Blaine01

Please go into some other industry while you are new. The last thing we need in aviation is one more pilot with your mentality

propjunkie

I agree. I understand that people need to build time and sadly there are many that will do it for free! The thing is that when you go to a job with that attitude the company will begin to take advantage of you and every other pilot that comes after you. And we wonder why regional pay is so bad!

Senior Skipper

Nobody is expecting the sky to open and a job to fall into your lap. By all means, go find a job. We all want to work, but make sure you can live off what you are paid. Otherwise, you're living to work, not working to live.

I read a lot of bad post on this company and that company, I really dont care about all that nonsense.

Good to see your excitement and optimism. Three months after you get your job, you will come here complaining and crying about the airline industry, and how you're underpaid and not respected. Rest assured that your current mindset keeps us in the current slum we're in.

I am a grown man and I can decide what I think is fair.

Out of sheer curiosity, how old are you?

I am not going to work for free, but if I have to take a couple of bucks less and put up with a little crap so what. It's called work for a reason.

How do you define "a couple of bucks less"? One or two dollars? Or are you going to tell the owner of the school that you're willing to work for $10 an hour as opposed to the $15 current CFI's get? Even if you're willing to work for $13, what happens when the boss says "tomderekc can work for $13, so everybody can work for $13"? What happens when somebody walks through the door and offers to work for $11?

You're willing to put up with crap at work; it's called work for a reason. Basically your boss can do anything to you because you don't consider yourself a professional. You are willing to scrape the bottom of the barrel just to sit in a plane and say "more right rudder."

My friend, your attitude does indeed lower the bar. Don't sabotage the profession just s you can say you're a CFI.

bryris

I was talking to a guy the other day who is an engineer who does forensic work for when old ladies trip and fall, checking friction coefficients on stairs for the lawyers, etc...anyway, he was telling me that he is working with the NFC (national forensics consultants) on some projects. They had a few jobs down in Miami. Living some 6 hours away (driving), he told them that he'd do any jobs they need, so long as at least 4 jobs are needed per visit to Miami. He crunched the numbers and decided that doing 4 jobs would make it worth the effort and anything less just wouldn't be worth his time. He often takes his personal plane down there, but was concerned about the weather coming in from Ida in a few days (might be forced to drive). The company pays for his travel time (hourly rate) in addition to the standard IRS mileage allowance. The thought of driving instead of flying, at an average hourly rate of $60 for the extra time it would take to drive vs. fly was barely worth it to him.

I thought about what was being said. Effectively, the summary to this experience, as I took it, is that you and your knowledge, credentials, and experience are worth something. Instead of groveling into an office as a poor victim of the economy and accepting whatever wage you can get, think better of yourself. You are a professional pilot (any holder of a CFI cert is a professional pilot in my opinion). Stand tall and when asked, tell whoever is there what you are worth (stay close to market though or you'll be laughed at). Some negotiations will likely ensue. However, in the end, don't be afraid to walk away from a job that is undervaluing you.

Worse case scenario, go find something else to do in the interim and catch your next CFI gig when the upswing happens.

pilot1278

I understand about the time and money, but the school I suggested (wings aloft) has been in operation for 30 years. I'd say they were well established. Most flight schools are going to make you do your own leg work. If you are a freelance CFI (like me, part time) you will have to do your own legwork.

Most "flight academies" out there, which pretty much dump students on your lap, are struggling to survive. The international training boom which was BIG a year or two ago, has dried up or is drying up in most areas. Not only that, but they themselves probably have a slew of semi layed-off CFI's who are waiting for business to pick back up to get hired again.

The Flight school I started with in Vegas went from 20 instructors to 4 or 5 within 2 years. I's pretty sad to see the state of things nowadays. I hope it picks up in 2010 for the benefit of all of us.

tomderekc

I am 31 years old and I have been in the plumbing trade for over 10 years and ran my own business before volenteering to help our troops in Iraq. 2.5 years ago I chose to change my career to something I loved. I have every certification and license a plumber can have. No, there is no plumbing work either.

I have worked for a lot of people I don't like so if I have to listen to some ego for a while to build my time that is what it is.

I am not on here to defend my work ethic, I am here to network and find some work. If you don't like the fact that I will work for less than you then sit at home while I work. The fact is that I am trying to find work.

Do you think I should get paid the same as a CFI with 10 years of experiance?

It doesn't really matter anyway to me, I am just willing to do a little more than go to work and expect my job to be easy. I have never seen "easy money" and dont think I will anytime soon.

A bunch of young guys get on here and think that their mom is still going to clean their room and make their bed for them, so they cry about this and that.

Some CFI's I know are making $25 hr. So if you are woking for $15 that is a problem. Flight schools are charging $45hr for instruction, paying the instructor 50% of that. That is crazy. If anyone should be complaining it should be the student. I didn't pay a dime for instruction.

The school I went to pays instructors 40K a year for flying, doesn't matter how many hours. The interns there make $6.25hr whether they fly or not. Is that not crazy?

I see that the economy isn't good and if I can help a independent student out I will. If I need to work for $15.00 hr at a school I will. Times are tough for everyone. In a good economy I can see asking for more and expecting more.