Jump pilot part time or full time CFI?

aobt14

aobt14

Well-Known Member
Hey all,

I am currently doing various flying jobs (CFI, corporate work, etc) part time and have a second part-time job dropping divers lined up as well. However, I have a full-time CFI job offer set to begin in early April. If you were in my shoes, would you take the jump job "A" while continuing to CFI and doing corporate stuff with "B", or would you hold out for the full time CFI gig with company "C"? If I split time between A and B the jobs may begin to conflict, especially with spring and summer around the corner. Based on my limited research, it appears that most 182 jump jobs are less than reputable and I am starting to second guess if risking my license or financial future is worth the opportunity of dropping jumpers. The jury decides "negligence" and if one bolt is loose on that plane I don't want it to come back on me. Despite the waivers, courts tend to side with mourning parents. I am leaning towards the full time CFI gig with company C, but then again, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, unless it's a really bad bird in hand. :D

Thanks

Edit: The corporate stuff may still be available as long as schedules do not conflict with the full time CFI gig, but it's not enough work to prioritize this option and I can't cancel on students if spontaneous trips arise. Also, pay is comparable between jobs so it is not a factor in my decision.
 
I'd go full-time CFI... I've dropped divers and CFId for a little while now. I'd say overall that CFIng is more gratifying and I've learned way more doing this than anything else in my aviation career thus far.
 
I dropped jumpers for a bit too. I never cfi'd but wish I would have. I feel I would've gotten to the next level of jobs a lot quicker if I would've cfi'd. Unfortunately, dropping jumpers doesn't give you much "street cred". I'd say instructing while doing the corporate gig on the side would be ideal. Especially if you have the opportunity to teach instrument and multi engine students. Unless the corporate operator is going to hire you as a full time pilot, they really need to be understanding about your schedule. I mean, what do they expect?
 
I am dropping divers now. I like it, but it's not steady by any far stretch. You could probably do both, depending on your location.

My advice; do whatever builds you the most time in the fastest amount of time to put yourself in a position to take the next step. Try to do everything, and you'll end up doing very little, unless you have complete control of your schedule.

Across the board, every conversation I've had about flying a new airplane goes like this,
"How much time do you have?"
"How much multi time do you have?"
"How much turbine time do you have?"

Find a way to build those numbers. Dropping skydivers is going to be tough sledding, and it'll take you a LONG time to get there.
 
I have flown divers and CFI'd. If your career goal is to be an airline pilot then take the full time CFI job. I am severely short of cross country time and I possibly will still be short of the 500 hour requirement when I hit 1500 hours. Flying jumpers can be fun, but all you are doing is building your total time in VFR. In one of my recent interviews I was heckled a bit for being a jump pilot due to the stereotype that jump pilots break regs and fly somewhat questionable aircraft.
 
I was in the same boat as miller. 1700 hours and very little xc and 7 multi. I was kind if forced to go 135 freight because of the different xc requirements and low multi requirements. I instructed in the offseason but was still low on those times. Like everyone else said, total time, multi, and turbine ftw.

That said, flying jumpers was my favorite job ive ever had, flying or otherwise. I built a lot of total time, made some good friends, and had a lot of fun. Ymmv
 
ive done both, CFI 4 years full time and jumpers out of a King Air 90.

I learned to be a better pilot through CFIing. I learned to work better with others as a CFI. I learned how to critique myself as a CFI. I learned how to crtique others effectively as a CFI. Work was steady as a CFI because on bad weather days I could instruct instrument students or primary BAI with primarys. As a CFI I could preform ground school during bad weather.

As a diver driver bad weather meant no pay. As a diver driver I pushed myself to the point of exhaustion. As a diver driver safety concerns seemed to occur more frequently (jumpers dragging their chutes far too close to a moving prop, jumpers in the traffic pattern, jumpers off site, flying with a less than stellar aircraft, etc.)

As a diver driver you will learn how the real world works with regard to aircraft, weather, external pressure and making money. As a CFI you still have that cusion in TEACHING what is right rather then doing something else.

My $.02 is go full time CFI - you'll be better for it.
 
Thank you all for your replies. I decided to decline the skydive offer, in part because my professor told me not to touch it with a ten foot pole lol. However, saying no thank you was one of the hardest things I have done knowing that many people would love any flying gig with my low time. Again, thank you all and I hope my decision to CFI is the right one.
 
My humble opinion... I took the Diver Driver route... shady airplanes and shady people... but fun flying. I can definitely see it being a black mark in the narrow minds of the the regional HR department. I will say though that I learned a ton about things I didn't think I'd learn (most of which involved operating outside of my comfort zone at the time). I would say that flying jumpers probably makes you a better stick and rudder pilot...you'll feel real comfortable in a twin engine turboprop by yourself day in and day out.... but your general procedure skills (IFR, etc) usually take the back burner. In hindsight I think that a CFI route for a while would have been better overall. Certainly can't complain about where aviation has taken me... but there's a lot to be said about teaching.

Of course, the CFI route is certainly not the end all be all of developing airmanship, but it probably does polish and hone skills... and for every jump pilot that breaks rules there's an low-mid hour idiot CFI who thinks he knows it all because he teaches people.

If I were you... I'd take the CFI route and try to expand it into different teaching facets of aviation... and not stop learning.
 
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