Need my CFI?

[Groundpounder]

I am taking my ME commercial ride this week, and I am looking to see what my next step will be. First off, let me say that I want to fly for a living. I had an oppertunity to get a non-flying aviation job, but it fell through, so now I need to get my butt in gear and figure out what I want to do. I am thinking of getting my CFI, but I really do not want to instruct, and I am not sure I'd have the money to get it right now. Yeah yeah, I know I am going to get flamed for saying I need to pay my dues and CFI, but I don't think it is fair for a student to fly with someone who really doesn't want to be there, and will take off as soon as they have enough hours to get a different job. I'm just wondering if I even have a choice to start flying besides being a CFI. I'm not going to buy myself a job, and I don't have the money for that anyway. I have a bunch of contacts in the local area with my line service job, but they all want more hours than I have now. So, what can I do? Do I have any choices besides getting my CFI? I have about 330 hours total time, 20 hours of multi. I'm in a flying club with a 172, and can fly it pretty cheap, so I could just take a loan out and fly that thing around to get my total time up, but I could only get about 30 hours or so with my current money status. I'm willing to move, and I can live for cheap if I need to.

(See also my thread about moving to Florida)

 

[nosehair]

Yeah yeah, I know I am going to get flamed for saying I need to pay my dues and CFI, but I don't think it is fair for a student to fly with someone who really doesn't want to be there, and will take off as soon as they have enough hours to get a different job.

My hat's off to you for having that consideration. These boards are so full of everyone telling you, "Ya gotta pay yer dues". "You learn so much more by being a CFI."...and so on...
Yes it's true that you would benefit from being a CFI, but the truth is, that we are living in a completely f*k'ed-up system of letting young inexperienced brand-new pilots turn around and teach. Sometimes it's ok, and if you really like it, you can learn to be good at it, but when you don't like it, you are most likely to let the student pass on by with only minimum effort at gettin' him/her through the checkride - which is only a small part of LEARNING TO FLY.
The critical part - judgement and consistant, daily decision making, cannot be tested. Only rote, mechanical knowledge and skill can be tested. That does not make a pilot. It give a person the tools to become a pilot, but the instructor's daily observation and training is what most influences a student's learning process.
Don't do it if you don't want to do it. I'm all for quitting the constant encouragement of "everyone becoming a CFI". Truth is, it's not for everybody.
I could never sit in a long aluminum tube for hours on end gazing glassily at an instrument panel like those airline guys - I couldn't.

 

[flyer172r]

If you don't want to instruct, then don't. If a student is going to shell out the thousands of dollars it takes to learn to fly, they deserve to have an instructor who is going to make sure they get the most out of their training. If the instructor doesn't want to instruct, then that's not going to happen. If you can get a non-flying job, that should help you meet people who can help you go further.

 

[Sticky]

Guys-

I really hope you don't think the only commercial flying jobs for low time pilots is CFIing and bannor towing. If so, open your eyes. There is a world of aviation out there other then those two. Airplanes have many uses. Go find some.

 

[Groundpounder]

I know there are lots of other things out there, such as driving a jump plane, fish spotting, traffic spotting, and so on. But there isn't much in this area. How do I get a job doing the stuff above? I'd love to just stuff my clothes in the back of my car and drive around till I find something like I've heard people doing in the past, but would that still work?

 

[Goose Egg]

...but when you don't like it, you are most likely to let the student pass on by with only minimum effort at gettin' him/her through the checkride...

Perhaps if you paid instructors more than $10 per hour, you'd get better effort out of them.

...but the instructor's daily observation and training is what most influences a student's learning process.

Funny how you expect to get higher order thinking with grunt wages.

I could never sit in a long aluminum tube for hours on end gazing glassily at an instrument panel like those airline guys - I couldn't.

Fine. More for the rest of us.

