TankerDriver

Flight instructing is just that job that most people don't want to do. I was there 6 years ago saying the same thing. "I don't want to get my CFI because the job sucks.". The fact of the matter is, it's a hard job that, for the most part, goes under-appreciated and under-payed and that is why people get turned off of being a CFI. But, guess what. That's the story of this industry. It doesn't come easy.

Instructing is not just necessarily the cheapest and quickest way to an airline, but is the some of the most valuable time a low time pilot can get. No offense, but with 3 or 4 hundred hours, you've got just about enough flight time to go kill yourself. That kind of time is nothing. I really didn't notice a dramatic increase in my proficiency as a pilot, both stick and rudder and knowledge, until I neared 750+ hours as a CFI.

Personally, I'd rather be sharing my interest in flying with a student and be able to bring someone that may have never stepped foot in an aircraft before to his or her PPL than be cruising up and down the beach with a banner. It's a good feeling when that student passes the checkride and not so good of a feeling if they fail. Students become your "little project".

It is by far THE BEST thing I have done for my flying career yet.

ERJ135

I got to say I have learned a lot from my students. CFI was worth the experience but I have to say it can get very discouraging. High fuel and insurance prices have driven rental prices way up (8-10k) for a PPL and a stagnent economy, people do not want to do it anymore. It is totally unaffordable for the average person and college kids. Most students I start out with run out of money by the time you get to the XC phase. The only sign offs I have had have been people trying to finish it up since the 1980's. I even try to make it cost effective as possible for them but it is too expensive. Just a few yrs ago there was three productive flight schools on the field and two went out of business leaving only the flight school I am at and we have been having record bad months. I live in New England so the weather is usually either raining or snowing from Oct-May so it is not really productive around here. If it is clear usually your flying in 40kt winds. Its tough. I have been teaching for a year and half and if do 30hrs a month your doing good. I have just surpassed 200hrs of instruction given. I have had to rely on other forms of building time such as paying for it myself and doing angel flights. Angel Flights are good. I found myself an owner who can never do flights and tells me whenever I want to do some flights I can do as many as I want. I have almost 900hrs now. I have built several hundered hours of flying and its all good flying because you fly IFR everywhere you go and I frequently go in and out of BOS. That is a lot of fun playing with the big jets. Any of you airline pilots that frequent BOS, if you ever hear "Angelflight 99A" over ATC its me. Thats were the CFI comes in hand because if you bring somebody other than a CFI you can both log the time because it is Dual given and its 100% legal. I would reccomend signing up for angelflight as a pilot they may even pair you up with some pilots to fly with. Its a great experience. So what I do when all my students dissapear or run out of money or 2wks of rain I do angelflights to make up for it. Most places just requires a PPL except AngelflightNE requires an instrument rating because of the weather. The other good part of CFI thats good is the MEI and I have 20+hrs of multi instruction. I now have 115hrs multi qualifying me for some commuters and a few regionals I can't wait to get hired and be done with flight instructing. Good Luck. It is very difficult and very long road to get there I just hope it is worth it in the end.