Patience can pay off - first ever paid hour of my Commercial pilot career!!

flhrci

Final Approach
Joined
Jan 26, 2007
Messages
5,932
Location
Groveport, OH
Display Name

Display name:
David
I went to the FBO I have been a CFI for over the last three weeks to do some plane washing for some cash that I need really badly. The owner said he had some god news for me. He had a gentleman coming in that needed a refresher in the 172R for confidence and I was to fly with him. I finally got my first paid hour of flight time as a Commercial Pilot and CFI! Woohoo! I finally feel like a CFI! And my certificates were finally worth something to me today.

I felt really good when the gentleman told me that I had some good tips for him to work on his approaches to landing a little more. I also showed him how to use the autopilot with and without the GPS and the radios/intercom. He did not remember how to use the radios in this plane and had never used a autopilot before.

Even though he is not a regular student of mine, but of a CFII that was not available today, I felt like I did a good job and that I helped him out. The feeling is very rewarding knowing that you taught someone something, that they learned from you. I have not had this feeling since I was an instructor in the Navy in the early 90’s.

The economy is probably affecting me getting new students, but that will change eventually. The other full-time CFI can no longer accept any more students as he got a SIC job of some kind and will be scaling back to part-time instruction. So, that is definitely in my favor. I get the next few students through the door. The downside is the insurance company is limiting me to the two 172’s for now till I get 50 hours of dual instruction done, then they will add on other aircraft and I will be more flexible.

I also got to do some networking and may be able to get I non the ground floor of a new seaplane business forming here in Ohio of all places. The gentleman I spoke with is the local DE. HE bought a Lake Amphibian which is nearly ready to be brought up to Ohio. I do not know too many details but he is offering to teach me the seaplane rating and I suppose do the check ride. I do not know if this would be a conflict of interest or not.

And, I also got a lead on a potential flying position at the opposite end of the hangar for aerial photography. I am going to go check out hat opportunity tomorrow most likely as I was too messy today from the plane wash.

I did get one plane done after 2.5 hours and I made $10 an hour on it. 4 more to wash soon.

The local EAA chapter is having a fly-in pancake breakfast on Saturday which may be another opportunity to network. Maybe all my patience is finally starting to pay off. Today I made about $51 for roughly 5 hours of my time. Pretty good! The future can only get better from here.

I really appreciate my friends here at POA for helping me to keep going through one of the roughest periods of my life

Thank you!

David
 
Another POA'er, flying out of the same airport I do, and I didn't even realize it... Too bad I work on Saturday, or I'd buy you pancakes! :)

Congrats on the CFI and your first student!

Thanks!

I fly out of OSU or KDLZ now. We will have to meet up some day.

David
 
David, that's awesome. I can identify with how great it feels to actually be teaching and even better when you can begin to make a living at it.

So far, I'm up to eleven students with five of them flying twice or more a week. Three of them are high-up professionals between an ops manager for a shipping company, an engineering/construction company owner and an oil company executive. Who would have guessed I'd find that last one around here? :)

Then, yesterday I had a guy and his wife come in for a discovery ride. CFI's are not paid for those. He had taken a ride with the big school on the field and said he barely flew the plane though he was amused by the signs at the school saying, "Speak English." He's a fireman but apparently doing well between himself and his nurse/wife who used to fly with the air-med helos next door.

I spent nearly an hour with him at no cost to him and no pay for me. We got all his questions answered then I asked him if he still wanted a discovery ride or just start taking lessons. He chose the lesson. We started with basics and his wife joined us as a backseat passenger. Out of 1.2 aloft, he flew at least 90% of it. It makes no sense to pay for something and not be allowed the freedom to figure out how you'll adapt if the CFI is doing most of the flying. He did quite well.

I had to cover a student XC for another CFI right after that so I was back out the door after I finished a tidbit of post-flight time with him. When I returned, I learned that new student had placed $8,000 on account to pay for his lessons. That's a huge boost to my confidence and a nice pay-off for giving away my time previously. And, it's a far cry from where I saw myself just a short month ago.

I'm the last one who deserves such as this. David, if it can happen for me then I know it can happen for you. Hang in there!
 
GO DAVE!!! Congrats!

Now get some more students!
 
D3, that's a great report. Networking is so critical; you're smart getting in that mode right from the start. Even hanging around the airport to wash planes will put you there when the unexpected opportunity walks in. We're rooting for you!
 
...will put you there when the unexpected opportunity walks in.
Dave was persistent.

I sure found that to be true. I did not give enough credit to the "small school" or FBO opportunities when I began looking. First, one came along that was interested but couldn't take me on for a few months. That was disappointing. Then, one even better comes along and even then I didn't have a lot of faith in the opportunity.

I got lucky...

Luck: Opportunity met with preparation.

I can't count the number of times I lost out because I was not prepared.
 
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