 

[Citationkid]

What do you suggest?

http://flightinfo.com/buildtime.htm

There is more to this site then the forum. If you're willing to move you shouldn't have a problem finding a job flying for a radio station. The only problem is a lot of them have contracts with flight schools (atleast the ones around here).

 

[rubberducky]

I am thinking of getting my CFI, but I really do not want to instruct
(See also my thread about moving to Florida)

How do you know that you really don't want to instruct? I felt the same way and I ended up loving instructing. The best advice, earn the CFI, try it out and then make a decision. Don't let other people's opinions sway you.

 

[navigator72]

My $.02

As someone who has over 1700 hours and no CFI, I will be the first to tell you that there are other options available. I got my first job at 300 hours flying jumpers. I logged a few hundred hours and a heck of a goodtime. I also flew scenic tours and fire patrol for 3 summers. If you don't feel right becoming a CFI by all means don't do it.... The world is full of enough CFI's that don't want to teach.

 

[groundpointsix]

I'd love to just stuff my clothes in the back of my car and drive around till I find something like I've heard people doing in the past, but would that still work?

YES. My times are probably fairly similar to yours (though I do have a CFI certificate as well). Just two weeks ago I dropped my resume off at 3 different skydive locations and was offered a job at one of them. I had to turn the job down, but at least the offer was on the table. The worst they can say is no, so if you have the means to drive around for a couple of days/weeks/months and drop off resumes, do it.

 

[BD King]

Current Position: flight instructor

??

What are the alternatives?

Listen up guys. You are missing the boat. First of all, if you want to learn something, teach it. In this case teaching flying will sharpen you beyond belief, however, you must be sincere. If you want to be sharp on instruments, teach it and teach it in the clouds. Multi-engine, same thing...........Now listen up. The CFI wages suck, and suck big time. BUT somewhere along the line, you WILL have students who will want their own airplanes. Get yourself in bed with a broker who you can trust. Do not settle for a silly finder's fee, but split commissions. You may sell a 172 here and a Warrior there, and bingo, you will move a twin to a company owner, and guess who will be its pilot? EVERY student is a potential aircraft owner................As for me? It went all the way to a King Air.

Educate yourself, be proficient,treat the customer right, and you will succeed.

.............................................................................................................
Motor quit. Had to land. Hit cow. Cow died. Scared me. Dean Smith "By The Seat Of My Pants"

 

[labbats]

I'll chip in my two cents on instructing. (clap, clap)

It's a tough job, sometimes rewarding, and I still regularly find myself saying "I didn't know that". I don't know that you could say that with flying jumpers or traffic watch. On the other hand, the paperwork, headaches, downtime and paycheck make it a crunch.

The next issue is getting that first traffic watch, fire patrol, or jumper job. You'll find most want at least 500+ hours to start. Another downside is that you are building zero instrument skills that are required for your next career move. Get your CFII and eat ramen if you need to, if you can get around it, kudos to you. Lord knows I tried my best to. But in hindsight, teaching people to fly multi and instrument honed my own skills by just watching the action happen without concentrating on controlling the airplane.
There's just too many people wanting to do whatever it takes to move ahead in this industry. I could see myself making this exact post a year and a half ago. I wish you all the best with whatever happens for you.

 

[FracCapt]

It's a tough job, sometimes rewarding, and I still regularly find myself saying "I didn't know that".

When I was instructing full time, I remember thinking things like...."I didn't know this airplane would do that"(usually in a bad way)....or..."Holy crap! I never expected a student to do something THAT stupid!"

I don't know that you could say that with flying jumpers or traffic watch.

Flying jumpers you would often find yourself saying...."Crazy SOB's"...at first...then they wouldn't seem crazy after awhile...then you'd find youself saying..."I can't believe that bastard did that to me!"(such as the age old, stupidd a$$ tradition some of the old timers think is cool....on a single engine airplane, they will turn the mags off and take the keys with them when they exit. Luckily, I knew about it before I ever flew jumpers....so I had a spare set of keys(2 sets, actually) in my pocket..