Trying to "Think out of the box"
I’m trying to “think out of the box” here, but need some information from inside the industry. I’m too old (41) and too used to my six figure salary to consider a mid-life crisis, career change to poverty, pay to play, whatever. But I think I have a unique situation, and just want to fuel my passion for flying while still working toward retiring at/around 55. And I’m too fiscally conservative (call it cheap if you want) to hand over huge chunks of money to anyone to add to my certificates/ratings. But I am intrigued with this situation that is developing: Shortage of CFI’s, Hiring blitz in regionals, etc. And that has me thinking: how do I capitalize on this. Back when I was Jr. Flyboy with stars in his eyes (early 90s), the Air Force in their infinite wisdom let me fly around their T-37s and T-38s such that I accumulated about 300 hours of turbine time. Then I was allowed to leave! I spent the next 10-12 years in a pretty lucrative IT career, of which I still participate. So here’s the rub: I have some 700+ hours, Commercial ASEL, AMEL, and Instrument. And- I live right in what may be considered the Mecca of flight training- Central Florida. I am the boss at work, so I make pretty much make my own hours, and our company is a firm believer in telecommute. I have already spent many hours in the pilot lounge doing conference calls, being online, and then when I’m done- walk out the door and go flying. In addition, my work takes me around the state of Florida and General Aviation has proven a pretty good way to get around, and get reimbursed for it! What I want to do is this- tap into all this flying activity around me, and unlike some, instructing actually sounds like fun to me. I don’t want to shell out a bunch of cash (if any) to get the CFI and CFII, and I would want to do it efficiently (141 maybe?)- and I don’t want to be buying my way into a track to the regionals. Anybody have any input/suggestions?