Old 04-30-2018, 02:48 PM
  #5  
brocklee9000
I Pass the Butter
 
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Joined APC: May 2017
Posts: 555
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Unfortunately, a lot of "entry level" jobs want at least 500 hours, sometimes up to 1,000. I didn't have money for CFI when I graduated, and I tried my best to get any job I could. I had a few leads but ultimately nothing worked out. By then, I was able to save up some money and get some from family as well, and just sucked it up and got CFI and then CFII. Now I'm getting paid and getting hours, it was hard and sucked getting here, but it's finally paying off.

If you're down there in Florida, one of the survey companies is based out of there. Air America. Granted, they've got a...reputation. Most people have a pretty polarized opinion of their operation, and at least a few people here and on jetcareers have worked there. They hire fresh guys, and might even have a summer season. But usually they and other survey companies start up in the Fall.

Another option to look into is Grand Canyon/Scenic Airlines. They fly caravans and twin otters. I think the summer is their busier season, so they might even be actively looking for FOs. A friend of mine was fortunate enough to get a job there at the end of last summer, even though they were rolling into the end of the busy season.

There's also a company or two in Alaska that might hire lower time guys. I've heard Ravn/Hageland does. I'd look into some of those options, and start scouring sites like climbto350 and bizjetjobs and whatnot. They require a paid membership unfortunately, but I got several job leads from those sites last summer when I was in your shoes.

Additionally, some schools advertise paying for or subsidizing the CFI cost, in exchange for a minimum commitment. I can't think of any specifics off the top of my head, but I know I've seen and heard of options like this. For example, after I got CFI, a couple schools wouldn't hire without CFII as well but they offered to pay for it if I committed a certain amount of months or hours. One school wanted a 12 month commitment, the other wanted 600 hours of dual instruction given (or somewhere around that). Honestly an option like that is probably going to be the best. CFI is a guaranteed job and hours once you get the certificate, so if you can find a busy flight academy with something like that, that's a potentially good setup.
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