Route to regionals without CFI'ing.
 

Hi! this is my first post here so i apologize if im in the wrong spot.

Im looking for suggestions to other routes than the CFI way. Im currently working on my initial CFI but it looks like i wont have enough money to complete the MEI and CFII. I have been told that i need the last two to get hired by anybody as an instructor. So here is my question; Are there other jobs available to a fresh 300h pilot?

Thank you

You could send an app to Mesa, I've heard some good things about them.

Is that a joke:confused:

Everyone is hiring CFIs (no II/MEI) these days. You may have to go somewhere other than your ideal location, but you can get a job. A lot of places will also give you reduced rates for add-on ratings, or even give it to you for free after you work for a period of time. Look into it. Check the job boards (climbto350.com, findapilot.com, jsfirm.com, etc.) to find these jobs. I just stopped into my local FBO yesterday to get info on rental rates, and when I mentioned I was a CFI, they practically offered me a job on the spot. I'd do it if I could.

As to what you can do without a CFI, banner towing and traffic watch seem to be the most popular, although those jobs tend to want at least 500 hours for insurance purposes.

My advice - finish your CFI, find an instructing job like mentioned above, and continue building time. Good luck.

The CFII will definately help, the MEI is just nice to have. If you do it right, I know people that got their CFII for about $600 (checkride included). All you need is three hours in an 152, an instructor willing to sign you off, and a DPE who still thinks NDB's are the primary navigational instrument in the United States (those guys are always the easiest to pass with). I'm willing to bet though that most Part 61 Mom and Pop FBO's would hire someone without a CFII and let you work your way up from there. At one point, my old flight school would pick up half the cost of CFII/MEI training to anyone with a CFI already employed there. Ya just gotta look...

Of course, if you just don't want to instruct, get 50 hours of multi and earn the respect of your peers by flying the ol' -900 for Mesa :rolleyes:

The CFI alone should allow you to get started. There are very few means of getting to a regional that are cheaper than the CFI route. All the pay-for-jet-training scams cost $30-90K...for that kind of money you're better off buying a block of twin time so you get some real PIC.

The only other way would be to find a low-time general aviation job such as pipe-line patrol, animal tracking, traffic watch, sky diver driver, etc. These are not super-easy to find but you might get lucky. All of these jobs would be single-engine, so you would still need to figure out your ME time later.

The vast majority of GA twin engine (and a lot of single-engine) jobs are on 135 certificates which means you need 1200 hours...it's actually harder to get those jobs than a regional job.

Thank you, ill see if i can get an instructor job with the CFI alone...

Network! I got on flying a 55 Baron at 250TT....its all about who you know.

www.avjobs.com if you wanna blow some cash on the sign-up fee.

Train at ATP , CFI there to build your time to 135 mins then start looking for the next step.

I've realized regionals / 121 flying is not the only viable game out there. In fact, I'm not interested in 121 flying at all. 135 is going to be where I hang my ATP hat.

-LAFF