JT8D

Well as of the end of this month I'm gonna be on furlough so I've started the hunt for employment yet again. I've got an interview for a CFI job at Delta Connection Academy in Sanford, and I'm curious if anyone on here has been through the process.

Apparently there's an aviation knowledge test and a general aptitude test given as part of the interview. I've been out of the General Aviation loop for a while now and some of that stuff has inevitably gotten rusty, just curious if anyone has any insight on what I should focus my studies on. Thanks!

Tinpusher007

I have been through it way back in 2001 so I couldn't even tell you what they asked. Its probably different now anyway. But I wasn't hired so I probably wouldn't be much help.

andy171773

The gen ap test is nothing to worry about, my interview consisted of some basic primacy questions, and talking about p-factor..that's it..very straight forward.

Now, that was in 2006....since there are probably A TON of instructors looking for work, it may be more "selective".

Be forewarned...working for DCA is awful. They treat their employees like absolute garbage, I do hope that you get the job if it's something you really want/need..but just watch your back there, they won't hesitate to screw you over (not just my personal experience..but i could probably recite dozens of stories).

PM me if you have any further questions.

Spoilers

Delta Connection Academy.... Lol... What a joke!

Do they teach students how to do basic weight & balance? Because the DCA grad last week renting an airplane from my local FBO had no clue...

Jetlinker

Don't know what to tell you there, that dude wasn't too sharp...weight and balance is taught from day one and stressed heavily over there.

To answer the original question, the interview process is pretty straightforward, a 20 question test based on CFI knowledge test, a cognitive test that you can't study for and a twenty minute HR/technical interview.

As far as working conditions....I left there in 2006, and at the time they were still flying 152/172's and the pay sucked. Now they have all new SR-20's and the pay is up around $17.00 an hour (I may be off a little, but I do know it's a big improvement over what it used to be). The management does indeed have the potential to screw you over....and the work days can be brutally long and unproductive.

Overall my experience there as an instructor wasn't too bad... I can imagine it's got to be a bit better now just based on the higher pay and new planes. Plus, the Delta flight benefits I had there are better than CAL benefits I've got now! Hope this helps.

Boomer

I flew at three different FBOs before the Academy and none of them were very serious about checklists, W&B, checking weather, Maintenance Logs, etc.

The Academy stressed all those items, every flight. Very anal; very professional.

What has your Academy grad been doing since then? Did he instruct there, or just earn some ratings? Maybe he has gotten lazy. Or maybe the Academy has changed in the last 6 years.

And I'll second what Andy said. It's one of the most serious forms of slavery in aviation. CYA.

Colnago

Well...see it this way. At least you'll get to feel like an airline pilot at DCA, wearing epaulets.

BigBallzMagee

I instructed there also. I left just after the cirrus arrived. We were pulling 11/hr but I made as much or more than I am on first year FO pay flying guarantee. Only flew the cirrus twice but it was a sweet GA bird. The interview was like a regional interview with a test and then a Q&A board with HR and Pilot types. Unless DCA has changed in the last year it was like slavery.....U fly as much or little as they want u 2 and wear full uniform even in the Florida summers. Get in good with Nick in scheduling and Leslie in dispatch and life becomes bearable. Still have a lot of friends stuck there so PM me for additional details.

Boomer

Wow, Nick and Leslie survived the purges? That's good to hear. Was Michelle still doing the computerized "FAA/Gleim" testing?

BrandedPilot

I hope you realize that even backwoods flight instructors are pulling $35 and hour.