acescracked

I just earned my commercial certificate this weekend! But seeing as I'm a lowly CSEL holder with 270hrs, I know this doesn't really mean much. Except that I get to start working on my CFI certificate! This has been my goal, short of the regional airlines, for the past year or so, so I'm excited to start on this journey. Ideally I'd like to find a full time instructing job so I can quit my customer service job and build time quickly. I'm willing to relocate (currently living in San Diego).

I passed the FIA, and have the FOI schedule in a couple weeks. I also wrote lesson plans for all the maneuvers while training for my CPL. So while the material is still fresh in my mind, I'm going to go down hard on this stuff and the fundamentals, keep proficient with the maneuvers and hopefully get my CFI by the end of October.

My biggest concerns are 1) Finding such a job within little to no dual given. 2) The job market for CFIs in the early/mid Fall. Schools like Transpac have been hiring consistently, but I'm worried that will slow down right around the time I finish all this lol.

Also out of curiosity, how is the outlook for the regionals? Obviously no one can tell the future, but right now it seems they're desperate. Does it look like it will change significantly one way or the other over the next couple years? Will it be harder getting a job? I'm not sure whether I'm "late to the game" or not.

Is there anything besides building time I should be doing to put myself in a better position for the airlines, or even instructing? I have an AA but am going to finish my BA online.

rickair7777

You're not late to the game. The regionals, and majors, will be hiring for many years to come.

Finish your BA asap. Your shot at the majors might come sooner than you expect and it would suck to watch your FO's or former students get hired instead because they have a degree and you don't.

acescracked

Yeah, plan is to finish online by the time I apply to the regionals or shortly after. Don't want to drag out the degree.