New here- training questions

[Schulte]

Hello everybody,

I've been browsing around the forum for a while now but I just joined as a member. seems like a great way to talk to people already involved in the helicopter world.

 

Anyways, a little background to my situation, I am a sophomore in college, I have private pilot ASEL with an instrument rating. I did an into flight in a helicopter almost a year ago and since I have been keenly interested in switching. Where I live, there are two flight schools that I could practically go to- one is kind of a "mom and pop" deal, smaller school, part 61, that offers training through CFII. The nice thing about this school is that its about 30 minutes away from where I live. The other is a part 141 flight school, about twice as far-making it much more impractical. I have visited both. The 141 school seems to hire most of their previous students (note I am not assuming guaranteed employment through this school, just a thought).

 

I guess my question is how hard is it to land that first CFI job? In the fixed wing world it doesn't seem to difficult for a well-adjusted and proficient CFI but I have read a few threads on here about CFIIs not being able to find work. Should I go to the flight school that offers a higher possibility of employment post-CFII, despite the fact that it is much more inconvenient between now and my CFII ticket? The fact that it's over an hour away means that with my work schedule, I probably won't be able to get there as often so the training might take me a bit longer.

 

Thanks for your input everybody

[kodoz]

I did an into flight in a helicopter almost a year ago and since I have been keenly interested in switching.

Welcome to helicopters. They're much more fun than airplanes.

 

 

The 141 school seems to hire most of their previous students

The math doesn't work out for schools to hire "all" or "most" CFI graduates for flight training. Ask them directly how many they hire and what happens to the ones who don't get hired. Ask them what they look for in the instructors they hire (beware of generic qualifications like "professionalism") and compare that to their current staff.

 

 

...how hard is it to land that first CFI job?

If you don't get hired by the school you trained at, it can be difficult or impossible to find a job as a flight instructor.

 

 

Should I go to the flight school that offers a higher possibility of employment post-CFII, despite the fact that it is much more inconvenient between now and my CFII ticket?

If one school really does offer a better chance for you to get a job, go there. It might not be the 141 school.

 

Another thing to consider is that if you can't move around for school or work, you chances of making a career of flying are going to suffer.

[Aviation Audiobooks]

I agree with Schulte... You should go to both schools and ask them about the prospects of hiring you at their operation as a CFII when your training is done. You may find that the Mom and Pop outfit could be more direct in answering you, and may also need a CFII down the road. Just a thought. Good luck and welcome to helicopters!

[Spike]

Go to the school which provides you with the best opportunity for employment after graduating. A couple clues are; number of machines, instructors and students. It’s simply a numbers game… The higher the number of each category, the better your chances……

[RagMan]

Go to the school which provides you with the best opportunity for employment after graduating. A couple clues are; number of machines, instructors and students. It’s simply a numbers game… The higher the number of each category, the better your chances……

 

Being a Part-141 school, if they are not already approved for the Post 9/11 GI Bill through the Veterans Affairs, my guess is that they probably will be within the next couple of years. That seems to be the ticket for flight schools to survive really well nowadays. That brings along a bunch of positive things with it: Greater student flow to the school, more inbound money, greater need for more instructors, more aircraft availability, etc.

Edited March 26, 2012 by RagMan