Originally Posted by skyxbomb

Very good discussions going on here. 1500 hours is tough to gain from instructing. No doubt about it. I only have 900 dual given and I loved teaching, but being in the regional is 4x easier to rack up flight hours. So my condolences to the low hour cfis out there.

That being said, there was a period before the crazy regional hirings that the regionals wouldn't even look at you until you had 1500 hours. Very true, but during that period, it was a whole lot easier to find a cfi gig or part 135 gigs. Airnet for example let you ride sic in a baron and log 1200 hours until you can be the pic. So it's apples and oranges when you compare how it is now, compared to couple of years ago. The enrollment is at the lowest rate ever. All these mom and pops flight schools and small charters shut down completely. The ones that managed to stay open are quite selective or it's one of those "bring your own students" type of deal.

1500 hour rule will be great for the industry no doubt. Some of you that are such strong advocates forgot you had a wet commercial when you first got hired shouldn't look down at the current cfis or time builders. I had 600/250 back in early '08 and had offers from 3 regionals. Granted I was furloughed 2.5 years and went back to instructing, nowadays you're not even worth a rejection email with those times. I thought I was lucky but ended up paying my dues. It sucked... I would rather be on ready rsv everyday than to be a part time instructor flying 20-30 hours a month. I could've went to regional when I had 350 hours but didn't feel ready and wanted to teach a little more. One of them even offered 5k sign on bonus. Worse choice ever by staying few more months. Seniority is everything... But that's in hindsight.

So many ups and downs in this industry. Grab the opportunity when you can but try not to step on each other in the process. Learn to grind it out. Find a side gig. I learned to daytrade while I was furloughed. You think handling an engine out is scary? Try making or losing few thousand a day trading. Even now I try to fly the least as possible so I can daytrade to pay bills. Regional salary is a joke no doubt. But like many of you, I've invested a decade of my life and over 120k. I want some return on investment before I decide to bail out or stay.

Best wishes to all of us!! May there really be a shortage!!!! Regionals finally go away and we all get a seat in the majors making 6 figures working 10 days a month with 2 houses, 3 ex wives/husbands and 5 child aligmonies and can't retired until 67 because of these obligations.

iPhone. Go easy on me grammar and spelling nazis