Originally Posted by jamin35008

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here so plz be easy on me. I have been working with Eagle since March 2001 as a station agent in different places while slowly working on my certificates and ratings. I have been in NY TX FL and UT flying and going to school and have a 4yr degree. I currently have my single comm. with inst. rating and working on my CFI (very slowly due to WX and MECH problems) in western NY right now. I have about 3hrs flight and 5hrs ground done toward my CFI but they have been over 2 months again b/c of the WX and mechanical problems and make it hard to retain the info. After talking with many regional pilots who commute and a few who I have flown with over the years, most are telling me to forget about the CFI and get the multi and the multi time and start applying. Now I only have about 300hrs right now and the multi building time and the raing would put me around 350-60 total time with 50-60 being multi so 350/50ish...is that enough? I see some are hiring with just comm/multi, but how would I fair in the ground school and sim with no CFI experience? Does the CFI help during the ground school and in the application process? Do they want to see you have a CFI or just that you have met the mins.? I know that Eagle ,for example, is looking for 400/50 so what if I went and got my multi and had 350/50 and split time with someone for the rest of the 50hrs to get 400/50. If that does not work and the mins are out of reach to me then I could go back and finish the CFI to teach around here until getting more hours....right? Im sorry this is like a book, but I have so much on my mind right now and just would like some advise from everyone who may know the right path. Do I get my multi and build time to 50-60 multi hours for a total of 350/50 or continue with my CFI and teach for awhile and then get my multi and build up more hours.....Thanks so much in advance!

PS. It would be hard for me to leave home for extended periods of time (more than 2-3weeks at a time) so going anywhere to instruct is not an option at this time....newborn due in 2 weeks and I have a steady income job I can lose until something firm is ready or I might lose my house.

PSS. If I decide to continue with my CFI might it be a good idea to say forget upstate NY and go to an 2-3 class in FL and then try to get a job around here...would that be cheeper?