Get my instructor cert or use money to time build

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CFI or not, you still have to time build. Either to stay current and proficient while you’re looking for a CFI job(which is pretty much non existent) Or to get to a point where an aerial survey or a 135 SIC gig lands on your laps.

Long story short, you need both.

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Scary_Revolution3998@reddit

The answer if you have money to blow is both. But the CFI needs to be a priority. You will naturally have to get some time in order to get the cert, and it will make you more marketable.

With so many CFIs on the market it makes you stand out in a bad way if you choose not to get it out of laziness trying to take the easy road. There are also a lot of people at mins already unable to get hired at the moment so while its true you may struggle to find a gig as a CFI, its also true that you will very likely struggle to find something after spending a ton of cash to time build.

If I were you I would get the CFI and continue to fly on the side under my own funds, assuming you have a lot of funs. If this is you just burning through a little extra margin that you have every month then I would just focus on the CFI and play the game. Invest the rest and don’t blow through a financial cushion that will be a huge asset to you in life.

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Former_Farm_3618@reddit

What’s your end goal? Airlines? Are you going to buy all your hours until someone hires you?

The CFI is very unique in that many of the tasks you can practice without an instructor. You can teach some friends unofficial….you’ll learn a fuck ton how to explain to them basic airman ship. All your ground is on you….the instructor you pay to fly with you is giving you pointers and not teaching you maneuvers so to speak. You just gotta be to PTS/ACS standards on everything. Do you need to pay someone to tell you about the 100’ off your off?

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Alternative_Pool_525@reddit (OP)

My end goal is Air Force, I just like GA.

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Former_Farm_3618@reddit

Interesting. That might change the decision to get a CFI vs just time. Now, I’d say if you time build then do it with a purpose. Meaning, hold yourself to some standards and keep trying to improve.

How are you at the crossroads of CFI still trying to go Air force? Are you in college? Also, how can you afford all that flying on the side.

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Alternative_Pool_525@reddit (OP)

Yes I’m at UMD AFROTC trying to compete for a pilot slot, I work as a security guard full time so I can study and still get paid. I want to do CFI because I heard it makes people more confident and sharp, but the idea of dropping couple thousands of the rating and not getting a job is a disturbing.

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Former_Farm_3618@reddit

It’s not the rating itself that is the biggest driver. What does your recruiter and selection panel think of someone who is that dedicated they get a CFI. That shows you are absolutely trainable and driven to do what you need. It can make you more sharp and a better pilot, true. But the greatest value is having options later.

The aviation industry is crazy cyclical. In 2 years it could be like gang busters again, it could also be way worse. You’re gonna be kicking yourself come that time you could have had a CFI job but now you’re just trying to get that rating before the door closes again.

Goodluck.

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Oregon-Pilot@reddit

You know the answer to the question lol it just sucks to hear it

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I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS@reddit

I come from a completely different aviation environment where the CFI step isn't really a thing, but it seems to me like it's a no-brainer to do it. How many hours do you realistically expect to be able to pay for in the next two years? Even if it takes you a year to find a CFI job I bet by the end of year 2 you'll have flown way more than you'd have managed by yourself, and you'll have been paid to do it. Why not build your own hours if you have the money while also looking for a CFI job? Then you get the best of both worlds.

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toraai117@reddit

One would massively improve your job opportunity’s and one would not at all unless you already have a job lined up contingent on said hours.

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justcallme3nder@reddit

What if I told you that getting CFI would ALSO build hours and get you more proficient? This is a no-brainer my guy(or girl). Get your CFI. If you think the job market is tough for CFIs...it's 10x more tough for sub 1000 hour commercial pilots with no instructor cert.

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Mr-Plop@reddit

Woah Woah there, what are you gonna tell me? You can get paid to teach?

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_-Cleon-_@reddit

looks at CFI job market

Er....can you, though?

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

The chances of getting a CFI job is this economy, is slim, use that money to invest into a high yield savings so you can still eat when you’re hurting for work.

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Alternative_Pool_525@reddit (OP)

I have a full time job and I pretty much paid for all my ratings out of pocket. I won’t starve (hopefully) if I don’t get a CFI job but it will suck

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Commercial-War1494@reddit

You say that. People in this industry are dumb as hell. They’ll move across the country for a CFI job, only to realize they have 2 students who cancel on them every other flight and they don’t get paid for their drive to the airport

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Alternative_Pool_525@reddit (OP)

Yea that sucks, I feel bad for them.. just trying to make it like the rest of us

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butterpig@reddit

Unless you can build 2000 hours, CFI

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DanThePilot_Mann@reddit

Back to this question again? Man, this industry truly is cyclical.

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Ill_Rush9159@reddit

Pay for time or get paid to build time.

I think you know what you’d choose. However getting the job is the biggest uphill battle at the moment.

Out of my graduating class only 30% of us are actively flying via instruction.

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DualRatedPilot@reddit

If you have the money to time build, you have the money to get your cfi…

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KehreAzerith@reddit

You're not getting a job without CFI even in a good hiring market

In conclusion: get your CFI

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CaptMcMooney@reddit

my opinion, might as well get the cfi anyway, hours are hours and this atleast gives you a goal.

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BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit

I mean, getting your CFI will require you to build more time. Seems like a no brainer.

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ltcterry@reddit

Assuming equal dollars, there isn’t a huge difference. The money you pay a CFI would give you just a few more hours. Maybe ten?

In the big scheme of things that’s insignificant. Then consider “I paid for it myself” is probably the least competitive time in your logbook; how is that going to qualify for a job?

Despite a hiring backlog, the most prevalent job out there requires instructor creds.

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Flyingredditburner44@reddit

Let me lay out your reasoning for you:

Jobs are tough, so instead of getting your CFI you self-eliminate completely.

You buy maybe 30-40 flight hours which mean nothing.

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Diligent_Digiridoo@reddit

CFI one million billion percent

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thefouthblindmouse@reddit

Both

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x4457@reddit

Another 20 hours is not going to move the needle at all.

Getting your CFI is a bare minimum requirement for employment at your stage. You think you're going to get a low time non-instructing job when you're competing with a bunch of unemployed CFIs also applying for those jobs?

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MehCFI@reddit

CFI, CFI, CFI, CFI.

Don’t be dumb go get your CFI

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

Like the title says, should I use my money to build more hours and get more proficient or get my CFI, this would be a no brainer 3-4 years ago but there’s a really low chance that I would even get a CFI job here so might as well just build more time, thoughts?

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