Low time jobs in UT?

Whitelightnin79

New Member
I just returned to SLC after finishing ATP flight school in Phoenix with a freshly minted Commercial ASEL/AMEL and Instrument, but without the CFI ratings. I wanted to come back and do my CFI ratings up here but my first choice would be to skip that and maybe time build some other way. Traffic Watch or banner towing or skydiving. Something. Anything. Anybody know of anything out there in SLC for a guy with approximately 300 TT? Or am I going to CFI school?

Thanks all...

Jeff Reaume
COM ASEL/AMEL IA
 
I don't think there is a whole lot down in UT, besides flight instructing. If I were you, I'd get my CFI and then check out the local schools and Utah Valley State. Better yet, get your CFI at one of those schools, sometimes it can lead to an instructor job. It sucks right now for everyone, but especially for the guys that are just coming out of college, ATP, etc.
 
I just returned to SLC after finishing ATP flight school in Phoenix with a freshly minted Commercial ASEL/AMEL and Instrument, but without the CFI ratings. I wanted to come back and do my CFI ratings up here but my first choice would be to skip that and maybe time build some other way. Traffic Watch or banner towing or skydiving. Something. Anything. Anybody know of anything out there in SLC for a guy with approximately 300 TT? Or am I going to CFI school?

Thanks all...

Jeff Reaume
COM ASEL/AMEL IA

Why didn't you go to CFI school in Phoenix? You paid for it, and that cert is worth a whole lot more than the $2000 you got back if you opted out. Even if you never plan on instructing, that cert is a backup plan for your career if something goes wrong. And in this day and time, it probably will. Just curious....
 
I just returned to SLC after finishing ATP flight school in Phoenix with a freshly minted Commercial ASEL/AMEL and Instrument, but without the CFI ratings. I wanted to come back and do my CFI ratings up here but my first choice would be to skip that and maybe time build some other way. Traffic Watch or banner towing or skydiving. Something. Anything. Anybody know of anything out there in SLC for a guy with approximately 300 TT? Or am I going to CFI school?

Thanks all...

Jeff Reaume
COM ASEL/AMEL IA

Short answer...no. You're lucky to even find a CFI job up here. I'd recommend getting the CFI and CFII at a school where you want to work.
 
Longer answer: not really.

Traffic watch in SLC requires 500 TT. Brine shrimp spotting might be an option, but that's seasonal work (and I have no idea when the season is...Joe? Ben?)

UT has a ridiculously weak aviation industry. Other than the airlines and flight schools, there are surprisingly few flying jobs here.

No matter where you are though, understand that with the weak economy, jobs are scarce and the competition fierce. You're competing with pilots like me with more than 3x your hours, and professional flying experience on our resumes. Bottom line, 300 hrs just isn't gonna cut it for anything but instructing. Mainly because you're not really insurable for most commercial ops with so few hours.
 
Longer answer: not really.

Traffic watch in SLC requires 500 TT. Brine shrimp spotting might be an option, but that's seasonal work (and I have no idea when the season is...Joe? Ben?)
Brine shrimp spotting? Dude are you making that up? I have never heard of that one, but I guess they are out there in the dead sea.

500 hours is going to be the minimum for any non-CFI job I have ever seen in this state.

I know Redtail out of Moab has historically hired around this time of year for the season, but who knows this year, and again, 500 hours was what I always heard there.
 
Longer answer: not really.

Traffic watch in SLC requires 500 TT. Brine shrimp spotting might be an option, but that's seasonal work (and I have no idea when the season is...Joe? Ben?)

IIRC, the spotters are usually out there towards the middle to late summer and early fall, but I could be wrong.
 
go back to ATP in Phoenix and get your CFI rating and instruct there. That is golden for multi time. Most places will only let you mei at the school where you got your rating form. Go back to az get your mei, cfi, and cfii, and instruct there for a while, then when you have some more experiance then go back to slc. You gotta move were the job is in this in aviation.
 
Brine shrimp spotting? Dude are you making that up? I have never heard of that one, but I guess they are out there in the dead sea.
It's for real, they're the guys who use the dirt strips on Promontory Point and that little island south of there. Sounds like a joke, but it's (semi-) legit.
 
Even in the 2006-2008 hiring boom there were no low timer jobs in UT. I had to go out of state to get my first CFI Job in 06.

I suggest going and getting the CFI and beyond as well.
 
The CFI rating is worth a lot more than the $2,000 that I got back for not going, but only if you can qualify for a signoff in 1 week. Otherwise, you go home emptyhanded. (Like 2 guys did from the CFI class I would've been in) And it's not in Phoenix. You have to go up to KVGT for a week to do it. I hate that airport. And I heard a lot of horror stories about the Chief CFI up in VGT.

Also, since I know I want to instruct here in SLC if I'm going to be instructing anyway, I wanted to go to CFI school somewhere up here in the hopes that it would lead to a job with whatever CFI school I attend. So it seemed like a better idea to take the money and get out of there, ATP wise.

I was planning on Cornerstone. Anyone have any input? Are they a good school and more importantly a good school to work for?
Anyone know of any other schools in SLC that might be better?

Thanks...
 
I can put you in touch with a friend of mine who's one of the CFI instructors at Air Center out at Airport Number tw....er, South Valley Regional Airport. Great guy, I did both my instrument and multi training with him. PM me if you're interested in talking to him.
 
I can't, your PM box is full...

My answer was this...

They've renamed it South Valley Regional?
I've missed a lot. I wouldn't mind getting in touch with that guy you know but my primary concern is going to a school that will be willing to let me instruct for them after I attain my ratings. Do you know if that would be the case at U42?

Jeff

(It IS still U42 right?)
 
I can't, your PM box is full...

My answer was this...

They've renamed it South Valley Regional?
I've missed a lot. I wouldn't mind getting in touch with that guy you know but my primary concern is going to a school that will be willing to let me instruct for them after I attain my ratings. Do you know if that would be the case at U42?

Jeff

(It IS still U42 right?)
Yeah, Salt Lake City Municipal Airport No. 2 is now South Valley Regional Airport, happened just a few weeks ago. Dunno if the identifier is still U42 or not.

Air Center does hire their CFI grads, but I don't know what their current staffing levels are. That'd be a good question for my friend. I've made some space in my inbox so you should be able to PM me now.
 
air center of salt lake isn't looking. They just hired 2 CFI's as of last week. American aviation is looking for one but you're not going to get it with 300 hours, I've already tried. I've been hitting my head on the same wall for the last two months!!:banghead::panic: There isn't anything here.
and if anyone hears of anything, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!
 
Leading Edge Aviation in SLC and Ogden are looking for Flight instructors. I just saw an Ad in the paper.
 
Brine shrimp spotting? Dude are you making that up? I have never heard of that one, but I guess they are out there in the dead sea.

500 hours is going to be the minimum for any non-CFI job I have ever seen in this state.

I know Redtail out of Moab has historically hired around this time of year for the season, but who knows this year, and again, 500 hours was what I always heard there.

Do you have more info on Redtail? Contact info?
 
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