Tell me about it! I've been wanting a flying career as far back as High School (back when Al Gore had just finished inventing the internet). Then it seemed as if there were only two "acceptable" ways to become a professional pilot: start in your early teens, scrape together every cent possible and "pay as you go" basically live at the local airport. Then, after several years of back breaking work, become a CFI, then move on to flying freight in aircraft that are barely airworthy and then, only then, were you deemed worthy of a part 121 gig. Or go the military route. There some hyperbole there for sure, but that was my impression. Fortunately, there are a myriad of programs and paths available. Once you have the certs and hours, employers really don't care where you got them.

That is a little fast. Even ATP Flight School doesn't advertise that. They advertise "about 2 years."


[QUOTE=Dontknow;2533699]Am I right in the fact also that after I have my CFI, I can walk and work somewhere else if I need to in order to get my hours?[QUOTE]
That's the case at ATP. One of the CFIs I worked with at my club left ATP after getting frustrated with the amount of flying he was doing, or rather wasn't doing. He trained at the Denver (Centennial) location and, following CFI school, requested to go back to Centennial. ATP sent him to Portland pending an opening at APA. Due to weather, he didn't fly much there, so he quit, moved to Denver on his own, and quickly picked up another CFI gig. He wasn't in any way, shape, or form contractually obligated to stay at ATP.


For the most part, yes. Where you went to flight school may come up during interviews but interviewers are more concerned with your knowledge set, what you've learned from failures, and how you deal with difficult people, etc.

While some schools have placement services for their CFIs, in the current market, they aren't really all that advantageous. The CFIs at my club, for example, don't seem to have any trouble getting airline jobs, even at the "tough nut to crack" Boutique Air. The club has zero placement, preferred interview, or such agreement with any company.


If you haven't done so already, consider the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve. I can't recall off hand what the age limits are, but you're likely getting very close. The advantage to the ANG or RES is that you'll be joining the unit in which you will eventually serve and that you join after being selected for a pilot slot. On the other hand, competition for these slots is very fierce and should only be attempted if serving in the military is right for you. Even in ANG or RES you are an Officer first, pilot second.