Can you work for AF and fly for others at the same time? What else makes you hate it?
low time CA pilot tired of instructing
- Thread starter mshunter
- Start date
Can you work for AF and fly for others at the same time? What else makes you hate it?
I do, but i'm not supposed to.
The pay is realy lousy. It's a huge commute, and you are treated as a number. Not to mention the team teaching approach they use dosen't sit well with me. If I get in an airplane with a student, and he/she has been tought something one way, now I am expected to teach it that way, and it may not be correct, or eaisly understood. I also think that that leads to a lot of student confusion, costing the student more money, time, and effort than it should take. I also think that $12-14k for a private cert is a rip-off. If they are charging that much, they should be able to pay better than that. Their equipment isn't realy that well maintanied. It's flyable, and legal, but not always the best way to repair stuff. The way they work it is they get people who don't have an A&P working on their airplanes with little to no supervision. I had a 172RG that I was flying that for about 3 weeks, every other time I cycled the gear, I had to hand pump it. And the uniforms totally suck. I shoulden't have to spend my whole paycheck on 3 days worth of uniforms. They are not furnished for you, nor do you get an allowence for them. You wear slacks, a collared shirt, and a tie. Not that big of a deal, but if I am going to dress like I am getting paid, I expect to get paid, or have the uniforms furnished.
The flying is good. You work in some preaty busy airspace. And the guys I worked with (most of them) were great. But I did have a few instances where other instructors would question things infront of the student. For example, I was takeing a student to a field where the winds were realy blowing, and it was going to be a good x-wind. He was progressing well, and I thought I would test his skills. She went up in a tiff about it, got all upset with me infront of the student, and shot the students confidence out of the water with my instructor abilities. I also got in an airplane with a student who was high on final, WAY HIGH. But we were about 1 1/2 miles out. So I told him to slip it down. He freaked out and said "OMG, we can't slip with flaps in a 172!!!!!!" Read the POH, it tells you to avoid it. It says nothing about it being prohibited. It even tells you why it's dangerous. You will feel a buffet to begin in the elevator. So we canceled our approach, went back out to the practice area and I showed him. I allowed him to fly out there, while I got the POH out and showed him what it said. Then I showed him what the buffet was. This is just two examples of all the CFI's not being on the same page, after we have all been "standardized." A lot of good that did. What going to happen when those students get their private, have an engine failure, and end up long because they were told you can't slip a 172 with flaps? Because lets face it, there are some instructors out there who somehow manage to have a student pass a checkride without teaching them what they need.
bunghole
Well-Known Member
Perhaps your long commute and inconsistent work schedule is putting a damper on your career. You can always apply here. http://www.ifta.aero/
Other JCers have mentioned positive things about it.
Good luck!
http://www.ifta.aero/
Other JCers have mentioned positive things about it.
Good luck!
http://www.ifta.aero/
There is no shame in "pencil whipping" instrument time. Who cares. Not many airlines require 100 hours instrument but for those that do, they're not going to know how the weather was on a monday 9 months ago between 2 to 4pm. Even then I've never been asked specifics about anything other than TT, ever, most didn't even check it.
I tried them, befor I am where I'm at now, and one of the guys I work with used to be their chief flight instructor. I also have a former classmate who works there. Don't get the wrong impression. I love where I work, I am looking to keep that job, and find something else to supplement. I dont want to go anywhere. The place i'm at now is going to be very hard to leave. They treat me like a member of the family, not an employee.
And in reply to Bunghole, how many times does it take submitting a resume to IFTA before you even get a return phone call. Before they even were posting CFI jobs, I had sent them a resume, and no call. Then they posted that they were, still no call. So I called them, numerous times, left messages, and still no call? I'd love to get into anything Beech, they just make good airplanes.
RICHARD5
Well-Known Member
mshunter, if after all that, perhaps a visit is in order. If admin is unavailable to schedule perhaps you should just show up and work your way up to meeting the "right" persons. It's called a cold call and it does pay off. Be tenacious and assertive but not overtly aggressive. Show them why you should be on their team.
if I geta chance to make the drive to Bakers-smell, or the a day where I don't have the typical 2 hour block, I just may. I think the ladies name is Judy or Janet. Does anyone know?
Edit: Just checked their website, "We have reached our staffing goals." I meat their quals, and never even recived a return e-mail phone call.
Driving might work if you can get past their security guard. If you don't have a reason and an appointment to be there, you won't be let past.
Many companies will not return your calls, emails, or even acknowledge your existence if they don't consider you to be a candidate. I've not had a need to hire instructors for over four years and I still get resumes. Due to my time on this planet being extremely limited, not all of those instructors get a response.
Ian_J
Hubschrauber Flieger
I'm sorry... what?
They were arguing about instrument time, all I was saying is that it doesn't matter for most airlines.
Saying you did .5 actual instead of .1 is not falsifying a log book. Logging 29 hours in a citation when you haven't flown it is falsifying a log book.
Taking an intermission from making some potato salad and I've got to ask: huh?!
Ian_J
Hubschrauber Flieger
Oh. Good to know!
For future reference, how much instrument time can I add on top of what I actually flew before it becomes falsifying?
And since this is perfectly legitimate and no big deal you won't mind sharing your real name and what company you fly for, right?
Ok dude. Next time you fly .038479 actual you better have it correct on your log book because they're going to get you.
Ian_J
Hubschrauber Flieger
Okay... let's be very clear here. I'll give you there's a very big difference between estimating and "pencil whipping."
For example, on a standard 7 hour night at the freight job I used to have, I'd do my very best to estimate my actual IMC time. It certainly wasn't prefect, but I did my best. If that's what you are talking about, I agree with you.
But above, you did use the words "pencil whip," which is a common phrase for falsify. If on my standard 7 hour night I estimated I got 1.1 of actual, but then wrote 2.5 instead, THAT would be pencil-whipping.
So which is it? You faking it or estimating it?
For example, on a standard 7 hour night at the freight job I used to have, I'd do my very best to estimate my actual IMC time. It certainly wasn't prefect, but I did my best. If that's what you are talking about, I agree with you.
But above, you did use the words "pencil whip," which is a common phrase for falsify. If on my standard 7 hour night I estimated I got 1.1 of actual, but then wrote 2.5 instead, THAT would be pencil-whipping.
So which is it? You faking it or estimating it?
