ugflyer

We can all forget those days for it will be a few years before all that happens again.....that's if it ever does. A few years ago with a fresh comm-multi and a little over 300TT, I happened to be at the right place at the right time which was the right seat of a C-421 and then a C-550. The gig never lasted long for the company went under and there I was with a few hundred hours and a Commercial certificate that was not of mush use. It did not take long for me to realise the importance of that CFI certificate and off I went to get it done. A booming economy and expansion at many airlines fooled one too many pilots into thinking they did not need to obtain their CFI and many of us fell for it. I do not intend to preach to the choir, but I have come across many people eager to fly 121 with as few as 300 hours. My advice to all is do not even stop to think about it, but get out there obtain that CFI and find a job instructing to build that much coveted time. The sooner you all do it the better off you will be when hiring picks up. Keep in mind that there are thousands of guys out there with turbine time and are also waiting for the upturn. Question is how well do you think you will fare at an interview when you're up against a guy with turbine PIC?

Atwoo155

I know I am going to get beat up for saying this but...
A CFI will not get your seniority number any higher, and it wont make new higher training any easier. If you can get into a 121 job early and you think you can handle new hire then go for it. The only thing a CFI will do is help you out if and when you get furloughed. It also prepares you for being a captain in the way your constantly looking for the next way the guy next to you is going to try to kill you or take your ticket. I think the best advice is to get in as soon as you can. I have friends that went to the regional with a wet tickets and I also have friends who got their CFI's. The guys who went with a wet ticket are furloughed and on unemployment, and the guys who got their CFI's are still waiting on calls from the regionals. When it comes down to it seniority matters. I don't think the 300 hour wonders will be back anytime soon so its kind of a mute point.

KC10 FATboy

When you interview with a company, you are competing against yourself, not the other guy. A CFI may perhaps help you get an interview, but, you'll never know that. All you can do is work on making your resume as strong as possible.

I know people working for FedEx, UPS, DAL, CAL, and SWA who didn't even meet the minimums! They just happen to be at the right place, right time, and knew the right person.

-Fatty

UpThere

That about sums it up right there

bryris

This is very true. And another point here is that even the CFI market is flooded right now. Part 61 schools are dropping like flies for lack of new student sign ups right now. Both part 61 schools I flew for are now gone.

To fly a cheap 150 dual, is running $120-130 per hour. There aren't many folks willing to cough that up right now. 1.5 hours of touch and gos and you're out nearly $200 bucks. For the average person that isn't a lawyer or the like, that is nearly 2 days of wages.

The upside of this is that it is a necessary ingredient to the upcoming pilot shortage that many believe is coming.

If you are holding your tickets right now and have "decent" experience to back them up, you are already light years ahead of the game for when hiring resumes in volume.

Blkflyer

Exactly what I have been saying.. for the last year.

When the economy expands and things pick up the market will dictate that the airlines expand to meet demand. Well guess what we are not training at the rate we were a few years ago and I think that it would be about 3 years before the banks feel comfortable about loans for non-traditional training ie pilot training.. I think that not everone is going to come back from a furlough if they find something better in terms of money and QOL I think the perfect storm is brewing with regards to a pilot shortage its just gonna take sometime to develop

bassslayer

I was hired at a regional in my late twenties (28) after almost three years of flight istructing. When I got my CFI ('03) jobs were scarce at best and non existant at the airline level for the most part. Although I am little ashamed to admit it, I felt some jealousy and disgust seeing 20-21 year old 300 hr guys getting hired around the same time I was. I couldn't help but think that by the time they were my age the would either be Captains at our airline and be making three times what I am or be at majors. Many don't have degrees or CFI certs. Fresh from flight school to the right seat of an RJ. I've even talked to some where their job as an RJ FO is their first full time job.. I don't blame them for taking the job lord knows I would have had I had the chance. I had to work much much harder and longer to get to the same point in my career. But, thats life. Now, after doing this job for a couple of years I don't feel that way anymore. I'm actually happy that I was hired when I was. This job takes up so much of my life, I would have completely missed out on my twenties. All the parties, camping/hunting trips with friends, etc. I had a great four years in college and enough fun for a lifetime during my twenties with all the memories anyone could ever want. I feel bad that a lot of the young "300 hr wonders" as they are often called, will miss out on a lot of life because of this job. I forgot what the original topic of this thread was so this may make no sense. Sorry.lol

imbroke

I am so happy I got my CFI, CFII and MEI. This might not be the norm but I feel like in the first semester of teaching my airmanship, decision making skills and basic knowledge of aviation improved twice as much as compared to what it was right after I got my CFI. That’s not to mention if I didn't get my instructor ratings I probably wouldn't have a flying job right now.

atpwannabe

All things are possible to him that haveth the aforementioned.

I was told by a fellow member of OBAP who flys for UPSCO that once a person meets the minimums, if are able to get their resume walked into the chief pilot/review board's office and that line pilot feels that the perspective pilot would fit the company culture, then chances are good that they'll be hired.


atp

welle036

My company, nonaviation, but attatched firmly to the economy has been forced to do the same things as the airlines and most other industries over the last year and trim down staffing to meet the lack of demand. One interesting thing is that over the last few weeks demand has upticked just a bit and a few guys were injured and it exposed a big time lack of staffing. Everyone pretty much doing lots of overtime to try and get all the work done. It made me think that maybe companies have been downsizing too drastically in response to the recession. During the boom there was overexuberance and now the pendulum has swung to far in the opposite direction.
The airlines seem to have been some of the most aggressive in reducing staffing and capacity, so whenever the economy does turn, they should feel the biggest pinch. Hopefully this recession will be the low point in demand for a long time and airlines will have to continually increase staffing.