selecting a CFI to work with

[Clip4]

If I were looking for a good CFI, the first thing I would do is ask to look at the aircraft. They don’t have to be new, but they should have good avionics, good interiors and be clean. That’s the first clue the aircraft are reasonably maintained.

 

[Clip4]

Nor am I obligated to hire that flight school if they don’t allow it. In fact, such a prohibition would be an excellent reason to go elsewhere.

Any flight school around here knows there are a dozen or so schools in the region, not to mention all the independent CFIs. Competition makes them all quite accommodating with prospective students. A school or CFI with an attitude such as you suggest won’t last very long.

I think after Christmas you should call 3 random flight schools in the Orlando area, represent yourself as a prospective student and ask to schedule 3 of their CFIs for a 20 minutes each for a free interview and report back what they say. Don’t forget the part where you only want their 3 best CFIs.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Really? Did you interview your college professors before enrolling? How about the cooks at the restaurant before you ordered your meal? The mechanic who worked on your car?

Normally people who are interviewed are answering a job posting. CFIs working as employees for a flight school are no different. You are not entitled to interview them nor are they obligated to allow you to interview them.

If you get to interview me as a CFI it’s because you are hiring me as a contractor and we are going to discuss compensation and several other topics to determine you qualify.

Sounds like you and a lot of others read the word ”interview‘ and think of some formal process. And yes, some definitions say that, but others define it more as a one-on-one inquiry to determine suitability which can be done in a number of ways. The fact that sometimes you can’t doesn’t make the whole concept ridiculous.

I enrolled in a college, not a professor. And no I didn’t sit down with professors to determine whether I would take their course (well, once). But I did use course reviews and student feedback to choose most professors and courses after my first year.

I don’t have a one-on-one relationship with any cook when I go to a restaurant. Not the type of relationship where I care about their personality mesh with.

Yes, I‘ve spoken with a number of my mechanics before hiring them. And when I haven’t, similar to what I said earlier, I knew whether I would work with them after one experience.

And, before you ask, no, I won’t interview the lifeguard who swims out to save me.

If you get to interview me as a CFI, it’s because you asked. You might have to buy me coffee however.

 

[Half Fast]

I think after Christmas you should call 3 random flight schools in the Orlando area, represent yourself as a prospective student and ask to schedule 3 of their CFIs for a 20 minutes each for a free interview and report back what they say. Don’t forget the part where you only want their 3 best CFIs.

I did basically that before I started training, except I didn’t just call. I visited three schools, looked over the planes, spoke with the owners, talked to several instructors, and took lots of notes. And no, I didn’t forget to explain what I wanted in an instructor.

I did much the same when I began dive training many years ago. When I’m about to learn a skill that my life will depend upon I’m a bit choosy about the instructor.

You seem to view prospective students in the same vein as a customer walking into a Burger King (except they can’t have it their way), rather than viewing them as prospective clients. That’s your choice, but they have choices, too.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I did basically that before I started training, except I didn’t just call. I visited three schools, looked over the planes, spoke with the owners, talked to several instructors, and took lots of notes. And no, I didn’t forget to explain what I wanted in an instructor.

I did much the same when I began dive training many years ago. When I’m about to learn a skill that my life will depend upon I’m a bit choosy about the instructor.

You seem to view prospective students in the same vein as a customer walking into a Burger King (except they can’t have it their way), rather than viewing them as prospective clients. That’s your choice, but they have choices, too.

The availability of choices mean a lot. When I was in Colorado, there were three or four flight schools at the airport. I was often associated with more than one so I would sometimes get a call from prospective students about which one to go to. I would give them my impressions of the differences, which mostly came down to internal culture and scheduling issues, and recommend they do exactly what you did.

 

[Clip4]

I did basically that before I started training, except I didn’t just call. I visited three schools, looked over the planes, spoke with the owners, talked to several instructors, and took lots of notes. And no, I didn’t forget to explain what I wanted in an instructor.

I did much the same when I began dive training many years ago. When I’m about to learn a skill that my life will depend upon I’m a bit choosy about the instructor.

You seem to view prospective students in the same vein as a customer walking into a Burger King (except they can’t have it their way), rather than viewing them as prospective clients. That’s your choice, but they have choices, too.

Sure, you appeared unannounced at some schools and obtained basic information from what ever staff that was available to speak with you. For a get you into the door price, most will schedule you a ride in the plane with an instructor. If you choose an instructor who just happened to be available to speak to you or the on a demo ride with, great, but nothing you describe is interviewing the instructors to get who you believe is the best one.

