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Advice for getting back in the industry?


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Hi All,

 

I did PPL, CPL, IR, CFI back in '04-'06 time frame and did a small amount of time as a CFI, then left the industry after the fallout from Those People. I did some turbine time in '10 until school and work picked up too much. I'd like to get back in the industry. Yes, I remember that it's pay to play and my finances are good for that. And I'll be reading through the forums to mine what knowledge I can. Anyone have any general advice? I'd like to do some time-building, but wonder how to go about it. I've seen several offers here. Should I stick with one? Or spread the wealth across a few different air frames and operators? What about going to school for Ag training? (Which would clearly be career-path and not time-building...) I'm not hire-able now and won't be for quite a while. Should I being going to Heli Expo? I'm in Phoenix, AZ if anyone would like to go for coffee. Thanks in advance. I'll get back to reading now.

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Is your CFI current? I think your best bet is to get that renewed and start there. I believe Guidance Aviation uses R66 for some of their training. Maybe with a renewed CFI and your turbine time you will be a good candidate to work there.

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Get your credentials current to teach and fly, get your mind ready by getting into the books again, and do some more flying so that you have some recent experience and shake the rust off. After that you are just like all the other CFIs looking for work. Drive around, talk to people, try to get an interview.

 

Prescott has some schools, LA has many schools that are busy, Florida is also popular, Pacific NW too

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Hi All,

 

... I'd like to do some time-building, but wonder how to go about it. I've seen several offers here. Should I stick with one? Or spread the wealth across a few different air frames and operators? What about going to school for Ag training? ...

 

Time-building is a huge waste of, well,...time,...and money!

 

Employers don't care, and don't want to see, that you spent 50 or 100 hrs paying to do someone else's job, whether it be in a jet ranger, an enstrom, an r-44, etc... They also don't care about any "specialized" training you paid for! They want real world work experience plain and simple!,...and if you paid to do it, it isn't "real" commercial experience!

 

At least that's the impression I've gotten from them when they look at my time-building exploits.

 

Welcome back

:)

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My CFI is current in the legal sense (online courses), but not in the practical sense. My IR is expired. I'm planning on time-building to rebuild my skills, not because I think any potential future employer would be impressed with it. I'm sure it won't take long for it to come back and be good enough, but good enough doesn't cut it. I wouldn't be interested in trying to teach at my current level. And with the time-building I'll also be working on renewing my IR and then working towards CFII. I'd like to get back into CFI work.

 

I apologize if this sounds like a gloat; it is not meant as such. I could burn enough hours in the sky in time-building to potentially skip CFI-land, but I think that would not make me as strong a pilot, nor do think potential employers would be impressed. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my thought. Besides, I kind of enjoyed teaching.

 

I haven't been able to get in contact with Guidance Aviation, but I'll keep after them. Squeaky wheel and all.

 

I didn't do things the right way when I was young and stupid. I didn't research right, I didn't have my finances right. Now that I'm less-young, I'm going to do it right.

 

/edit slightly less braggart. Sorry.

Edited by Hombre
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I was in a very similar situation as you were last year and decided to start with Boatpix.com. Was able to go from 350 hours and 5 years away from flying to almost 1000 hours and a job teaching and doing photography in a summer season. If you wanna know more or just chat pm me and we can exchange phone numbers. Good Luck!

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Hi All,

 

I did PPL, CPL, IR, CFI back in '04-'06 time frame and did a small amount of time as a CFI, then left the industry after the fallout from Those People. I did some turbine time in '10 until school and work picked up too much. I'd like to get back in the industry. Yes, I remember that it's pay to play and my finances are good for that. And I'll be reading through the forums to mine what knowledge I can. Anyone have any general advice? I'd like to do some time-building, but wonder how to go about it. I've seen several offers here. Should I stick with one? Or spread the wealth across a few different air frames and operators? What about going to school for Ag training? (Which would clearly be career-path and not time-building...) I'm not hire-able now and won't be for quite a while. Should I being going to Heli Expo? I'm in Phoenix, AZ if anyone would like to go for coffee. Thanks in advance. I'll get back to reading now.

If you are not geographically challenged (able to relocate), find a busy school to get current in the R22 and finish the double-I…. If you play your cards right and the planets align, maybe, just maybe, you’ll get a job offer when you finish……. Ergo, don’t waste your time with “time-building” junkets. If you’re going to spend cash to fly, make sure that cash is paying for “experience-building” opportunities and not just rotation of a Hobbs meter……..

Edited by Spike
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If you can afford to rent and get your hours then by all means come on down to AZ, get your CFI and then take me out. You can practice teaching on me, I can fly a 22 for a bit, it's a win-win really.

 

Hell, I'll even endorse you to do your written test for hot air balloons and airships just as an added bonus!

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