Those who can do the rest flight instruct.

Flight instructing does nothing to prepare the instructor for a life as a transport category airline or jet charter pilot other than giving him something to write in his log book. In both the civilian and military world the instructor is the bottom rung of the pilot ladder. Instructors move on as soon as possible dropping their certifications as fast as they can.

As a flight instructor little can be gained from working with a pool of similarly low time instructors/pilots and students. True advances in knowledge and experience come from situations that offer more experienced peers and leadership.

Flight instructors become experts at part 16 and 91. Both of which have little value to the airlines or charter applications. They will have to relearn entirely new parts of the regulations, rules that often contradict what they so painstakingly learned prior.

Flight instructors sit idle helping students to develop skills during basic maneuvers while their own skills fade.

If offered a choice one should jump at an opportunity to go strait to an airline situation and will loose nothing by skipping the CFI scene altogether. If one really likes instructing and gets a personal ego boost by soaking up hero worship from neophytes then perhaps they should stay as an instructor. The evidence however is in, real pilots dump instructing as soon as possible or work diligently to skip the entire experience. Regional airlines hire a large amount CFI's because that is what is being offered. I guarantee however, that if two pilot of equal flight time and education were sitting in the interview room together, the one with real experience will get hired first.

Pilots fly, instructors teach. If your real desire is to get out there and fly then you will find a way.

Skyhigh