Skyhigh,

We've debated on a number of threads here, and I respect your take. One of the things that you'll notice, especially in the "looking to start training" threads is that I am one to say weigh as many options as possible and choose the right course for you. Don't go where the shiny ads say you should go, go where you should go.

Luckily, I've had a lot of objective advice from people that did this before me. I have worked at an FBO for the past four years (still do part time) for the networking. More often than not crews would be more than happy to share advice and experience with me while waiting for passengers or driving them to the hotel. I've taken almost all of that to heart, and try to be as calculating as possible. Plenty of friends in my graduating class are in the situation you have described. In that respect, I'm very lucky and realize it. I've worked two and three jobs to finance this trip. I've done quite a bit of carpentry, stage managed a promotional tour, and had lots of other odd jobs to pay the bills. I'm not trying to brag on myself, but with my upbringing hard work and sacrifice are really nothing new for me so I take it in stride.

The owners of my flight school pay well (it doesn't hurt that St. Louis has one of the lowest costs of living in the country), and make it a point to spread the wealth. Whoever needs students gets them as they walk in the door. We don't compete with each other, in fact it's quite the opposite. I've been flying with a number of other instructors' students on cross countries and local night flights because their schedules have been booked up. The owners know that this is a temporary stop for most of us, they just ask that we do the best we can while we're here. I think that's a pretty fair trade.

The current hiring rush in the regionals should be helping this situation out too. While I did my CFI at the flight school I'm at now, I still sent lots of resumes out to a number of places throughout the country. Again, I got the best offer from where I am, I knew what I was getting into and also realized that moving is too expensive at this point. While there are other options out there, right now about the only viable one is the military. The feds don't regulate this industry, insurance does. If you're low time and don't have incredible connections, forget about doing anything but instructing. Even with the connections I mentioned, I was looking at at least another 700 hours before I could fly that 414. People who don't like the sight of blood usually don't become surgeons. That being said, I knew it was important to know what I was getting myself into and treat it like it's the last stop while I'm here.

None of us can know what the future will bring and there are two good lessons I learned very early in life. The first is that we can't predict the future. Second, make the best of the current situation, because we can't predict the future. You're very right, instructing (like the military, or any other route) isn't right for everybody, I'm finding that I like it. If you don't want to do it, don't do it.