MEMpilot

Let me preface this by saying that I'm glad I've found such a resourceful website with many insightful pilots around. I'm working on my commercial as of now will be moving to Seattle or Southern California after getting my CFI.

I'm wondering if anyone from these regions is familiar with the demand for CFI positions at the local airports and if making this move is a good idea.

Southern California makes sense because of the many sunny days and the plethora of wealth that can be well spent in general aviation. Seattle, I'm not as sure...

Seattle draws me due to the IMC days, but that doesn't help when one wants to get their PPL.

FlyingGuide

Move to Arizona and Fly.

MEMpilot

That's where I live right now! I called the weather the other day and she said "No IMC until February, and at that, you can have two days..."

Silly I know, but I'm looking for guaranteed fog (SD) or some perpetual, yet benign overcast conditions.

Pilotpip

Which will not bode very well for flight instruction. You'll be sitting since 90% of your students will be working on a private and nothing more. If you want to some IMC, fly to find some. Low IFR is not a good training environment.

MEMpilot

I guess that is why I was looking into San Diego. The area seems to have a good balance between the two, whereas I could instruct VFR throughout the day, but would be guaranteed some fog in the late afternoon.

You're right about Seattle however. The summers will have plenty of VFR days, but by the fall, it'll start raining for the next 6 months.

planecrazyjenn

Anywhere but upstate NY. lol. There's 3 seasons here...winter, still winter, and almost winter. It either snows, or warms up juuust enough to rain. Then when the sun does come out, your winds are up 30. In the so called summer you'll have some GREAT days for flying, but that season doesn't last long.

MEMpilot

lol, sounds kind of miserable. I learned to fly in Northern Mississippi which was pretty awful as well. Winter days were normally too overcast for VFR and for IFR, too icy. Summer was extremely humid and detrimental to preformance. Alongside this, most of my lessons were cancelled because thunderstorms were rampant. Fall was about the only time that flying was suitable!

shamrok

Theres plenty of IMC here in New England. Dont go to Arizona or somehwere to stable. If you want to be a seasoned pilot with "skills", come to New England. We have the most challenging weather that will make you a top notch pilot! Not like those sissies in the regions that offer calm weather conditions 95% of the year. Believe me, if you want to pursue a career in aviation, get the experience under your belt with true "weather flying". It will seperate you from the rest and airline interviewers actually like to hear your training was in a challenging climate, not a sim, or somewhere that the weather is winds- calm, sky- clear, vis- p10sm everyday. My 2 year old daughter could land a 152 in Arizona! Checkout Executive Flyers in Bedford, MA, or Horizon Aviation in Providence, RI. They are great places to instruct. You have class C and B airspace to work with too! All great experience! Good Luck.