 

[Ed Haywood]

I did basically that before I started training, except I didn’t just call. I visited three schools, looked over the planes, spoke with the owners, talked to several instructors, and took lots of notes. And no, I didn’t forget to explain what I wanted in an instructor.

That's a good approach. Thoroughness and diligence are almost always beneficial. I suspect your professional conduct is similar.

One caveat would be that what you need in an instructor may be different from what you think you need. Since you were new to aviation at the time, it's not like you had a refined understanding of what makes a flight instructor good.

 

[Clip4]

Sounds like you and a lot of others read the word ”interview‘ and think of some formal process. And yes, some definitions say that, but others define it more as a one-on-one inquiry to determine suitability which can be done in a number of ways. The fact that sometimes you can’t doesn’t make the whole concept ridiculous.

I enrolled in a college, not a professor. And no I didn’t sit down with professors to determine whether I would take their course (well, once). But I did use course reviews and student feedback to choose most professors and courses after my first year.

I don’t have a one-on-one relationship with any cook when I go to a restaurant. Not the type of relationship where I care about their personality mesh with.

Yes, I‘ve spoken with a number of my mechanics before hiring them. And when I haven’t, similar to what I said earlier, I knew whether I would work with them after one experience.

And, before you ask, no, I won’t interview the lifeguard who swims out to save me.

If you get to interview me as a CFI, it’s because you asked. You might have to buy me coffee however.

I may work at the only flight school with students on a waiting list due to not enough planes/CFIs and you cant select your CFI, but no free coffee? That’s a serious red flag.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I may work at the only flight school with students on a waiting list due to not enough planes/CFIs

LOL. I can guarantee you don't.

 

[Brad W]

Sure, you appeared unannounced at some schools and obtained basic information from what ever staff that was available to speak with you. For a get you into the door price, most will schedule you a ride in the plane with an instructor. If you choose an instructor who just happened to be available to speak to you or the on a demo ride with, great, but nothing you describe is interviewing the instructors to get who you believe is the best one.

I gotta say I think halfast has it more right. If I caught your sort of attitude when i called I'd surely be looking elsewhere too....unless there just was no other elsewhere!

I think what he described is most certainly an interview of sorts.

Thinking back to the school I did my training at, it seems there was usually a few of the instructors sitting around. Especially when the wx was a little too low for some of their primary students....or otherwise because of cancellations, somebody running a little late, or even while their student was out doing preflight or whatever. Often though, they'd be thwere anyway even if they had nobody scheduled, hoping for a walk in opportunity. Hang out there being an airport bum for a while on a saturday would give an opportunity to meet the instructors and just have a friendly chat. You can get a lot just by passing pleasantries, watching them checking in our out with their students, etc....
The recent flight school I mentioned in my original post here, just didn't seem to flow the same way. I hung out there a little while and talked very briefly to two other instructors, but they bounce in and out of teh main "pilot shop" room and would go to other areas in the building for their hanging out between students or whatever. it seemed that many of the instructors just weren't there if they have nobody booked

 

[DesertNomad]

I am a bit of the odd-one-out at the school I work out of. I am 51, have about 1400 hours and am not headed to the airlines. most of my hours are real-world flying my plane around the US (41 states), Bahamas, Mexico, Cuba, and Guatemala. I only take 2-3 students at a time. When a young pilot-to-be calls for flight training, they are usually paired with one of the CFIs who went zero to CFI in 300 hours and are counting hours to an airline job. That's fine. I prefer to be a bit selective about who I take on.

While I have had a few students interview me, I certainly like to interview the student before agreeing to take them on as well.

 

[murphey]

Sounds like you and a lot of others read the word ”interview‘ and think of some formal process. And yes, some definitions say that, but others define it more as a one-on-one inquiry to determine suitability which can be done in a number of ways. The fact that sometimes you can’t doesn’t make the whole concept ridiculous.

I enrolled in a college, not a professor. And no I didn’t sit down with professors to determine whether I would take their course (well, once). But I did use course reviews and student feedback to choose most professors and courses after my first year.

I don’t have a one-on-one relationship with any cook when I go to a restaurant. Not the type of relationship where I care about their personality mesh with.

Yes, I‘ve spoken with a number of my mechanics before hiring them. And when I haven’t, similar to what I said earlier, I knew whether I would work with them after one experience.

And, before you ask, no, I won’t interview the lifeguard who swims out to save me.

If you get to interview me as a CFI, it’s because you asked. You might have to buy me coffee however.

I have no problem scheduling and paying for a lesson to decide if I want to continue with that CFI.