Praciticality of sending in Resumes w/ 250 TT and 25 Multi?
01-31-2008 | 09:49 AM
#11
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Holy Cow! $12K for a CFI/II. Where are you training? I can probably take a guess, but I'm not going to there. The only regional that may look at you with those times might be Piedmont. Here is what I would do: Get your CFI and go instruct for a year or more! There are schools out there that will pay you up to three times as much as what you would make at a regional. Some schools will even give you your CFII/MEI for free if you stick around for a year. Get some experience! You wont regret it! You can always go to a regional later on if you want to.
I already completed the ground school but now I'm switching to the new Cirrus Aircraft.
Like I said, I would love to instruct and I have no issues with it, but right now I'm trying to get over that proverbial line where I start getting paid to fly instead of constantly having to shell out. I'm nearly tapped.
The way I see it, it doesn't cost me a thing to send out a few resumes.
01-31-2008 | 09:53 AM
#12
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I did my CFI and II for about half that. Why on Earth would you pay 12k just to do it at the academy you're at when there are tons of places hurting for CFIs right now. I know of quite a few that will pay for your II and MEI after you are working there.
It's getting tough to be a pilot? Tell that to all the guys that couldn't even get into a jet until they had 2500 hours.
It's getting tough to be a pilot? Tell that to all the guys that couldn't even get into a jet until they had 2500 hours.
I understand that at one point you couldn't even get into a jet with 2000 hours, but that was then and this is now. There is a whole new set of obstacles up for pilots and unless something drastic is changed, getting into a jet is going to be the least of peoples issues. Just being able to get your ratings in the face of rising fuel and training costs is going to be the benchmark of achievement.
01-31-2008 | 09:54 AM
#13
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Based on what I have seen my best bet for getting any type of training done in any type of practical time would be to stick with the school I am currently with right now. Yes it's expensive, but they are training is glass cockpit aircraft and the planes won't kill you.
The local FBO's are hurting right now. The ones that can teach you are shady and have planes that constantly break down and the reputable schools that do have good planes are so busy they can't squeeze people in. Everybody is strapped for CFI's also.
"Get it at your local FBO" sounds good on paper, but like I just said it's just not practical right now.
Plus I'm already enrolled in this course. I never change horses midstream.
The local FBO's are hurting right now. The ones that can teach you are shady and have planes that constantly break down and the reputable schools that do have good planes are so busy they can't squeeze people in. Everybody is strapped for CFI's also.
"Get it at your local FBO" sounds good on paper, but like I just said it's just not practical right now.
Plus I'm already enrolled in this course. I never change horses midstream.
01-31-2008 | 09:55 AM
#15
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From: 737 Right
Obviously it doesn't matter to me, whatever you decide. It sounds like you want to become a flight instructor, and that's something I admire. I hate to see people pay too much because they believe there are no other good options.
01-31-2008 | 09:57 AM
#16
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Mobius, and other military guys.
I'm curious do you have 4 year degrees? While you don't need them for the regionals, you will if you want to fly for the majors. Your GI bill will give much better return if you're using it for college and I've heard of many flight schools charging a premium for using those GI bill bennies. I hope you're getting the same rate that everybody else there does. If not you're being taken advantage of and that flight school owner should be shot for taking advantage of a group of people that have sacrificed a TON for this country.
If you're close to being tapped, find somewhere that costs less.
I'm curious do you have 4 year degrees? While you don't need them for the regionals, you will if you want to fly for the majors. Your GI bill will give much better return if you're using it for college and I've heard of many flight schools charging a premium for using those GI bill bennies. I hope you're getting the same rate that everybody else there does. If not you're being taken advantage of and that flight school owner should be shot for taking advantage of a group of people that have sacrificed a TON for this country.
If you're close to being tapped, find somewhere that costs less.
01-31-2008 | 09:57 AM
#17
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Back in November of 07, I obtained my Multi-Commercial add on and I just finished ground school for my CFI 141 training. Only problem is now that I have to come up with close to 12K to obtain my CFI/II certs before I can even get hired at my school that I am doing my training at.
If I hope to get through in any feasible time frame, I will have to pull off a financial miracle, but the problem is that I am already tapped due to my Comm/Multi certifications. I would love to be a CFI, but it seems that I will not be able to financially obtain the training. I'm getting towards the end people, and something needs to happen.
So I was sitting and thinking, why not just send out my resumes to all the regionals now? I understand that the mins are still considerably higher then what I have, but I have the qualifications and I have the training. I'm 25 years old and and Army combat veteran, a clean driving (CDL B Endorsed) and no criminal record. I'm sure that has to count for something, right?
