Old 02-07-2006, 02:47 PM
  #7  
WEACLRS
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: 737/FO
Posts: 423
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Originally Posted by rickair7777
My Standard Disclaimer: The proven, accepted, and most reliable means of getting into the aviation industry is to get all your ratings (including CFI, CFII, MEI) and teach until you can qualify for a cargo or regional job. The experience gainined on this route is applicable to all segments of aviation and all regional/commuter airlines. You will really learn the fundamentals by teaching them, meet all kinds of people (networking!), and develop your leadership and judgement in a real-world aviation environment...
I strongly agree with this. This method is time proven, the airlines understand it, and they know what type of candidate they will probably get.

You can save four months flight instruction or so (about 300 hours flight time) by doing the Airline Transition Course and CRJ type with Regional Airline Academy. The CRJ type is done at CAE in Denver through a contract with RAA. And don't think you can go direct to CAE. They will just send you to RAA. RAA has the sim time locked up. However, the Chief Pilot at CAE is a senior captain with AWAC, as is all of the sim instructors he uses. The type becomes a 4 week job interview. Do well and you are a very strong candidate for being hired. This is why so many RAA grads are going to AWAC.

But it will only save you four months or so and cost ???? thousands. Is that worth it? Maybe not. Most regionals will hire you with 1000/100. Being a CFI at a large academy will usually mean 70-90 flight hours per month (I averaged 92 hours for eight months).

Another cost savings is to get all your certificates and ratings at a small FBO, being very cost focused. You can then enter one of the large academies and just do your CFI, CFII, and MEI...or maybe just your CFII and MEI. The school will still probably give you preferred hiring as an instructor because you completed one of their programs.

Do your CFII and MEI together in a multi-engine airplane. When you complete your Comm/Multi you will need 15 hours PIC in the multi before you can get your MEI. While you're boring holes in the sky for it, do your CFII training in the multi. Cost:

Old method:
10 hours CFII training in single at $120/hr - $1200 (a/c and instructor)
10 hours time building in multi at $170/hr - $1700 (a/c and safety pilot)
5 hours MEI training in multi at $170/hr - $ 850 (a/c and instructor)
Total $3750
(plus exam fees, etc.)

Combined
10 hours CFII training in multi at $170 - $1700
5 hours MEI training in multi at $170 - $ 850
Total $2550
(As a comm/me pilot you are qual'd in cat and class and can log the time as PIC)

Do not believe the part 141 programs that promise your certs and ratings in 190 or 220 hours. Most pilots can't complete the programs in those times to the proficiency level required. So plan on 250 hours TT to your commercial. However, at about 225 hrs TT start your ME training. At 240 hrs TT go back to the single to sharpen your commercial skills and then take the comm checkride right at 250 or 251 hrs. Then go back to the multi for an hour or two and add the rating. Don't spend all 250 hours in the single, because a lot of the time is just wasted boring holes and building time.
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