosn at all why you couldn't accomplish any of those goals. A CFI a job is easy enough to get and building your experience would follow with that job.

And 35 certainly isn't too old.

Try not to think of those low minimums as YOUR minimums. IMO, apply when you have enough experience.

And welcome to JC! Hope you like it here!
 
Hi ChinookDriver!

Thanks for the welcome and your opinion, I really appreciate it! Well, if been watching the CFI job-market the last few years and at the moment it seems to look pretty good out there. I just remember when I got my CFI, it was not near as good as it is today. That was one of the reasons why I went back to Europe. I mean not that I couldn't get a CFI job, but it simply wasn't what was looking for!

So I decided to go back to Germany, get the conversion of the license and try to get a job with an airline (because the hiring minimums are much lower in Europe). But the situation in Germany/Europe was even worse, there was/is an abundance of pilots looking to get a job with an airline. But if you don't have the citizenship of an EU member state/country (which affected me, I only have the unrestricted residence permisson for Germany) it's impossible to get a job with an airline!

But, back to my question. Before I can apply for a CFI job I need to fly a few hours to get current or proficient again. I guess it won't take that much, probably around 10 or 20 hours, but should I just go somewhere and get current again, or should I apply for a CFI job and tell them that I haven't been flying for the last three years, and propose them a deal, that I'll fly the hours with them and in turn they offer me the job? I don't know, any advice is appreciated!

Cheers :)
 
I'd have to guess that any employer is going to want you to be at least current and proficient. I'd recommend researching some schools you'd like to instruct at and then go get current there. Network while you're doing it; make a good impression. Schools typically like to hire people they have personally trained anyway. And before you go, get back into those books hardcore.

Where in the States you thinking about going?

And Germany is great - I lived there for quite some time in Ansbach, Nurnberg, and Heidelberg.
 
Hi,

I'd go anywhere in the States, if a job was offered to me! I was thinking of going to an international flight school or a school with a JAA program, since I'm fluent in German - I thought it might be useful, but probably it's not! Well, I haven't had the time to do a lot of research about flight schools yet. Usually a good place to look is at the AOPA Website. If you happen to have a hint for me, please let me know!

So, you have been to Germany as well, nice! I assume as a GI? Hope you had a good time in Germany! I live in Füssen (60 miles S-W of Munich), perhaps you have been there, that's where the (world famous) Cinderella castle is, built by the mad King Ludwig the II from Bavaria. It's said that Disney took it as a model for his Disneyland/world castle. I don't know if that's true, but there is certainly some resemblance between them!

Check out this link: http://www.neuschwanstein.com

Greets :)
 
Red-Baron said:
Hi,

I'd go anywhere in the States, if a job was offered to me! I was thinking of going to an international flight school or a school with a JAA program, since I'm fluent in German - I thought it might be useful, but probably it's not! Well, I haven't had the time to do a lot of research about flight schools yet. Usually a good place to look is at the AOPA Website. If you happen to have a hint for me, please let me know!

So, you have been to Germany as well, nice! I assume as a GI? Hope you had a good time in Germany! I live in Füssen (60 miles S-W of Munich), perhaps you have been there, that's where the (world famous) Cinderella castle is, built by the mad King Ludwig the II from Bavaria. It's said that Disney took it as a model for his Disneyland/world castle. I don't know if that's true, but there is certainly some resemblance between them!

Check out this link: http://www.neuschwanstein.com

Greets :)
Click to expand...

I am very familiar with Neuschwanstein, and the tales of good ol' Crazy Kind Luwig!

Well, I've done a lot of research and have personally ruled out big academies for various reasons. I have been to a few flight schools up and down the eastern seaboard and can personally recommend this one, in Leesburg, Florida. http://www.triangle-aviation.com/

Every other small school I've been to pales in comparision to that one. If you train with them, and they like you, they might hire you. Talk to Rhett, the owner, and he'll square you away. Tell them Ian sent you. ;)

Another good one I haven't attended but almost did is this one: https://www.flywhiteair.com/
One of their instructors is on JC, and it seems like a top-notch school.

Bottom line though... you GOTTA do your own research on these schools. Don't go blindly into the unknown.
 
Congratulations on getting back into it.

I concur with ChinookDriver that you are by no means too old for this step. I am a 37-year old new-hire at a regional. Like you, I got out of flying (in and out and in and out, actually) and even took some odd detours within my flying career before coming to a regional. With plenty of flight hours, yet relatively few in airplanes, I decided I needed some more experience as CD has implied. I was a 4000 hour ATP when I accepted a position flying freight to add to my 600 hours of airplane time. I met the minimums at nearly all regionals at the time, but felt my employer and passengers would be better served If I got into something in which the wings didn't move or even had wings, for that matter, before getting into a jet.

That being said, I flew tours around Hawaii for a bit. Not such a great experience since it was all VFR and all single-engine. From there, I went to Ram Air Freight in North Carolina and flew bank paperwork for about nine months. The first couple of months were all single-engine, but was still excellent single pilot IFR ALL WEATHER experience. Once on a regular multiengine run, I only logged about 55 hours per month, but it was a nice regular schedule. You will find yourself pushing your comfort levels...and building excellent decision-making skills.

Check into them at www.ramairfreight.com. They have a history of taking a chance on pilots to get them started. This is good. They back that up by having a relatively tough training program. It's only a week long, but typically washes out about half the people who start. However, they send you a study packet about four weeks prior to training which gives you an excellent chance. Just think of the training as a week-long interview. There are certainly other freight operations out there. Check them all out.

I have limited CFI experience, but the freight flying was exactly what I needed to feel confident about putting lives in my hands. Good luck whatever you choose to do. But do it, whatever it is.
 
First let me Welcome you Aboard!!

You shouldn't have any problems getting a joba nd getting current. Just go to any flight school and you'll be current in 10-15 hours. Almost every Flight school I know is hiring CFIs now so that shouldn't be a problem either.

With your time, you'll probably need ti instruct for six months and you'll be meeting the mins for almost every regional out there. Good luck on everything and let us know if we can be any help to you?
 
Hello all,

and thank you very much for your advice I really appreciate it! That's a great community here! Thanks for the links you provided, that's what I'm looking for. I'll also do some research on the internet and see what I'll find. If you happen to know a flight school which would be willing to offer me a job after getting current with them, please let me know! I appreciate any Information in this regard!

Greetings :)
 
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