Salt Lake City or Denver low time opportunities

[Bryant Leon]

I live in Ohio now but have been considering moving to either Denver or SLC. I am a CFI/II but would consider any type of flying. I have researched many of the flight schools in the area. Are there any places that stand out or that I should stay away from?

 

[Deleted member 27505]

I live in Ohio now but have been considering moving to either Denver or SLC. I am a CFI/II but would consider any type of flying. I have researched many of the flight schools in the area. Are there any places that stand out or that I should stay away from?

Flight schools... Definitely stay away from flight schools. Oh, and airlines. Just read the aviation site posts and you'll understand why you should avoid those. Have you considered Accounting? Optometry? Vegetable cart sales?

 

[fly22]

What is your TT and do you have your multi?

 

[GypsyPilot]

You want NOTHING to do with Denver until after you've developed your pilot career to a substantial level. Having lived in Denver most of my life (and love it), I knew I was going to have to move when I started my career. Watching my CFIs fight over scraps in DEN made it obvious.

I moved to south FL for a few years, and had opportunities and doors open that never would have happened in Colorado. Now that I'm close to 5,000 hours, several PIC types in jets, and have experience in corporate, charter, and airlines, I'm finally starting to get some bites on good, career type pilot jobs in Denver. It is ridiculously competitive here, and becoming far more expensive than even a few years ago...

 

[av8tr1]

Plus 1000 on gypsypilot's comments about Denver. Spent 3 years there, regret ever moving there.

 

[flyingbum]

Stay away from SLC. Not much there, and bad winters with not much flying. There's only 3 flight schools and a couple collegiate programs. None pay good or do much flying. Go where there are lots of schools. California, Arizona, Texas, Florida if you're looking for CFI jobs.

 

[Bryant Leon]

What is your TT and do you have your multi?

350 tt, and yes I have multi

You want NOTHING to do with Denver until after you've developed your pilot career to a substantial level. Having lived in Denver most of my life (and love it), I knew I was going to have to move when I started my career. Watching my CFIs fight over scraps in DEN made it obvious.

I moved to south FL for a few years, and had opportunities and doors open that never would have happened in Colorado. Now that I'm close to 5,000 hours, several PIC types in jets, and have experience in corporate, charter, and airlines, I'm finally starting to get some bites on good, career type pilot jobs in Denver. It is ridiculously competitive here, and becoming far more expensive than even a few years ago...

Haha seems like the most sensible. I would like to be there eventually but am in no huge rush

Flight schools... Definitely stay away from flight schools. Oh, and airlines. Just read the aviation site posts and you'll understand why you should avoid those. Have you considered Accounting? Optometry? Vegetable cart sales?

Haha, I heard it's going to be a great year for optometry

Stay away from SLC. Not much there, and bad winters with not much flying. There's only 3 flight schools and a couple collegiate programs. None pay good or do much flying. Go where there are lots of schools. California, Arizona, Texas, Florida if you're looking for CFI jobs.

Yeah I was talking to Utah state a little bit and of course the job has "potential to make 40k/year and 80 hours a month"... just like every flight school ever

 

[Xcaliber]

Stay away from SLC. Not much there, and bad winters with not much flying. There's only 3 flight schools and a couple collegiate programs. None pay good or do much flying. Go where there are lots of schools. California, Arizona, Texas, Florida if you're looking for CFI jobs.

I'm not sure you should be so quick to pull the negative trigger on Utah like that. Utah State (LGU), Utah Valley (PVU), Westminster, and SLCCC (SLC) all have 141 programs. I don't know much about Westminster and SLCCC, but I've seen USU and UVU's programs and was impressed by both.

If you're more interested in Part 61, Leading Edge Aviation also has facilities in Logan, Brigham City, and South Valley (U42). I interviewed with them and was also impressed for a part 61 gig. I ended up not working there (got on with SkyWest instead), but they seemed like a great group to be with, and totally doable as a CFI. Last I talked to them, the lead CFI's name was Aryan (great guy), and I'd give you his number, but I actually just deleted it from my phone yesterday. That was dumb. Sorry.

I don't know anything about it, but I'm pretty sure there's a school in Heber (36U) too.

If you want to look outside of CFIing and you really want to move west, look into Aperture Aviation. They're in the bay area, though. I'm sure @Stomp16 could give you more insight.

