Originally Posted by
Ultralight
Very true, but when you consider some people (or some people's parents) are actually paying to sit in the right seat of a turbo prop, $16 an hour in the green looks like a better option.
With the new rules in place, new pilots need to find a way to build 1,500 hours. If you went to Lakes you wouldn't even have to get your CFI's saving a nice chunk of change.
If I were to start over again I would be tempted to skip the CFI ratings, go to Lakes until I have the time to apply to Ameriflight, get some turbine PIC and a semi respectable paycheck over there, and then put my resume out on airline apps.
I hope the feds reject it too, but if it gets approved it certainly gives a newly minted Commercial a pilot a different option to think about.
With that said, I only spent a few thousand or so if I remember right on my CFI and CFII years ago, so it's not like you saving all that much in the scheme of things. And if in fact you do bypass your CFI for a place like Great Lakes, you can't even come close to supporting yourself on $16.24...your gross on 75 hours is only $1218 plus say you are away from base getting per diem for 300 hours, that's another $405. Assuming you keep all $405 by packing food your take home is still $1623. Take away taxes and/or medical benefits, good luck getting an apartment, eating, and paying electric let alone paying back any student loans.
You can do much better for yourself by still getting the CFI making at a minimum $25/hour and not getting abused nearly as much by scheduling at a place like Great Lakes.
I'm not arguing with your point or opinion but what they're doing at Great Lakes is a total scam.