The regionals MUST need pilots, right? Are they going to overlook a potential candidate because he doesn't meet the min's that are already arguably lower then they should?
It's getting tough out there to be a pilot guys. The buy-in is already ludicrously high and unless something drastically changes, I think the student pool is going to dry up real quick. The fuel costs combined with the costs of training are just unrealistically out there for even the most determined student and I wonder if any of the regionals are going to to letting in some of the guys who are in the tail end.
So what do you guys think?
If I hope to get through in any feasible time frame, I will have to pull off a financial miracle, but the problem is that I am already tapped due to my Comm/Multi certifications. I would love to be a CFI, but it seems that I will not be able to financially obtain the training. I'm getting towards the end people, and something needs to happen.
So I was sitting and thinking, why not just send out my resumes to all the regionals now? I understand that the mins are still considerably higher then what I have, but I have the qualifications and I have the training. I'm 25 years old and and Army combat veteran, a clean driving (CDL B Endorsed) and no criminal record. I'm sure that has to count for something, right?
The regionals MUST need pilots, right? Are they going to overlook a potential candidate because he doesn't meet the min's that are already arguably lower then they should?
It's getting tough out there to be a pilot guys. The buy-in is already ludicrously high and unless something drastically changes, I think the student pool is going to dry up real quick. The fuel costs combined with the costs of training are just unrealistically out there for even the most determined student and I wonder if any of the regionals are going to to letting in some of the guys who are in the tail end.
So what do you guys think?
To answer your question, those are ridiculously low times to be even considering sending in your application to a regional. Like the others have said, go to an FBO, get your CFI/II and instruct for a year. Just get away from the academy you're at right now, ASAP. I think we all know which one we're talking about. If you CFI for a year, you'll gain all kinds of experience that will be invaluable. It is an incredible learning tool that will help get you ready for a regional. And that way you can also get some time and hold out for a regional that won't treat you like sh!t. Regardless, I don't know if even the most desperate regionals would hire at those times. Don't worry kid, you've got plenty of time. There will be plenty of jobs out there for the forseeable future.
01-31-2008 | 09:58 AM
#18
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I agree, you are paying way too much for your training. I am also 25 and an Air Force Vet and used my GIBILL for training. As long as you are doing it 141 they will pay you back sixty percent of the cost which really helped me out. As for your question, I was hired right after my multi commercial add-on. I only had 285 TT and 90multi, back in Nov. I think having more multi really helps. Also, do you have a degree? I had a bachelors degree and a good start on my masters both in aviation. I was also a F-16 crew chief in the service so I had my A and P as well, though I do not know how much that factored in for an airline job. All of the above worked together for me to help get my job with low time. Write out a really good resume and show it to other pilots to get there point of view. No matter what anyone says, I would send it out to regionals like crazy and continue to update it with them as you work more towards your CFI. I thought I was taking a shot in the dark with my extremely low time and got hired at my very first interview. Hopefully you have the GIBILL and can look into using it if you don't get hired. Go for it and good luck, keep me posted!
As for my education is have an Associates and I'm working on my Bachelors at ERAU.
01-31-2008 | 09:58 AM
#19
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From: Popsicle Logic
Based on what I have seen my best bet for getting any type of training done in any type of practical time would be to stick with the school I am currently with right now. Yes it's expensive, but they are training is glass cockpit aircraft and the planes won't kill you.
Stop. Think. 12K is a lot of money. Take it from someone who went though the program, YOU DONT NEED IT. But go ahead, they'll gladly take your money.
01-31-2008 | 10:00 AM
#20
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Mobius, and other military guys.
I'm curious do you have 4 year degrees? While you don't need them for the regionals, you will if you want to fly for the majors. Your GI bill will give much better return if you're using it for college and I've heard of many flight schools charging a premium for using those GI bill bennies. I hope you're getting the same rate that everybody else there does. If not you're being taken advantage of and that flight school owner should be shot for taking advantage of a group of people that have sacrificed a TON for this country.
If you're close to being tapped, find somewhere that costs less.
I'm curious do you have 4 year degrees? While you don't need them for the regionals, you will if you want to fly for the majors. Your GI bill will give much better return if you're using it for college and I've heard of many flight schools charging a premium for using those GI bill bennies. I hope you're getting the same rate that everybody else there does. If not you're being taken advantage of and that flight school owner should be shot for taking advantage of a group of people that have sacrificed a TON for this country.
If you're close to being tapped, find somewhere that costs less.
