I currently have 240 hours TT. I should have CSEL within a month and CFI by the end of May. I'm planning to get CFII, CMEL, and MEI over the summer as money allows.

I'm a career changer in the making, currently working full time in a career unrelated to aviation. My current career pays well, but doesn't light my fire like flying does. My goal is to get to the right seat of a regional airline ASAP without going broke in the process. I'm planning on retiring from my current career later this year (after I finish paying for my ratings, my debt, and save up a bit of cash to tide me over through the low income pilot years).

I'm considering moving to a high density flight training area to work as a CFI (like Phoenix, San Diego, LA area, Florida, Dallas, Vegas...). I'm hoping to be able to fly 80-120 hours per month (or more if possible).

I was told by someone "in-the-know" that the lower your time is, the more desirable you are to a flight school since they know they will have you there longer before moving on to the airlines. My questions: Is this even true? And if so, should I decline commercial flying opportunities that arise for me in the short-term future? Should I try to keep my TT low in order to be more likely to get a good CFI job (high volume of hours/month)? The difference would be 280 hours TT or 400-500 hours TT. My gut tells me to take all the flying I can get as fast as I can get it, I just don't want to get stuck looking for a CFI job at a decent flight school with 500 hours TT because they're giving all the jobs to the guys/gals with 260 hours, know what I mean?

Thanks for the feedback.

There more time you get the more opportunities you have especially if your willing to travel. Take what you can get first then what you want second for now. If you don't care much about how long it takes to build time then reverse that order.

I couldnt imagine any flight school or pilot mill rejecting a CFI because they have a few more hours. The schools around the east coast are begging for CFI's. You should have no problem.

Nope. What I've found to be the only limiting factor (in the Phoenix area) was that being a CFI only wasn't marketable. No one would touch me until I had at least a CFII (a couple wanted a CFII and/or 200-400 dual given). Some schools wouldn't interview me without the checkride done and CFII in hand, others would interview and say come back when you have it. And some didn't even respond to an application. My understanding is the Midwest and especially the east coast really need instructors. So the big ones in Dallas, Atlanta, and especially Florida should be pretty easy. If you're thinking of coming out here, definitely get CFI and CFII first.

500 TT hours should be fine for almost any flight school. Now, if you're 100 hours short of ATP they may be reluctant since they know you'll be gone in a month.

Submit your resume to US Aviation Academy when you're ready!

Thanks for the feedback! Great info. I appreciate it.