Is weight going to be a big hindrance?

[BJH]

I want to start training as a CFI soon. However, I am 6'2" and weight 210-215 lbs. I am told I am too heavy for a lot of schools to be an instructor. So, I am concerned with how I am going to find employment as a CFI. Obviously, just like everyone else, I just want to get enough hours to work in the GOM.

 

Who else here is in my situation and is a CFI? What obstacles have you had to overcome? Anyone else, in the know, please respond as well.

 

Thanks

[captkirkyota]

I want to start training as a CFI soon. However, I am 6'2" and weight 210-215 lbs. I am told I am too heavy for a lot of schools to be an instructor. So, I am concerned with how I am going to find employment as a CFI. Obviously, just like everyone else, I just want to get enough hours to work in the GOM.

 

Who else here is in my situation and is a CFI? What obstacles have you had to overcome? Anyone else, in the know, please respond as well.

 

Thanks

 

Time to go on a diet bud, I was 287 last Aug. when I decided I wanted to be a pilot, went on a diet the next day and started working out. I am now down to 207 with a goal of 180-195, however low I can get, for the exact concern you are having. You can get CFI jobs over 200, but you are more easily employed under 200. Once you get done with CFI, you can let yourself relax a bit if you want. Good luck.

[BJH]

Time to go on a diet bud, I was 287 last Aug. when I decided I wanted to be a pilot, went on a diet the next day and started working out. I am now down to 207 with a goal of 180-195, however low I can get, for the exact concern you are having. You can get CFI jobs over 200, but you are more easily employed under 200. Once you get done with CFI, you can let yourself relax a bit if you want. Good luck.

 

The diet would be the easy part. The problem is my build and height. At 205 pounds, my high school weight 17 years ago, I'm pretty lean. I don't know that I can get below 200lbs unless I can cut muscle mass as well. I guess lots of running and no heavy weights over time would do it.

[BJH]

Time to go on a diet bud, I was 287 last Aug. when I decided I wanted to be a pilot, went on a diet the next day and started working out. I am now down to 207 with a goal of 180-195, however low I can get, for the exact concern you are having. You can get CFI jobs over 200, but you are more easily employed under 200. Once you get done with CFI, you can let yourself relax a bit if you want. Good luck.

 

By the way; outstanding job with your weight loss. You must feel great!

[Gomer Pylot]

In the GOM, or as a CFI, or anywhere, every pound of pilot weight is a pound of payload lost. Given two pilots with equal qualifications, one weighing 150 and the other 200, the lighter pilot will be hired almost every time. 200 seems to be the cutoff, and that's 200 lb ready to fly, not in just your whitey-tightys. Employers use many discriminators to determine who to hire, and weight is one of them. Get used to it, it will always be there.

[captkirkyota]

By the way; outstanding job with your weight loss. You must feel great!

 

Thanks. Yes, it feels good to be getting back down to what I used to weigh. I always knew how to get there, it was just hard to make myself do it after so many years. Once I decided to do this it was on track and don't look back for me.

 

Yes you could just reduce your protein intake and hit the cardio only, plus most people will lose quite a bit of weight if they drink at least one gallon of water a day or more. I drink 1.5 a day of water and some nasty teas right now. ( I'm on my 10,000th different food phase so as to keep my body confused. This particular phase is severely extreme as I was on a plateau at 220 for about 8 months, so I'm doing something that is hardcore, but is supposed to transform my bodies weight set point. )

Figure out what your lean body mass is, what you weigh if you were at 0% body fat, then multiply by .90. That is about how many grams of protein a day you need to eat to maintain your muscle, reduce it to about 65% and cut carbs and sugars completely for about 1-3 weeks is all you should really need and do an hour cardio 3-6 days a week and you'll drop weight in no time, a lot of it will be fat you do not realize you have, then after you get to a weight you want, go to the .90 number of protein for a week, then to 110% for a week, stop the intense cardio for a week and then add back in the carbs and such gradually for the next week, then reduce your protein back to the .90 number for what should be your maintain muscle. After all this your weight should be right at or very close to what it was when you got down to your goal and then you can just maintain that weight till your done instructing, then hit the gym to put back on the few lbs of muscle you lost.

You can even try first to keep your protein normal and just reduce carbs and sugars for a week or 2 with the cardio, if you lose 1-5 lbs a week, don't bother to reduce your protein and what your losing will be water and fat weight. Remember, something like 60%-ish of a lb of fat is watery oily mixture.

[BJH]

In the GOM, or as a CFI, or anywhere, every pound of pilot weight is a pound of payload lost. Given two pilots with equal qualifications, one weighing 150 and the other 200, the lighter pilot will be hired almost every time. 200 seems to be the cutoff, and that's 200 lb ready to fly, not in just your whitey-tightys. Employers use many discriminators to determine who to hire, and weight is one of them. Get used to it, it will always be there.

 

So you're saying that one will not find many pilots in the GOM that weigh over 200lbs? I was under the impression that weight was not as much of a factor for the turbine aircaft in the GOM.

