Considering FSI Academy

Ysifly · September 29th, 2002, 19:31

I am considering attending FSI in January for the CFI program. Does anyone have any pointers while visiting? How many CFI are in the current pool and how long are they looking at before their first student? For people that are going there or have gone would you do it again or is there somewhere better? I am a former Pan AM student and have heard so much bull I am not sure exactly who to believe. I learned more than how to fly at Pan AM. Please be honest Thank You for your time.

mfloyd · September 30th, 2002, 07:43

My FSA instructor is a former Pan Am instructor. Feel free to e me your address and I will forward it to him and maybe you two can talk.

Mark

Starsky · September 30th, 2002, 09:01

The CFI pool at FSI stands right now at about 50 or so. With hiring continuing at it's current rate, my projection is a six month wait. This is merely a guess. It could be much shorter or longer based on hiring. Now, you can instruct elsewhere while waiting, which is what I am doing, so I would plan on that.

The wait, I believe, is worth it. CFI's fininshing their 800 hour contract typically have 300-400 hours of that time as MultiEngine time. Plus, you can continue to instruct after your done with the contract if you need more hours - hence the waiting list.

The interview process to be a flight instructor is fair but competitive. If you work very hard, there is usually no problem getting hired, but there are no guarantees. The average is about 75% get hired. Still - pretty good odds.

If your doing the tour, make an effort to talk to some of the CFIs (blue shirts) and sample their opinions of the place.

Good luck.

kdwilkes · September 30th, 2002, 12:38

50 on the list? Mr. Wakefield told me 35 as of last week when he came and spoke to our Instrument class. I hope he wasn't trying to keep our hopes alive with false figures.....

John_Doe · September 30th, 2002, 15:06

This is how I figure the wait time.

They have been running a stand class every 6 weeks with 6-8 people in them. Let's say you are #46 right now. BEST CASE (barring some crazy influx of students) you will be in the sixth stand class from now. The next stand class is the end of Oct. If they run every 6 weeks (and they appear to be doing this only to keep potential CFI interest up or they are expecting a mass exodous. The instructor/student ration is still extremely low) you will wait 36 weeks or 9 months. If they take less than 8 people per class, or if they don't run a class due to the ip/sp ratio, the wait will be longer.

Good news, they may have to go through more than 8 names to get 8 people. Good luck to all in the waiting pool!

Ysifly · September 30th, 2002, 20:08

Kd do you have any idea how many they are taking each month off the list. Thanks

Ysifly · September 30th, 2002, 20:11

Starsky what was your overall opionion of how they operate? AN was it easy to find a job with FSI on your application

aviator · September 30th, 2002, 20:21

The last 3 months or so they took a very large bite out of the waiting list. Three new hire stand classes were started and they found out that inorder to get 8 instructors to fill each class they usually had to call about 15. I quess a lot of people moved on and found good jobs they didn't want to leave?
I don't know how long the list is now or what the expected wait time is but a FSI instructor position can really help to jump start an aviation career.

Starsky · September 30th, 2002, 20:32

I thought they were very fair about the interview process. Of course I can say that since I was hired. The interview was relatively relaxed, but you have to take it very seriously. The presentation was merely an extension of what you do during your CFI training. the Q&A at the end was pretty simple, but be prepared for the worst. Then the Frasca check ride was very straight forward. If you can fly a single engine ILS and enter a hold properly, the rest is frasca control.

As for the FlightSafety on my resume thing, I got lucky and found a job in Florida the same week I was set to interview. This particular school had hired FSI guys before, so I think it definitely helped.

I also had a few non Florida options coming together - all through contact made at FSI with schools that liked our grads.

This was merely my experience. Good luck.

aviator · October 1st, 2002, 09:50

The networking from FSI can be very helpfull. The school puts out a large number of commercial and CFI pilots so its hard to find any FBO/school that hasn't heard about FSI or at one time or another had a FSI grad working there. I know of quite a few people who have scored jobs just because X number of years ago a former FSI student worked there and it made their resume stand out.
I personally have passed off several ferry gigs to a guy who randomly sat next to me in commercial ground school two years ago.....

September 29th, 2002, 19:31	#1
Ysifly Newbie Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Arizona Posts: 23	Considering FSI Academy I am considering attending FSI in January for the CFI program. Does anyone have any pointers while visiting? How many CFI are in the current pool and how long are they looking at before their first student? For people that are going there or have gone would you do it again or is there somewhere better? I am a former Pan AM student and have heard so much bull I am not sure exactly who to believe. I learned more than how to fly at Pan AM. Please be honest Thank You for your time.

