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Looking4Lower · September 14th, 2004, 19:17

Here's a few thoughts from a non-CFI former banner-tower/aerial photography/freight guy.

First off, I think there's a key difference between instructing and towing/traffic/photography type jobs. As a CFI/II, you (presumably) must constantly set the example for your students and in doing so, you would probably err on the side of conservatism when it comes to your flying. Exemplary compliance with rules and regs, good conservative weather and mx judgments, etc. etc. To do anything less is a disservice to your students and it generates unsafe pilots.

But consider a job where the priorities are different. You are the lone PIC of an airplane that must generate $$$ for the boss or ELSE (i.e. towing/traffic/photography or whatever). The emphsis now shifts from "setting the example" to "must fly today or ELSE," often in the face of weather or mx questions and various other pressures from the boss. How do your flying habits change when nobody is observing you?

I won't pretend to know what it's like to be a CFI, but I can speak for doing other flying jobs as a pilot with what I think is a good sense of safety and sound judgment. These jobs will certainly test your JUDGMENT as an aviator. They will test your INTEGRITY. They will force you to go face-to-face with the boss, if you have the guts to stand for yourself. They will prepare you for similar situations encountered in more advanced flying jobs where the stakes are higher.

It's not all buzzing around and filling out the logbook - there's another side to the whole thing. For ME, the toughest thing about the aviation industry hasn't been flying to PTS standards or shooting an ILS to minimums or things of that sort - it's having my judgment and integrity tested and stressed, sometimes to the breaking point. I never realized that when I was getting my ratings and looking forward to "commercial flying."

Again, just a few thoughts from one guy's experiences.

Ironically, since I have gained a fair amount of flying experience, I have been kicking around the idea of getting my CFI. I feel seasoned enough where I would enjoy passing on some knowledge and experience.

September 14th, 2004, 19:17	#31
Looking4Lower Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On your TCAS Posts: 539	Re: For those lookin for snakeoil Here's a few thoughts from a non-CFI former banner-tower/aerial photography/freight guy. First off, I think there's a key difference between instructing and towing/traffic/photography type jobs. As a CFI/II, you (presumably) must constantly set the example for your students and in doing so, you would probably err on the side of conservatism when it comes to your flying. Exemplary compliance with rules and regs, good conservative weather and mx judgments, etc. etc. To do anything less is a disservice to your students and it generates unsafe pilots. But consider a job where the priorities are different. You are the lone PIC of an airplane that must generate $$$ for the boss or ELSE (i.e. towing/traffic/photography or whatever). The emphsis now shifts from "setting the example" to "must fly today or ELSE," often in the face of weather or mx questions and various other pressures from the boss. How do your flying habits change when nobody is observing you? I won't pretend to know what it's like to be a CFI, but I can speak for doing other flying jobs as a pilot with what I think is a good sense of safety and sound judgment. These jobs will certainly test your JUDGMENT as an aviator. They will test your INTEGRITY. They will force you to go face-to-face with the boss, if you have the guts to stand for yourself. They will prepare you for similar situations encountered in more advanced flying jobs where the stakes are higher. It's not all buzzing around and filling out the logbook - there's another side to the whole thing. For ME, the toughest thing about the aviation industry hasn't been flying to PTS standards or shooting an ILS to minimums or things of that sort - it's having my judgment and integrity tested and stressed, sometimes to the breaking point. I never realized that when I was getting my ratings and looking forward to "commercial flying." Again, just a few thoughts from one guy's experiences. Ironically, since I have gained a fair amount of flying experience, I have been kicking around the idea of getting my CFI. I feel seasoned enough where I would enjoy passing on some knowledge and experience.