Originally Posted by
Plabelover
Where do you see hiring at the regionals level this year and next year?
I’m in the grind to get to 1,500 but every CFI at my school sitting at more than 1,500 is mot going anywhere anytime soon it seems and it seems like the grind is not getting me or them anywhere.
walking around the flight school is just sad everyone wants to be out but have no place to go
I understand the desire to contemplate the future and plan your career moves, but as I read your post I cant help but feel that you have been given bad guidance. Yes, a few years rolled by that permitted 1500 hour CFIs to jump into RJs, but we don't live in the same world that existed 9 months ago. Please listen to the older folks here, even if we seem to want to eviscerate your dreams and ambitions.
You can do yourself a huge favor, one that will place you ahead of your peers toiling away at flight schools, by climbing whatever career ladder gets you towards 1000 ME TPIC. Will you need that to get on with a regional or major? Probably not, but the journey to that hours achievement will help you tick the career boxes necessary to stand out amongst the next generation of new hires.
How long should you stay as a CFI? 500 PIC, 1500 TT, 50 ME PIC? That is probably the ceiling. Move on as soon as possible, even before those three numbers if the opportunitypresents itself. Find a Caravan, or BE 99, or King Air, or 402 flying Tourists out to ths Cape. Go have an adventure in Alaska, or Guam, or PR. How long should you stay at job Numbers 2, 3, 4 etc, well have a target and be realistic about advancement opportunities. More pay, more engines, better working conditions, heavier aircraft, more complex operations are all reasons to move on. Actual upgrades, training, and career advancement are a reason to stay, promises are not. Until you are flying a ME Turbine aircraft, with realistic opportunities to log PIC hours in near term, you need to be looking elsewhere. Along the way you may decide corporate, fractional, cargo, or fire fighting is where you want to stay; or theyll ve the sources for great stories at your United interview.
Don't worry about employee loyalty, that flows in one direction in the corporate world. Do your job well, do it safe, be disciplined at work. Every chief pilot knows that most of their crew members are there for a short time until some Fortune 500 corporate jet job comes knocking, or DL, UA, AA, 5Y...
Back in 2011, I applied to 26 or 30 different companies just to get 3 job offers. If your apps aren't out now, get them out. Be on jsfirm, airline apps, ever FB hiring page. Email every 135 company on APC. Be the first of the current cadre to move on from your CFI job and you may well find yourself higher on the 121 seniority lists then your buddies.
Waiting for 1500 hours in your CFI job probably is not the wrong answer, but it definitely isn't the correct one.