Considering leaving LIFT Academy
 

I've been there for 5 months but only have 35 hours. Still have a few flights left to get my PPL.

1) Their program is supposed to last 3 years (1 year for the ratings and 2 years instructing) before getting a "guaranteed" job at Republic. All that was before COVID. I think it's reasonable to assume it will now take 5 years because:
- Less students will be entering the program (they even stopped all new classes until Fall 2020)
- the CFI's are not progressing to Republic

2) Who knows if Republic will still be around when I have my hours? The possibility always existed but it is a lot more probable now for obvious reasons.

3) I imagine that whenever Republic starts hiring again, they will have their minimums much higher. So the CFI's at LIFT could be stuck building hours at LIFT for 4-6 years.

4) I say "stuck" because you can't leave before the 5 year mark at republic, otherwise you have to pay a $20K penalty.

Having said all this, the one new benefit I see with LIFT now, is that perhaps Republic will prefer to hire the 1500hr LIFT CFI instead of a 3000HR off street hire.

I'm seriously considering leaving LIFT and doing the training at a local part 61 school. Maybe LIFT can re-hire me as a CFI once things get better.

Thoughts?

This is a brand new game. If you leave LIFT is it a lot cheaper? If not, why not hang loose and see what happens. Try not to see too far ahead. It's all herding cats at this point.

So Im a Lift CFI, so I probably know you:D. But in response to your points -

1) There may be less students for a while, but Lift has agreements in place with other flight schools to farm out CFI's. They just havnt really talked about it much because they are hurting for CFIs so badly right now.

2) Republic may get smaller, or it may get bigger, but I doubt it will disappear altogether.

3) Even if they raise mins for off the street hires, the whole point of Lift was to create a pipeline. They will be taking Lift students at 1500 regardless of what the off the street hires need, remember that you have no interview etc for Republic. Your contract with Lift contains your CJO for Republic.

4)$20k penalty, sure, but if Delta comes calling I will be paying it due to the difference in career earnings.

I will say that both students and CFIs are getting very tired of the constant management BS that everything is just perfect and there is no reason for concern. Due to the CFI pay getting cut there are several leaving, and that just makes things worse when they are already at a very poor CFI/Student ratio. Personally, Im not staying for the $27k per year they cut us to.

It sounds like you are still working on your private? I would say in your situation to stick it out, you still have a year to let this all play out and things will be much clearer after the summer.

As another CFI at LIFT I 2nd deftone’s comments. Also, I urge you to read your contract.

For example, mine says if RAH isn’t hiring once you complete the program you’re free to go and off the hook for the 20k. It also seems to define completing the program as becoming a CFI. I know it’s changed over time so not sure how yours reads.

If that's true that is a pretty good deal. I see the OP is worried about the low hours so far. I invite you to ask students at other flight schools how many hours they are getting.

Here is the brutal truth. I would leave asap and figure a way to do it as cheaply as possible, you now have all the time in the world to figure it out. If you love this enough then be prepared for these lean times ahead, because there is going to be McDonalds wages again in this industry. Airlines have been running way overstaffed to keep up with growth. The job market is now shaping up to be the worst its been in history. There will not be any airline jobs for years. It looks like close to 10,000 pilots will be out of a job before we hit bottom and that is still a year away. Republic will scrap this deal so fast when Delta pilots are furloughed oct 1. Pilot shortage is over for this generation of pilots.

That is the truth except edit to add... completing the program is becoming a CFI and meeting RAH hiring mins. Once you meet that you’re free to go and off the hook for the 20k if RAH is not hiring.

Also we got word today we are going to back a a full schedule with no salary reduction.