Florida Flight Instructors, info needed!

[bobbysamd]

MCO FSDO

I agree with the above. That FSDO has to be one of the worst in the country! It threatened to 609 me when all I did was walk in to renew my CFI.

I appreciate Jmac's comments about Riddle. They seem consistent with my Prescott experiences years ago. We didn't have a 401-K, though. Bet a couple of my Riddle Seminoles are there!

 

[bobbysamd]

Vero

I lived a block from the beach when I lived in Vero, which was alright. Thank G-d, they got rid of the drawbridge!

Vero has some of the best Italian I've ever eaten, and great barbecue at Fat Boy's on south U.S. 1.

On far more important matters, flighttrainer is right on about the multi opportunities at FSI.

 

[FLYnMONKEYS]

Timebuilder, it looks to me (according to your profile) like you are getting close to 135 IFR mins. Why don't you stay where you are get a little more time, and then go do some 135 flying. I assume you "waiting for the call" means a call from the airlines. Go fly checks or cargo and build that multi. By the time you hit 1500 hours you will be very marketable to the top tier regionals. I believe that it will take many years before most guys/gals at regionals get a shot a the Majors (with regard to current furloughs), so pick your regional well. ACA is hiring, along with some of the DAL connection carriers.....those would be top tier regionals. What ever you decide to do, best of luck.

 

[Timebuilder]

I've been looking. Anyone with recommends and hiring leads? That WOULD be my first choice. Going to FL is a fallback position.

At this point, "staying where I am" means here in front of the computer. That's part of the problem.

 

[172driver]

I have been at Comair Academy for about 18 months as a student and CFI. The system DOES work.
Everybody who hangs in there through all of the ratings and gets their 1000 TT and 100 ME as an instructor gets their interview. Almost all of those get hired. Maybe closer to 80% than 97% since 9/11, but that's still a better deal than you'll get elsewhere. Those who don't immediately get on with Comair find jobs at other regionals shortly thereafter. Try even getting in the door with 1000/100 from an FBO. Furthermore, try getting the 100 hrs of precious twin time anywhere outside a 141 school...good luck if you're not able to buy it.
The tough part is completing the program. A lot of people don't have what it takes...and I'm talking motivation far more than intellect. This goes for 141 schools in general! You must immerse yourself in aviation, not just show up and fly. You will attend groundschool three hrs a day, fly twice, and be held to extremely high standards both knowledge wise and in the airplane. Not a whole lot of time left for drinking, partying, going to the beach, etc. These are the people who don't make it.
The school provides what they promise...the ratings, the time, the interview, and a very good shot at the airline job...even post 9/11. They still have what most schools don't...airline owned, and, more importantly, an airline that's hiring.

 

[wingnutt]

well, i know some of you dont like to hear this...but if its ME time you're shooting for, and you want a decent chance at the airlines, Aviator in Ft. Pierce is the way to go.

it may not be the prettiest place to go, nor the best paid ($10/hr...hobbs time only), but all of their guys move on to the airlines because when they leave, the norm is 900-1000TT with 7-800 multi. tell me where else you can get that? Eagle, CoEx, ACA, etc. are picking them up as fast as they can get the hours.

they used to not hire outside of their program for CFI's, but as of late hes been picking up a boatload of Comair/PanAm guys because of the afore mentioned gripes with their respective schools.

 

[Ned]

What about ATP

Lots of good info on the options in florida in this post. Anybody instructed at ATP in Jax or pensacola? Seems like you could get your multi time pretty quickly teaching there....

 

[flyboy]

ATP

I don't think that ATP hires too many guys who didn't go through their program. That's just what I've heard.

 

[172driver]

Same story w/ Comair and ERAU...no job unless you went through the program. Florida seems a little saturated with CFI's right now but I'm sure it'll clear up soon.

 

[jaybird]

"Same story w/ Comair and ERAU...no job unless you went through the program. Florida seems a little saturated with CFI's right now but I'm sure it'll clear up soon."

172 you are so wrong. We took more than a few of your (Comair) guys, who BTW are great guys. They had nothing good to say about the Comair program. They said the pay sucked and the aircraft were crappy. They did say there was a quick upgrade into the twin, and that still remains true I guess. This was just what they said, I've never been to Comair before so I don't know. I did hear one of your instructors on your ops. frequency say that he had a gear problem. He sounded like he was very upset. Maintenance told him to check the Nav lights and that was the problem. I thought that was funny.

When times were good, ERAU would hire lots of people from off the street. Now it's just hard to find a job anywhere around here.