Agreed. My point is that ANY experience is better than hardly any, which is sadly becoming the case. And like I said before, if after 400 hours and you are "burnt out" on flying small planes, maybe a flying career isn't for you.

Well, I think there is truth to both sides of the low timer argument.

I love the experience gained by CFIing. I think it's valuable not only for flying skill and experience, but (more importantly) thought process. However, that being said, not everybody is cut out to be a CFI. They may be phenomenal pilots, with impeccable knowledge of regulations and a profound understanding of the industry and its workings. But they couldn't teach a student to tell difference between the brown half and the blue half.

That's not to say that there aren't other time building options.

With regards to the argument between low time pilots and high time pilots, well, I think it's a pretty inconsistent argument. Yes, there are way too many 250 hour pilots out there flying jets around calling up even the most uncongested airport with "Uh, Waterski, um, 3....325, uh, outer mark...er outbound....INBOUND", and there are plenty of low time (maybe not 250 hours) pilots out there who are perfectly capable and are skilled and dedicated enough to learn their stuff. There are also plenty of high time pilots spread across the same spectrum.

I'm of the school of thought that the problem doesn't necessarily lie with the incompetent 250hr pilot who accepts such a position, but rather the interviewing, hiring, and training process that does not adequately screen and weed. Rather than asking the same 25 technical questions on an oral (gouge?), why not have a couple minutes of more complex ATC dialogue? Rather than a sim session where a pilot flies a single or twin engine Frasca, why not put them in one of the airline's sims for half an hour and see what their learning curve is? Find out about the person's personality. Why even bother with all the stuff that can so easily just be put on flashcards and memorized and forgotten after the interview (what level of learning is that, CFIs!)? If I can remember what cities that an airline serves, domiciles, company officers, company history, etc etc etc, don't you think that I can remember when runway edge lights change color?

I guess that I've seen so many good low time pilots, bad low time pilots, good high time pilots, and bad high time pilots, that I don't believe in the Holy Grail of having more and more hours. It helps, but it doesn't make or break the pilot.

I'm sure people argued about this very thing back then, too. The industry goes through cycles. Guess what happened to all those low timers when they got to majors back then...They made BIG BUCKS! Maybe this could be a model for the future of the current industry? We can all hope!

Back on subject, you are absolutely correct, flight time is not always a good measure of somebody's skill or experience. I am sure there are plenty of low timers that can fly circles around high timers - more power to them. The thing about somebody with more time is that odds are they have been exposed to more than somebody with low time.

All depends on your priorities...If you want a super-short upgrade, chances are you can get hired on with low time, make more money than you would as a CFI, and after a year or so, be making more than all of your buddies who are FO's at Eagle, since you'll be in the left seat building PIC time. If you want to enjoy your time at the airlines a little more, build some time for your top choices, and go for it.

Good luck.

Save money as a CFI to prepare for the paycut you will take 1st year at any regional.

Don't prepare by CFI'ing to save money - Jump right in!! It's only ten months by the time you're on the Line.

He He....I expect no less then one good joke per leg!!!!

Haha, yea the 1000+ hour clowns usually have 4-5 jokes per leg. Never a repeat over a 4-day trip either!

its funny one of you mentioned the innability to talk on the radios bit. It is sort of a big pet peve for me and im not talking about people saying things like "fishfinder" or "here we go" when cleared for t/o.

The old Pan Am flies Jetstreams out of my field and the majority of their FOs sound worse then some of my presolo students. They miss radio calls, respond with something crazy other than what is required and stumble all over their own words.

I guess maybe a point to bring up...eveyrone who is saying to get that CFI time to become a "better" pilot, if you had the chance to go to a regional at 300-400 hrs vs cfing for 2 more years and applying at 900-1000 hrs...YOU WOULDN'T DO IT???? I JUST DON'T BELIEVE YOU... unless you are REALLY waiting for a certain regional to give you that call AND/OR you really like ur instructing job (like really like it)