Questions for current FSI Instructors/Students.

Heat2151

New Member
Hi All,


I will be starting at FSI this September. I was wondering, if any of you can suggest any books that can help me stay one step ahead. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I have a few questions if you could please answer:

1) How's the employment situation with the CFI's?
2) Are the CFI's still back logged?
3) Are any of the current CFI's getting airline offers?

When I did my tour in March the Marketing Dept Rep told me that "their has been a few cases where some CFI's were hired, but that was rare, eventually the situation will improve however the hiring is tight".
I know that this is asking a lot, but has the situation improved in the past couple of months.

Best Regards,
Heat2151
 
Any books to help you stay ahead? Um...Maybe just read or watch material designed for Private Pilots, ie King Videos or a Jeppesen text book. Just read something to get you familiar with some of the aviation terminology, if you come in talking the talk you won't have any problem keeping up with the courses.

The employment situation with the CFI's continues to be so-so. I'm one of the CFI's in the wait list and it's frustrating. I think they're still hiring CFI's although you'd think at some point they'd say, "Enough is enough, we have enough CFI's for the next year." So yes there is still a backlog. I know of some CFI's that are leaving for various first officer positions, I think many are going freight carriers etc. I know many are actively in the interview process with some regional carriers.
 
Hi Baronman,


Jeppesen and Kings books, understood, and once again thanks for the advice, and the current sitrep at VB.

Funny thing is that, even though the current industry situation at the moment continues to be questionable. for me, september can't come fast enough /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif this wait list! sounds tough, I hope that the powers that be at FSI get it together, so that you can get your run at teaching /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif but what are most of you doing during this waiting period? and how are you staying current?.

If anyone is interested I just got this got off the AOPA website so things do look hopefull;

==> FLIGHT TRAINING NEWS <==

AIRLINE PILOT HIRING CONTINUES, COMPANY REPORTS
More than 1,440 new airline pilots have been hired so far this year,
according to Kit Darby, president of career consulting firm AIR, Inc.
He said that more than 250 pilots met with representatives of 10 major,
national, and regional airlines during a career fair held last month in
Los Angeles. "The terrorist attacks of September 11 put a damper on the
airline industry as a whole; however, things are slowly turning around,
and we're hopeful that by the end of the year pilot hiring will be on
track," Darby said. AIR, Inc.'s next Airline Pilot Career Seminar, Airline
Forum, and Career Fair will be held in Atlanta on July 13. For more
information, visit the Web site ( http://www.jet-jobs.com ).


Best Regards,
Heat2151
 
Airlines/Corporates have started to hire instructors here at FSI. Where there was no movement in December thru April, there have been maybe 15 or so hired in the last 5-6 weeks and by the sounds of it our higher time CFI's have a good chance of moving on thru the rest of this year. All of which is good news. I would analyze the situation like this....yes there is a backlog right now. There is a waiting list of probably 30-50. And it is very frustrating for those who have to wait. But in reality this is the way it used to be, new hires had to have internships for 6 months before becoming a line instructor. Only last year, b/c of the booming industry, did people get hired and become instuctors immediately. Current waiting list people don't have internships, and the wait isn't easy, but I would have to say the rewards are great. There is no better school/job then flying. Even being a CFI is wonderful. I do not believe this "backlog" will last for long, it may be a year from now until the flows are back to normal, but assuming the airlines hire as much as they are the rest of this year and the economy continues to strengthen, I think everything will be just fine here. The reality is it may take longer to get to an airline now then it did 2 yrs ago, but I wouldn't trade this career for anything. If it takes an extra year, well, so be it. As far as books, I would just enjoy the summer and come next fall ready to work, it isn't particulaily difficult, but if you want to keep your costs down you can prepare on a daily basis and come to lessons ready to go.
 
Hi ThreeGreen123,

Appreciate the good word. for the CFI's that are being hired, what is the average TT & ME time in their log books. I was originally told that it was around 1500/ 500 with each case being different. and with the hiring requrements much more competetive. What are you guys' doing to compensate?

So if the waiting list is at 30-50, and if I read you correctly all the news hire's have to wait at the min of 6 mo's before they
can get paid to instruct.?

Threegreen, if you dont mind, where do you stand? is FSA providing support nessesary for the regional interview proceess or are you on your own?

I just got the king series cd/dvd for PPL and Inst, they seem 100% easier to comprehend.

Once again, thanks for feedback.

Best Regards,
Heat2151
 
The people getting hired from FSI the past few weeks have between 1300-1800 hrs, and you are right, with each case being different. With a college education, and higher multi time, the total time comes down. Most instructors here have more then 500 multi by the time they get to 1500, usually its around 6-700 multi by 1500--which is a big advantage. I know 45% of my TT right now is multi. I don't really know what we do to "compensate" for higher hiring requirements, and I guess there is only so much you can do besides fly. FSI has enrolled many of us instructors into a turbine transition class free of charge, which helps a little. But mostly we just go out there and have fun, do our jobs, and by and large we end up in my opinion well qualified with that ME time, to go along with the reputation of the school.

Yeah, I think it will be a long time before you can go right from getting hired as an instructor to the line. I don't know if it will ever be like it was a year ago, where you went from getting your license into standarization. But, the industry itself probably won't be that way again, so, its fitting. Its just not the instant gratification anymore. The way I see it its like it is supposed to be, got to bat around the minors, be patient and maybe struggle a little bit, before you get to the show. And it weeds out those who don't want this and those who do. If this is your dream--you do what it takes, and someday all of us will make it if thats what we want. An extra year seems like a lot, and for those that have a family and such it is. But in the mirror of your 757 down the road it will be a blink. The industry will be strong, people will always fly cause its a fast paced world and people (including me) can't take driving--its slow,it sucks, and the speedometer/odometer and 3 other instruments aren't glass. Pilots will retire. Pilots will be needed.... Its just not 1 yr from college beer bottle to CRJ throttle anymore.

Finally, as far as FSI goes and standing behind their employees to get hired, they do a good job of that. Marketing is constantly working on ways of moving the instructors on. The main reason, obviously, is because it is in their best interest. Most of the business is based on a flow....student to instuctor to airlines. The only way they get students is the promise of an instuctor job. And the only way for an instructor job to open is for us to get hired. So, its a business thing. If they get 50 instructors hired, bye bye waiting list and hello more students. So, yeah, they root for us to get hired for sure.
 
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