mistake made?

[gomntwins]

A made a move as a flight instructor this last week. I gave up my normal flight instructor position (stay as long as you want, move on when you want) and took a 1 year contract salaried flight instructor position (work a year or pay for your training). The pay is great (better than any regional), and I wasn't happy where I was... but I'm not sure if I made the right decision. I was fine until I met up with a friend of mine who just got hired by a regional (my goal as well), and talking with him made me start second guessing my decision. If I was a 450 hour pilot i wouldn't be kicking this around in my head too much... but I'm a 700 hour CFI with 200 multi... realistically within a regional career in less than a year. Any opinions? Thanks!

[Kingairer]

I cant imagine the expense that it cost to train a CFI would be very much. If it comes down to a job you really wont or paying $1000 early out, then so be it.

[250blue]

What airport are you out of in AZ?

[ryanmickG]

no call, no show

[kellwolf]

700 TT with 200 ME? I think I woulda stuck it out or tried to find another school. Worse case scenario 500 more hours and you've got 135 mins. Ask wheelsup about signing year contracts. He probably coulda already been at XJT by now if he wasn't locked in at MAPD.

[braidkid]

You know, the BIGGEST problem people have in their pursuit of a professional pilot career is that they are way too much in a hurry. SLOW DOWN. Don't burn yourself out. So what if you have to instruct for another year. Use your time there to your advantage. Learn something everyday.

Believe me, once you step foot in that RJ and "program" your way to your destination and face the pressures of being on time and have to listen to bitchin passengers you'll be wishing you were in a Cessna with an eager student.

Smell the roses now and stop the mindset of "when I get here, things will be better" because the grass is always greener.

[wheelsup]

As kell mentioned, I was in your position about 6 months ago, except I had 915 TT (500+ dual) and about 80 multi.

I made a move to NM to work at a school for another year in Bonanzas and Barons. FYI, I had to sign a $5000 promisary (sp?) note that after 6 months goes down by $833/month. It's not so much a "training contract" but a way for the school to COUNT on us being there. I'm not sure what you're looking at but I think Airnet's was like $6000, so ours is pretty high for them to not have to put much $$ into us (it's not like we're attending ground school or flying a turbine a/c for training).

You have to weigh your options. I was at a place that neither I or many other instructors got much MEI time. So I was already planning on flying freight another year or so after hitting the 1200, which at the current time was going to be another 4-5 months or so by my calculations (setup due to those pesky hurricanes!).

So, instead of working for another 4-5 months as a starving CFI, then flying freight for another year, I chose to come out here to get that multi time and save some $$ (I grossed $800+ last week alone, what I'd do in a month at my old school) and in a year be done with it.

So far I'm 7 months in and looking forward to getting out lol. With your 200 multi, you were in a much better position than I was and had more options. My dream is CHQ, and I have already surpassed their minimums and am getting closer to the 170 mins everyday. My employer will help pay for my ATP ride (except the DE fee) and give me some PIC time in the baron to get ready for it, and I hope to have that out of the way by the time my year is up. I'm also planning on getting LASIK done, etc. etc. Basically I'm using this time to play "catch-up" with the rest of my life.

To the poster that said "slow down". Hmm. I did my four-year degree in 2 years, 10 months, while working part time and obtaining my instrument-CFII. I worked two jobs in high school to help pay for my private. "Slowing Down" isn't in my vocabulary . I'll "slow down" when I reach the cockpit of the airline of my choice. Until then, it's "balls to the wall" so to speak to get there. I've enjoyed the fun of instructing, heck I even ferried a baron to Denver today, but I'm looking forward to stepping into a jet. Call me "starry-eyed", pilot-wage-killing, etc. etc., but it's a goal I set for myself when I started down this long road...

~wheelsup

EDIT: Also, you have no idea where the industry is going to be in a year. US Air and/or United could flop, leaving thousands of highly qualified pilots on the street looking for jobs and the regionals furlouging. Try not to second guess your decision it will only make the year unbearable. Enjoy it for what it is, SAVE SOME MONEY, and never stop "making moves" and networking for jobs!

[Dazzler]

[ QUOTE ]
You know, the BIGGEST problem people have in their pursuit of a professional pilot career is that they are way too much in a hurry. SLOW DOWN.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah but slowing down goes against the recommendations of the Tarver report

[ryanmickG]

[ QUOTE ]
You know, the BIGGEST problem people have in their pursuit of a professional pilot career is that they are way too much in a hurry. SLOW DOWN. Don't burn yourself out. So what if you have to instruct for another year. Use your time there to your advantage. Learn something everyday.

Believe me, once you step foot in that RJ and "program" your way to your destination and face the pressures of being on time and have to listen to bitchin passengers you'll be wishing you were in a Cessna with an eager student.

Smell the roses now and stop the mindset of "when I get here, things will be better" because the grass is always greener.

[/ QUOTE ]


It seems like all low time CFI's have their career path set for their whole life they seem to think the longer they are insructing that is going to be that much longer their not a 777 check airman for a legacy airline.

Just enjoy instucting for another year and maybe get your ATP while your at it, then you can have a little more edge on all the other swingin d!cks applying to be a switch [censored].