Anyone Have Troubles Getting Work as a CFI?

[Tarheelpilot]

The pilot shortage is very much a real thing, the university that I attend is losing flight instructors at a rate of about 4 per month going to the regional airlines. Of course there will be those who reply to this with the typical "**** pay comments and schedule sucks comments" but in my opinion those are the people that are held back from a career in professional aviation for a reason they dont talk about. Theres a few in my family that fly for Delta Airlines and have done so for the past 32 years...and they both say that the pilot shortage is starting to effect the major airlines.

The only way it affects the majors is from cancellations at regionals due to crew scheduling not having enough pilots. There are plenty of professionals in the industry that have chosen not to pursue a career with the airlines for various reasons that have nothing to do with skeletons in their closets. That pay and schedule stuff you mentioned has stopped lots of pilots from going 121.

 

[flhrci]

Don't let you CFI expire! You worked hard to earn it. Just do the refresher course. You never know what teaching opportunities might come up.

Yes, you are right. That is why I said I will probably just renew it. Can't help how I feel though.

David

 

[James331]

The only way it affects the majors is from cancellations at regionals due to crew scheduling not having enough pilots. There are plenty of professionals in the industry that have chosen not to pursue a career with the airlines for various reasons that have nothing to do with skeletons in their closets. That pay and schedule stuff you mentioned has stopped lots of pilots from going 121.

And for all the CFIs and guys building hours, you got to move to where the greener pastures are, if you're not willing to move, be willing to settle for never being able to make a career of aviation.

Picking your location comes with hours, and even then sometimes not.

 

[jordane93]

And for all the CFIs and guys building hours, you got to move to where the greener pastures are, if you're not willing to move, be willing to settle for never being able to make a career of aviation.

Picking your location comes with hours, and even then sometimes not.

Yea I plan on moving if I get on with the regionals. No way I can afford to live on a regional salary on Long Island.

 

[Hank S]

I am pretty set on staying in DSM until i have a more lucrative offer than i can pass on. That being said, a 3 hour drive could be doable on a weekend basis. I may be up for doing a long weekend every so often, say a Sat, Sun, and Mon.
Let me know if that could possibly work every other weekend or something.

Check the flight time from Io-way to Kneebraska. Even in a 172, it can't be much over an hour, can it? This will get you started with your buy-a-trainer-and-teach program, and provide some justification for the purchase.

Prolly a good idea to test the wats first and make sure you'll have the business to support the purchase. With a five year loan, it'll be like a car payment.

 

[jesse]

Check the flight time from Io-way to Kneebraska. Even in a 172, it can't be much over an hour, can it? This will get you started with your buy-a-trainer-and-teach program, and provide some justification for the purchase.

Prolly a good idea to test the wats first and make sure you'll have the business to support the purchase. With a five year loan, it'll be like a car payment.

Except it'll be a car that has a 3 to 4 thousand dollar insurance policy, a couple hundred a month parking bill, and a pile of thousands per year worth of maintenance. Of course, if you can get it flying a lot, you'll do ok

I would never buy a plane for training and insure it for such a setup unless I was confident I could bill at least 400 hours per year. Any less and you'll lose your ass, anything further and you might actually walk away with a good profit.