EagleEyeAngel (a lot of this is not to you personally, I just ended up ranting. I can't find a good place to seperate from you and the others),
I appreciate your enthusiasm. I really do! It's good to be able to take a step back and here some refreshing comments on these posts. They have the tendancy to suck me into the banwagon - not pointing my finger!
I have obtained INCREDIBLE experience being a CFII/MEI for my flight school. Unlike most CFI's out there, though, I am making a decent living at it. It's sad to see so many people thinking that just because they are CFI's means they must be walked on and underpaid. I suppose that's why I have waited to go to the airlines (and because I have local job offers that are offering about 260% or so more than regional pay). I simply cannot afford to work so hard and get paid peanuts as you guys put it. I wish I could!!!! I want to fly the "big stuff" - to me it's big anyways! I am sure some of you guys have seen my ad's on ebay, etc about ME programs and you wonder "Why is this guy charging people 350/day?!? Is he nuts?!?" The answer to your question: No, in actuality you must be nuts!
I have spent a lot of money on my certificates, etc, so I will be paid, just like that electrical contractor next door to me. My risk of death, injury from students, etc has GOT to be at least 500% higher than that electrician's worst fears!
I have been busier than I could have ever dreampt of (which is what I need to get out of here ASAP), but it has also created an abundance of profit as well. I cannot WAIT to fly corporate, or regional, whichever happens first. But I am not going to beat down their doors to get paid less than what I make per day and fly 50X larger aircraft for longer hours.
I'm not harping! Just want to give you guys a dream, and IT CAN BE ACHIEVED. I have my entire loan paid for in less than a year for my flight training... an Aztec that isn't so hot, but it's 1/5 mine, paid for. I know this might not sound like much to you guys, but I have found my niche which I kicked and screamed going into (because I knew I could have done a direct track program). And now I would not have given it up for, "that's right, ALLLLLL the tea!"
Can anyone please tell me to shut up if being a CFI is not a great gig if you can find the right place to do it? I have found that where employees are paid great waiges they provide great services to their employers which leads to greater success. I have also watched it become true with my very own training packages (i'm NOT selling something here, except an idea that we are all worth a little more than 18/hour).
I also want to note that I am not trying to complain anymore, so I appreciate all of your advise and patients (I think I spelled the kind that go to doctors' offices, it's late). I'm living the dream right now - and I haven't even flown 4.0 hours of turbine yet. How is it so? I value my time, and so should you. I'm am exception to a lot of rules... but WHY IS THAT? The question "What am I supposed to do? WAIT?" MUST have an answer, and if your answer is "Get hired, walked on, poor paychecks, long hours, etc, then go to a larger airline" then that is your porogative (SP?). I respect you GREATLY, so don't think I am downing you. I COULD not survive in that environment. But if you value your experience/time then charge for it. If you do not have the TT/ME then charge a little more than average. Once you notice that only people with a REAL agenda want to fly with you because they know a higher paid CFI will give higher VALUE flight training, then you can raise your paycheck $5/hour.... allow 6 months to expire... repeat. You've probably just become a flight instructor who makes $60, that's right, $60/hr and works 6 hours per day. I have given up keeping my resume up to date because of flying so much and getting nothing but multi-time. Sure 99% of it is vfr training but so what? It's still flight time (yeah, i KNOW instrument time is important, doing what I do and how I have done it makes that difficult!).
I am going to give you guys a little secret on how I got so many hours and made so much per hour... think of where you live, what is next to where you live or near, then figure out what people could do in your area and FOCUS. Get fliers out and advertise in the paper. Before long you have your own branch of a flight school or aerial tour company with a fleet of Cessna's, etc. You DREAM it and can MAKE it. My dream was to make an "International Flight Training Package" and it works. About 10 of those flights per month and you cannot imagine how great it is to say "I just got back from The Bahamas." "No I gave someone a flight lesson on how to go in and out of US Airspace."
It sells, and if you do a program for ... I dunno Montana, I guaruntee you there is something that locals will WANT to do and PAY for it. Don't sell yourself short and get paid 10/hr or even 15/hr. The least I ever get paid is 20/hr when I am doing primary training. 20/hr.... why would I make more money flying a Cessna 152 than flying a CRJ-200??????????????????????????? ANSWER THAT QUESTION. If your answer is "the future" then I want to know how you plan on living for the first year (THE PRESENT!!!!) and not losing every friend and loved one you have because you can't handle the stress of not being able to pay bills. I could go on forever, guys/gals, so with that I will leave you guys with a big "?" and ask you "What are you worth?"
I know I'm bragging a little, but I am also confused WHY AM I BRAGGING AND NOT YOU?