Originally Posted by
CantTaxiToACS
There’s literally nothing to do. I truly wish I was a freshman in college now getting my ratings or a freshman seven years ago. Definitely got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. No way hiring of non-ATP/jet pilots will take place within the next 12 months minimum. I’m not gonna waste my time in a 172 anymore, and 135 places aren’t calling. I’m a pretty type-A guy. But this is the first time in my life that I haven’t had a clear direction or motivation of what to do next. Everything I’ve done in aviation so far that made me so happy is now completely worthless. Maybe writing this out will finally help me move on and do something else for the next two years.
"Literally" nothing to do? Or nothing to do that you can think of in the limited stovepipe of the CFI-to-regional-to-career-airline pipeline?
There are many interesting things you can go find to do in aviation that don't require an ATP but will still be interesting work and will continue to advance your airmanship and development as a professional aviator. This is an opportunity to go off and explore those things without worrying that you're squandering away that precious seniority number that drives young pilots to take the shortest course possible to a regional right seat.
Tow banners, live on the beach, and get a bunch of taildragger time. Go up to Alaska and learn bush flying. Find an air tours operator and give rides to tourists in a biplane. USFS air-tanker or lead-in pilot. Plus all the "normal" time building gigs like hauling jumpers, aerial survey, night freight dog, etc. If you are willing to stay a CFI either keep what you have or find a different one, but as long as you're putting food on the table you can always learn something new on the side: go get an A&P or go get a seaplane or glider rating.
The options are only limited by your willingness to get out of your comfort zone and your imagination, which you'll have to open up to both seek out and find interesting and different flying jobs.