@Bryant Leon , if you come out here, send me a pm, I'll take you to the super secret places you can actually get good alcohol

 

[flyingbum]

I'm not sure you should be so quick to pull the negative trigger on Utah like that. Utah State (LGU), Utah Valley (PVU), Westminster, and SLCCC (SLC) all have 141 programs. I don't know much about Westminster and SLCCC, but I've seen USU and UVU's programs and was impressed by both.

If you're more interested in Part 61, Leading Edge Aviation also has facilities in Logan, Brigham City, and South Valley (U42). I interviewed with them and was also impressed for a part 61 gig. I ended up not working there (got on with SkyWest instead), but they seemed like a great group to be with, and totally doable as a CFI. Last I talked to them, the lead CFI's name was Aryan (great guy), and I'd give you his number, but I actually just deleted it from my phone yesterday. That was dumb. Sorry.

I don't know anything about it, but I'm pretty sure there's a school in Heber (36U) too.

If you want to look outside of CFIing and you really want to move west, look into Aperture Aviation. They're in the bay area, though. I'm sure @Stomp16 could give you more insight.

@Bryant Leon , if you come out here, send me a pm, I'll take you to the super secret places you can actually get good alcohol

There are some great programs up there, I went to one of them. However, it's slow flying up there. I know guys at UVU that would fly a whole whopping 300-400 hours per year. I'm not to sure about Utah State, I've heard they have a good program. Lots of guys from UVU and Utah state moved away to instruct where I'm at now. Forget Westminster, they pay 8-10 dollars an hour last I heard. SLCC farms out there flying to Cornerstone, they just do the ground school and classes for a degree. Leading Edge at U42 would probably be the best option for Salt Lake. ATP also has a location at KOGD. The issue up there is limited flying and the winter inversion can sock you in for weeks. Dec. 2012 - Jan 2013 I flew about 12 hours in that two month span. SLC is a great place to live, but as for CFI jobs it's limited.

 

[Bryant Leon]

I'm not sure you should be so quick to pull the negative trigger on Utah like that. Utah State (LGU), Utah Valley (PVU), Westminster, and SLCCC (SLC) all have 141 programs. I don't know much about Westminster and SLCCC, but I've seen USU and UVU's programs and was impressed by both.

If you're more interested in Part 61, Leading Edge Aviation also has facilities in Logan, Brigham City, and South Valley (U42). I interviewed with them and was also impressed for a part 61 gig. I ended up not working there (got on with SkyWest instead), but they seemed like a great group to be with, and totally doable as a CFI. Last I talked to them, the lead CFI's name was Aryan (great guy), and I'd give you his number, but I actually just deleted it from my phone yesterday. That was dumb. Sorry.

I don't know anything about it, but I'm pretty sure there's a school in Heber (36U) too.

If you want to look outside of CFIing and you really want to move west, look into Aperture Aviation. They're in the bay area, though. I'm sure @Stomp16 could give you more insight.

@Bryant Leon , if you come out here, send me a pm, I'll take you to the super secret places you can actually get good alcohol

Yes I am sure the colleges have great programs, I just graduated from a four year university where I did all part 141 training. I instructed there for a year but pay was so low it's tough to try to make student loan payments. I heard about aerial graphics out there on another thread and that sounds like the exact kind of gig I'm looking for, but I need at least another 1000 hours. I haven't looked into aperture though. I know it sounds crazy but I have to find a way to at least make 40k with my current loans. I don't mind taking on a second job, but my experience with instructing usually entails 6 days a week with hours all over the place, Making it very difficult to schedule a second part time job.

 

[Xcaliber]

Well, then I think you're in for a world of hurt. $40k with 350 TT is going to be very hard to find anywhere, not just DEN or SLC. Not impossible, but I don't know of anything out here that will get you there, with the possible exception of working your tail off on a Part 61 gig. If you decide you really want to move here, you might have to take @Crop Duster's advice. Or put in for an income based repayment plan on your loans.

Sorry that I can't be of any more help than that

 

[bucksmith]

Well, then I think you're in for a world of hurt. $40k with 350 TT is going to be very hard to find anywhere, not just DEN or SLC. Not impossible, but I don't know of anything out here that will get you there, with the possible exception of working your tail off on a Part 61 gig. If you decide you really want to move here, you might have to take @Crop Duster's advice. Or put in for an income based repayment plan on your loans.

Sorry that I can't be of any more help than that

My best year as a cfi, I did $35k. (NOVA) That was before these flight schools were paying salary and benefits!
I'd betcha in a high dollar market you could pull in $40k working 6.5 days a week...