September 30th, 2002, 07:43	#2
mfloyd Junior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 50	Re: Considering FSI Academy My FSA instructor is a former Pan Am instructor. Feel free to e me your address and I will forward it to him and maybe you two can talk. Mark

September 30th, 2002, 09:01	#3
Starsky Newbie Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 15	Re: Considering FSI Academy The CFI pool at FSI stands right now at about 50 or so. With hiring continuing at it's current rate, my projection is a six month wait. This is merely a guess. It could be much shorter or longer based on hiring. Now, you can instruct elsewhere while waiting, which is what I am doing, so I would plan on that. The wait, I believe, is worth it. CFI's fininshing their 800 hour contract typically have 300-400 hours of that time as MultiEngine time. Plus, you can continue to instruct after your done with the contract if you need more hours - hence the waiting list. The interview process to be a flight instructor is fair but competitive. If you work very hard, there is usually no problem getting hired, but there are no guarantees. The average is about 75% get hired. Still - pretty good odds. If your doing the tour, make an effort to talk to some of the CFIs (blue shirts) and sample their opinions of the place. Good luck.

September 30th, 2002, 15:06	#5
John_Doe Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 41	Re: Considering FSI Academy This is how I figure the wait time. They have been running a stand class every 6 weeks with 6-8 people in them. Let's say you are #46 right now. BEST CASE (barring some crazy influx of students) you will be in the sixth stand class from now. The next stand class is the end of Oct. If they run every 6 weeks (and they appear to be doing this only to keep potential CFI interest up or they are expecting a mass exodous. The instructor/student ration is still extremely low) you will wait 36 weeks or 9 months. If they take less than 8 people per class, or if they don't run a class due to the ip/sp ratio, the wait will be longer. Good news, they may have to go through more than 8 names to get 8 people. Good luck to all in the waiting pool!

September 30th, 2002, 20:08	#6
Ysifly Newbie Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Arizona Posts: 23	Re: Considering FSI Academy Kd do you have any idea how many they are taking each month off the list. Thanks

September 30th, 2002, 12:38	#4
kdwilkes Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Vero Beach, FL Posts: 125	Re: Considering FSI Academy 50 on the list? Mr. Wakefield told me 35 as of last week when he came and spoke to our Instrument class. I hope he wasn't trying to keep our hopes alive with false figures.....

September 30th, 2002, 20:11	#7
Ysifly Newbie Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Arizona Posts: 23	Re: Considering FSI Academy Starsky what was your overall opionion of how they operate? AN was it easy to find a job with FSI on your application

September 30th, 2002, 20:21	#8
aviator Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 385	Re: Considering FSI Academy The last 3 months or so they took a very large bite out of the waiting list. Three new hire stand classes were started and they found out that inorder to get 8 instructors to fill each class they usually had to call about 15. I quess a lot of people moved on and found good jobs they didn't want to leave? I don't know how long the list is now or what the expected wait time is but a FSI instructor position can really help to jump start an aviation career.

September 30th, 2002, 20:32	#9
Starsky Newbie Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 15	Re: Considering FSI Academy I thought they were very fair about the interview process. Of course I can say that since I was hired. The interview was relatively relaxed, but you have to take it very seriously. The presentation was merely an extension of what you do during your CFI training. the Q&A at the end was pretty simple, but be prepared for the worst. Then the Frasca check ride was very straight forward. If you can fly a single engine ILS and enter a hold properly, the rest is frasca control. As for the FlightSafety on my resume thing, I got lucky and found a job in Florida the same week I was set to interview. This particular school had hired FSI guys before, so I think it definitely helped. I also had a few non Florida options coming together - all through contact made at FSI with schools that liked our grads. This was merely my experience. Good luck.

October 1st, 2002, 09:50	#10
aviator Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 385	Re: Considering FSI Academy The networking from FSI can be very helpfull. The school puts out a large number of commercial and CFI pilots so its hard to find any FBO/school that hasn't heard about FSI or at one time or another had a FSI grad working there. I know of quite a few people who have scored jobs just because X number of years ago a former FSI student worked there and it made their resume stand out. I personally have passed off several ferry gigs to a guy who randomly sat next to me in commercial ground school two years ago.....

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