[Gomer Pylot]

Weight is always a factor. There are certainly a few hogbodies in the GOM, and heavy pilots can be hired. All I'm saying is that all else being equal, a lighter pilot will be hired before a heavier one. If I'm flying, I want a lighter copilot, because I prefer another hundred pounds of kerosene, not meat. In the GOM, you determine the weight of the aircraft/crew, the weight of the load, and load fuel to max gross weight. If it's not enough fuel, you drop payload until you get down to max gross weight. If that means dropping a passenger, the customer isn't going to be happy, but they live with it, at least for awhile. I've known of customers forcing the company to remove a pilot from their contract because of his weight, and the company isn't happy about having to do that. The difference between a light crew and a heavy crew is often a passenger every flight, and that adds up. Just because it's a large turbine doesn't mean crew weight isn't an issue.

[BJH]

Weight is always a factor. There are certainly a few hogbodies in the GOM, and heavy pilots can be hired. All I'm saying is that all else being equal, a lighter pilot will be hired before a heavier one. If I'm flying, I want a lighter copilot, because I prefer another hundred pounds of kerosene, not meat. In the GOM, you determine the weight of the aircraft/crew, the weight of the load, and load fuel to max gross weight. If it's not enough fuel, you drop payload until you get down to max gross weight. If that means dropping a passenger, the customer isn't going to be happy, but they live with it, at least for awhile. I've known of customers forcing the company to remove a pilot from their contract because of his weight, and the company isn't happy about having to do that. The difference between a light crew and a heavy crew is often a passenger every flight, and that adds up. Just because it's a large turbine doesn't mean crew weight isn't an issue.

 

I understand. You're already where I want to be; a professional pilot. Based on your information, I'm concerned about my weight. With my height and muscular structure, I haven't been less than 200lbs since my sophomore year in high school. I was about 215lbs then and in great shape, as most teenagers playing sports are. My question to you is, based on your experience, if I can maintain a 205lb weight will I present a significant problem to my employer in the GOM? Your advice is appreciated.

[Gomer Pylot]

I don't think it will be a significant problem. You'll be a little behind the lighter pilots, but that doesn't mean you can't get a job. How you present yourself at an interview is probably more important. Weight is just one of many factors, and probably not the most important one, but being over 200 lb isn't an asset. Hopefully you have other assets that will cover for this one.

[Goldy]

You can always teach 120 pound students in Japan, ..or maybe specialize in teaching young skinny females only?

 

OK, sexist comments aside. So what, yes you are 220 or whatever...my first CFI was 220, he made chief pilot a year later, and has flown ever since for one of the largest TV stations in LA. Yes, I could see where weight could hinder you, but so could a lot of other factors. Focus on being a great pilot and move on. There is also another thread asking what everybody's height / weight is. Pretty amazing how many professional helo pilots are 6-3 or bigger, and all over 200 pounds.

[jehh]

I want to start training as a CFI soon. However, I am 6'2" and weight 210-215 lbs. I am told I am too heavy for a lot of schools to be an instructor. So, I am concerned with how I am going to find employment as a CFI. Obviously, just like everyone else, I just want to get enough hours to work in the GOM.

 

Who else here is in my situation and is a CFI? What obstacles have you had to overcome? Anyone else, in the know, please respond as well.

 

Thanks

 

I was 200 lbs when I taught in R-22s, so it can be done. As others have said, many things can stand in your way, weight is one of them, fear is another.

 

If you were 270lbs, that would be another matter, however at 215lbs, I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over it. Yes, some people will not hire you, but others will. Be willing to put in that extra effort and you'll be fine.

[BJH]

Thanks to all for the straight forward, honest and positive replies. I will focus on being the best pilot I can and hopefully with my other attributes; working in the business world for so many years, weight will be less of an issue.

[nicepants]

In the GOM, or as a CFI, or anywhere, every pound of pilot weight is a pound of payload lost. Given two pilots with equal qualifications, one weighing 150 and the other 200, the lighter pilot will be hired almost every time. 200 seems to be the cutoff, and that's 200 lb ready to fly, not in just your whitey-tightys. Employers use many discriminators to determine who to hire, and weight is one of them. Get used to it, it will always be there.

 

 

Hallelujah.....I have found my calling.

 

Seems like no matter WHAT I eat I can never gain any weight! I'm 5'10" and the heaviest I've ever gotten was about 170, and that was with working out and TRYING to bulk up! Can't wait to see the performance increase when my large-framed CFI isn't in the left seat.

 

ETA: My instructor weighs 200...hasn't been a problem for him, just means we can't carry full tanks.

Edited September 13, 2007 by nicepants

[BJH]

Hallelujah.....I have found my calling.

 

Seems like no matter WHAT I eat I can never gain any weight! I'm 5'10" and the heaviest I've ever gotten was about 170, and that was with working out and TRYING to bulk up! Can't wait to see the performance increase when my large-framed CFI isn't in the left seat.

 

ETA: My instructor weighs 200...hasn't been a problem for him, just means we can't carry full tanks.

 

I assume you're training in the R22?