Hiring Mins for CFIs

[Cutlass1287]

What are some typical hiring minimums for post college, young CFIs(people who have the CFI, but are looking for their first instructing job) ? Im talking someone who is fresh out of a 4 year aviation university, with ratings through CFII/MEI.

 

[jaxpilot]

300/350TT is probably the low end of the spectrum. Most probably higher for insurance reasons. I got my first job at 250 though but you may have to relocate.

 

[mattpilot]

Minimums.. for CFI? I didn't realize schools set out minimums for a below minimum wage job



Usually you shouldn't have a problem getting hired by the school you where trained at. I do know a lot of schools post minimums, but most often waive them if they can't find someone "more qualified". My Helo-CFI got hired with about 200 hours.

 

[jaxpilot]

its the insurance company that usually sets the mins.

 

[BRIGADEAVIATOR]

At my job (local FBO) if you get your CFI there you get hired the day after your checkride (successful), provided there is an opening for one. No sense in having 30 CFI's witha fleet of 10 planes lol They figure if you get it with them you are already familiar with their training system.

 

[Goose Egg]

250 and a pulse (as faint as it may be.)

-Goose

 

[hindsight2020]

Yeah I'm trying to figure out my options regarding CFI employment once I get done with training. They're about kicking me out of school, they finally caught up with why a guy making 3.6GPA for a Masters degree in AE is taking 3 years to complete 10 classes LOL ...they thought I actually wanted to learn something?!?! LOL..the students love me just because I speak english LOL, my boss hates me, I hate my boss and school, I knew it was gonna happen

Talking about hiring mins, I was gung-ho about applying to universities (including the one I dwell in currently) until I found out the only way I could get hired fresh-out would be if I'm one of their in-house bitc- I mean boys, otherwise it's 200 dual CFII just to get the time of day, so much for that, just ridiculous. I thought maybe having a masters degree might mitigate some of that but apparently not....haven't applied in all fairness....but it doesn't look promising.

How do you guys do it? I'd love to relocate but 800-1000/mo is just insane to justify relocation, unless I live at my parents of course (yeah that way ANYBODY can have $800 for a monthly budget..50% housing cost is no cake). I've done the math, it doesn't add up, part-time sure, full time forget it. *slappin' myself repeatedly in the face with a leafy tree branch*

 

[Cutlass1287]

So do you usually need your CFII to get hired? MEI? Certain amount of multi time or instrument time? How difficult is it to get a CFI job?

 

[BoilerUP]

My university wants 100 dual given and CFII to be hired full-time. Only full-time CFIs get to instruct Instrument & Commercial students in the Arrows. "Upgrade" to MEI is forever (3+ years), as most of the multi students are taught by professors who want to "keep current".

 

[RichardRambone]

Ive never heard of mins for CFI hiring. I say find a good ferry job youll be much happier and then instruct when needed.

 

[Foxcow]

I got hired at about 300. I think the insurance barely hired me. I wish I could find a good ferry job where I am in addition to instruction.

 

[Prof. ATP]

What are some typical hiring minimums for post college, young CFIs(people who have the CFI, but are looking for their first instructing job) ? Im talking someone who is fresh out of a 4 year aviation university, with ratings through CFII/MEI.

As Chief Instructor, dual given tells me more than total time. I'll hire an ink-wet CFI with 0 dual given, as long as he/she got one or more ratings with us. Any other resume with 0 dual given goes to the bottom of the pile. Some of the aviation university graduates fit this description.

We like to develop pilots for the long term, including CFIs. Five of our eight turbine pilots (all PIC qualified) got one or more ratings with us, including a few who started at flight lesson one. We know that a brand new CFI still has a lot to learn (in fact, an old hand CFI has a lot to learn: both of my students today taught me something new), so we have regular workshops and meetings to help everyone along.

 

[chriskcmo]

I was a 141 Check Instructor at a University in the Midwest. We didn't have hiring minimums, other than having a CFI and a 2nd class medical. We did have minimums built into the TCO to teach various courses (CFII and 100 dual given to teach instrument students, for example). To teach multi engine students, we wanted at least a year of instructing, 800 dual given was preferred, and 50 multi.

 

[hindsight2020]

see I agree with chriskcmo on that one. I think that's an extremely reasonable AND rewarding policy. I think that enables you to get a foot in the door and establish a reputation while at the same time getting a positive move on your flight experience. Not like most universities where it's "you didn't train here?!?! weeaallll go find 100 dual CFII out of a hat and then talk to us", that's just discouraging; it's somewhat fair though, I didn't pay 90K for my ratings TC

I understand advanced training mins and such, but frankly I think it's ridiculous that one has to hamster-wheel it (you know, can't get a job cause don't have experience, can't get experience or buy it cause don't have any money, don't have any money cause don't have a job, can't get a job cause^^^) before a below minimum wage job gives you the time of day..I know I know, we did that to ourselvses...d@mn it I dropped the soap

Hey chriskcmo, is that still the current policy at your old outfit or have things taken a turn towards the more common university hiring schenanigans?

 

[chriskcmo]

Hey chriskcmo, is that still the current policy at your old outfit or have things taken a turn towards the more common university hiring schenanigans?

As far as I know, its still that way. I know that the Department Chair had talked about making it a requirement to go through our CFI program to be hired, but he's no longer the Chair. So I don't know what will happen. From what I could figure out, the Chief Instructor was against it. I taught at Central Missouri State University. They usually hire half a dozen or so CFI's in August, so send them your resume and a cover letter.

 

[check6]

250 and a pulse (as faint as it may be.)

-Goose

How about just a pulse. If most flight school's insurance requires just a private pilot license to fly a 172, then why would there be minimums for a CFI.