Quote:
Originally Posted by lifter123
Agreed. However, the CFI market is a joke right now. I am at a point where there is no where else to go until I get more flight time to reach 500 hrs, that the insurance companies require for jobs. I've called flight schools, dropped off resume...nothing. The big question for me, and for future generations of flight trainees is, how do I get from 300-500 hour when there are no students?
The job market was much the same when I was trying to break in. Couldn't get a CFI gig, etc. All of the flight schools had 'waiting lists' just to hire their own students back as instructors - but no one was leaving, so the list didn't get any shorter.
Here is how I solved the problem: I kept working my job in an oil refinery and spent every dime building time. Probably not what you want to hear...but it worked. Rented airplanes to keep flying and build time and then eventually bought a Grumman Yankee in a partnership and was able to fly much more for the same $$. I bought block-time in an old, flea-bag Apache to get some multi time. Eventually all of this hanging around the airport started to pay off with a connection here and there and some limited part 91 corporate flying on my days off.
When I first got hired in the refinery and started getting my ratings, I figured I'd be out of there and instructing within 6 months. Turned out, my total time in the oil refinery (from getting my ratings to finally getting a paying flying job) was nearly 5 years.
By the time the market started to turn around, I had 1,200 hours and a bit of multi time. Finally broke out of the refinery prison and did a bit of instructing, but quickly (due to some of my airport connections) landed a 135 gig hauling freight in an Aero Commander. Was able to get a lot of multi-time quickly with that job and after that the career progressed pretty quickly.
Good Luck.