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Ever see a familiar face at the interview?


Black Bear

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Over the years I have read many posts about the industry and how the standard is to become a CFI then train others to become a CFI, in order to build the time needed to advance your career. I get that. But I have two questions, 1. In such a small industry, with sometimes limited opportunities, how do you deal with the fact that as a CFI, you are creating your own competition? 2. During your career, as you have changed jobs within the industry, as I'm sure some have, have you ever been beaten out by one of your students and if so, how did that make you feel? Pissed off because you were betting on a career advancement for the sake of your family, for example, or were you proud because you know you produced a good pilot? Maybe this is an unusual scenario, but I'm willing to bet that with a market flooded with CFI's this will someday be a common occurrence. Feel free to share you thoughts.

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An instructor should take pride in his "children" and their success, they are a prodigy of your hard work and should not be solely a means to an end to obtain your hours. I have enjoyed hearing from students and seeing them succeed in the industry and maybe someday they will be in positions to do the interview on me.

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It happens all the time. Also though, Students help get old instructors jobs and visa versa. Sone students become the CP of their old instructors. Everybody goes different paths but are are playing the same game in the industry. Once a pilot is qualified it doesn't matter who taught who. Both pilots are qualified.

 

Don't bet on career advancement until it has happened. Whether it's a promotion or new job you're looking for, you can't count on it 'til it's happening.

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The CFI has 300hrs his student reaches 200 and gets hired on as a CFI a the same school. Over the next year and a half they both compete over students. The former students is lighter?/more likeable? who knows, but he gets more students than his former CFI. Then they both reach 500hrs at the same time, go on a road trip, and apply to an R44 tour gig together.

 

The former student gets hired and a year later is flying turbines in the Ditch, while the CFI is looking for another teaching gig because the school closed down!

 

How would you feel if you were that CFI?

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I worked for a company that brought a new-hire class on of about 20 pilots. I happened to walk into the room where the groundschool was being held, and a pilot I knew was in the class. He'd been a major trouble maker. He was borderline psychotic. He'd broken into and stolen from a former employer, and I'd seen him in the custody of police, screaming and yelling. Now he was about to bring his brand of trouble to my employer.

 

We made eye contact. There was a brief moment as he tried to place the face. Then his head slowly went down to his desk. I didn't say anything. Just left the room. The next day I was told he quit, unexpectedly. I never did report him, and didn't have to. He deselected himself.

 

I'm not a fan of people being hired based on knowing someone. It's the way many move around in aviation; networking their way to the top. I view it with contempt. I've no use for someone who got hired not because they were the best for the job, but because they name-dropped and got-to-knkow-you'd their way to the top.

 

You're right, you may run into someone you know in an interview, for better or worse, but one would hope that doesn't influence the outcome of the interview.

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The CFI has 300hrs his student reaches 200 and gets hired on as a CFI a the same school. Over the next year and a half they both compete over students. The former students is lighter?/more likeable? who knows, but he gets more students than his former CFI. Then they both reach 500hrs at the same time, go on a road trip, and apply to an R44 tour gig together.

 

The former student gets hired and a year later is flying turbines in the Ditch, while the CFI is looking for another teaching gig because the school closed down!

 

How would you feel if you were that CFI?

How is this different than any other job where people pass up their former mentors and trainers?

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Oh, ... in THIS industry? Thats what Im saying, in any industry, trainers can and do get passed up by trainees. It is by no means specific to aviation and certainly not helicopters.

 

Well sure, I suppose the guy I trained on the fryelator could become the manager a year later while I'm still stuck putting ketchup on the burgers? I wouldn't feel too great about it though!

 

What industry other than aviation has training newbees as the entry level job (requiring a teaching cert)?

Edited by pilot#476398
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What good does a 200-800 hour lead give you?

The skills that make you a good pilot are not the same skills that are required to make somone a good leader, or instructor. It happens all the time where a pilot with a few thousand hours and good leadership and instructing skills gets a CP over a 10 or even 20,000 pilot that just wants to fly and doesnt want to deal with the other stuff.

 

Promotions should be based on what you are good at, not how thick your logbook is.

A lot of pilots in this industry do not want any part of management jobs. And some managers dont want any part of flying anymore.

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