Spartan07,

Thanks for the advice. I am definitely looking at all available options. I have been doing my research for the last few months in order to make an informed decision. Not only have I been researching flight schools, but I also have been researching which regionals are quality, as well as, the overall health of the aviation industry. If someone wants to become a pilot, I think this is the time to get in.

Thanks for the advice

 

How do you know what it teaches about 121? You haven't done either correct? 121 is a set of regs...anyone can read a book. Experience gained by CFIing, hauling checks single pilot, etc., is what airline flying is about. It's about decision making skills and having a clue bag to draw from when the 'script' isn't followed. A 500 hour guy doesn't have it(or very, very little) because of lack of exposure. So, yes the other flying done prior to the 121 job does make one a better 121 pilot.

 

"but it won't teach you a thing about 121"

What's this stuff I gotta know about 121?

More time in the air experiencing more things makes one a better, more well rounded, pilot. An airplane is an airplane. The more time you have the better off you'll be when you become an airline pilot.

 

Nope, I haven't. As stated earlier, I'm not a professional pilot. I am only trying to find out what you guys think about certain things. I have been told by pilots that instructing won't teach you a thing about the 121 world, that is why I mentioned it. Thanks for clarifying with your input. I'm not trying to pretend that I know what's up, I am just trying to learn, like many others.

 

"I have been told by pilots that instructing won't teach you a thing about the 121 world"

Sounds like something Skyhigh would say.

I'd traslate that to mean "instructing is a waste of time if you can get a regional job sooner than later". This is a popular belief. And I'm all for moving up the career ladder ASAP. But not at the expense of putting a well qualified warm body in the right seat. Flight instructing is one way of expanding one's experience level to become a better jet F/O.

 

Better for whom? The company? The captain? or for the pilot who is trying to get a difficult career off the ground. In a few months time on the line it is difficult to tell the guy who wasted time as a CFI from the one who took the job at the earliest opportunity except for seniority.

Aviation is not a glorious profession that rewards skill and knowledge. The only thing that matters is luck, seniority, management and who your daddy is.

Getting there fast makes all the difference.

SkyHigh

 

I would appreciate it if you would stop refering to instructing as a "waste of time". Without instructors, nobody would be a pilot right now.

 

There are plenty of instructors out there. In fact right now there are more CFI's then there are students to teach. The industry does not require any martyrdom from anyone. The question is do you wish to be an airline pilot or flight instructor?

Pilots fly instructors teach. Just because someone taught me how to read doesnt mean that I am now duty bound to become a school teacher. Besides most CFI's are not good and natural teachers.

Often people become an instructor for the ego stroke. If that is the case in the long run it will hurt your airline hopes.

In reference to an airline career if you can skip the CFI route and then don't then it is a needless diversion and as such a "waste of time".

Those who can do the rest teach.

SkyHigh

 

...or quit and go build houses.

 

"In fact right now there are more CFI's then there are students to teach. "

This is simply not true. There may be more "licensed" CFI's than "Licensed" student pilots, but the majority of those CFI's are doing other jobs (121, 135, etc), and are not actively instructing. The regional hiring frenzy has sucked up most CFI's, and many flight schools (including the one I teach at) are DESPERATE for CFI's. So much so, in fact, that we've just had our pay scale raised to $28/hour, not bad for a 141 CFI.

We have 42 airplanes, and 36 CFI's. We are turning students away to work on core classes (Degree/flight program), because we simply don't have enough instructors to keep our planes flying. And, we are losing an average of 6 CFI's per month, while hiring an average of 2 per month.

There is a coming qualified pilot shortage.