Pathway to Becoming an Airline Pilot: Is CFI Worth It?
Posted by ketcapmayonezz@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 26 comments
Is working as a CFI actually valuable for becoming an airline pilot, or does it just slow down the process? Do airlines value CFI experience?
Worried-Ebb-1699@reddit
1,2, skip a few 99, 1,500hours.
Wow! You did it!
Kidding. Don’t be that guy.
Hours earned are what matter most.
JPAV8R@reddit
lol. This has to be a troll post to get the CFI or GFYS crowd ginned up.
As a 121 pilot who never had to sit next to a student while they tried to get me violated or killed I’m here for the drama.
MangledX@reddit
I said the same thing. The rage bait factor is on high status at this point. Would you at least agree that the 100 dollar hamburger time builder guys will at least have a harder time getting through the door with their 'first' professional job as a pilot being direct to a 121 or 135 operation?
JPAV8R@reddit
For sure. To be fair I wasn’t a hamburger hunter. I just found a job that had a component of time building and I was hired within that company to fly a jet at a total time that was industry low but insurance acceptable. Once I got my hooks into the 91/135 jet scene it was off to the races.
When I was ready to trade on the Caribbean for the worldwide stuff I left the private jets behind.
MangledX@reddit
Nice. Yeah, I typically only scoff at the people who buy the C150 and plan to timebuild their way to a right seat in a regional jet. I've heard stories of some folks making it work, but generally hear that the time builder only crowd typically struggles big time with the training and aren't nearly as aviation savvy as their counterparts because they've never worked an actual job in aviation.
JPAV8R@reddit
100% the time I spent as a PIC of a business jet with minimal office support, doing my own flight plans, fuel planning, performance calculations, and arranging customs. It worth way more than babysitting folks in the pattern.
I see the value in instruction. You’d be insane to think I didn’t do my fair share of it with my low time SICs.
That being said if I had a dollar for every time a 2021-2023 CFI to 121 pilot said something that highlighted their inexperience in real world operations I could afford to fly GA again.
MangledX@reddit
Ah, yes. I knew some instructors personally who made it in the great rush of 2023 and to this day I still don't even know how that happened.
jet-setting@reddit
Slow down the process?
Compared to what? Sounds like you have a whole lot more you need to learn about the realities of life before airline hiring is in your cards.
juusohd@reddit
In US, mandatory, in Europe, not important.
Warrior_witha_Garden@reddit
Nah. There are other ways to build time. I never did it and I fly professionally. Got friends who never did it too. Glider , survey , pipeline , jumping , rich daddy , etc
JPAV8R@reddit
Weird you’re getting downvoted.
Calling it mandatory means you think there isn’t a 121 pilot out there without a CFI. It’s simply not true.
juusohd@reddit
Yes, but the other options either require money most don´t have or super lucky connections. Incresingly inlikely.
But sure you can get those jobs by not being a CFI either.
JPAV8R@reddit
I can’t believe I’m going to say this…
I think people are becoming increasingly impatient about getting into their dream career. Yeah fastest route is the CFI work for a pilot mill get into a regional blah blah blah.
When I started it wasn’t uncommon for people to take multiple routes to the gig it could take years.
For me it started as a fueler at an airport with a large biz jet inventory. The 135s and 91s pilots and operations staff got to know me because I was friendly and reliable. I would chat up the crews and get to know folks.
When one of those places was looking for an office worker, they remembered me they also remembered my aspirations for flight. As I proved myself reliable and a good fit and helped/built time with a company owned SE aircraft I finally got a flying job.
A few interviews with neighboring companies and neighboring airports and I was able to improve my salary and eventually 135 PIC. Then a 91 jet for a family. Then airlines.
My parents are lower middle class not from the state I was flying in. No connections, just willing to work hard and be valuable.
Was my path longer than the friends of mine who could take a CFI job and then a $20,000 a year regional job?
Yeah… But I loved my path
Warrior_witha_Garden@reddit
I saved for 14 years lol. Yeah I meet those guys all the time. Unhappy students, turn into unhappy CFIs then FOs.so on and so forth. I would have done it but it was the Lowest priority for me. So I did a bunch of other things and zero regrets. Everyone’s in a race to go be alone in a hotel room. Been there done that.
Warrior_witha_Garden@reddit
Other than being rich and buying the hours which isn’t recommended unless your dad has a multi or turbine, met a guy who got all his hours that way and got hired. The poors don’t have that option. So people who get “lucky” grind and work for hours. It’s doable and you can get hours fast. This sub is full of examples
Warrior_witha_Garden@reddit
Welcome to Aviation. Can’t wait till these fuckers die off. The culture is terrible crabs in a barrel.
PrayForWaves117@reddit
The only 2 people in my regional new hire class that weren’t cfi’s were military.
Elcapitano2u@reddit
After you pass your commercial check ride put in your app at Delta, much faster that way.
MangledX@reddit
"bUt I'm a cOmMerShhhUl pILoT!!!"
EliteEthos@reddit
Nah bud. You don’t need CFI… I’m sure you’ll be ok.
Don’t bother searching for this topic… it’s NEVER discussed here.
/s
SierraHotel84@reddit
Not this shit again.
CluelessPilot1971@reddit
The question is "As opposed to what"?
If option #2 is flying a jet, initially as SIC and then PIC, go for the jet.
If option #2 is finding a cheap C150, rent it with a friend and hood-time-split for 1500 hours, they'd appreciate a CFI more.
Fly_Navy@reddit
It’s not the only way, but it is the most common.
How else will you get hours? At 250 hours with a fresh CPL a very small amount of places will even think about hiring you.
RealP4@reddit
lol arguably the rating that’s the most worth it. You can get lucky and get other jobs but for like idk 95% of people CFI is the way to go
KCPilot17@reddit
How else do you plan on building hours?
rFlyingTower@reddit
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Is working as a CFI actually valuable for becoming an airline pilot, or does it just slow down the process? Do airlines value CFI experience?
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