Move and lose CFI job?
Posted by FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 25 comments
I'm on the fence here. I currently live in New England, and hate it. I make decent money though, and that's important for me rn because I have a 1 yr old and a GF that's back in college. I'm also a part-time CFI at my local airport building hours so I can make the jump to full-time piloting once an opportunity presents. I'm at 800+ hours, and I want to go full-time CFI, but the loss in salary would be tough with a child. One of the guys on the field does 135 stuff and will occasionally let me ride with him to pick up multi hours on the dead legs, which is nice too.
Me and my GF are both from places outside of NE, so we have no family here. I have an offer at my job to transfer to NC, which we have lived in and love, and have immediate family and friends. I'd really like to take it, but leaving here, I would lose my CFI job. My salary would go a lot further down there too. I'm only building 35-45 hours per month here, and less through the trashy winters here. At least it's something though! With the difficulty people are having finding CFI jobs, I feel like I'd be without for a bit.
Another angle I'm looking at is I'm hoping to purchase a house in the not so distant future. Buying here would be expensive, but I am in between Boston and NY area airports, which could be helping for commuting if I make it to the 121 world. In NC, it'd be a lot cheaper to buy, and I'd have close access to CLT.
Looking for some opinions.. GF is supportive either way.. Should I hold on to my CFI job here until I get enough hours to be competitive for a job? Or ship off to NC and risk not finding a flying job for a bit? I'm really on the fence because I 'm commited to becoming a full-time pilot, but also would love the QOL increase by getting the hell out of here lol.
MrAflac9916@reddit
Are you r-atp or do you need 1500? I wouldn’t quit a job just a few months before hitting 1000
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
I need the 1500 :/
deer_god11@reddit
Next couple years will fly by. No pun intended.
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Lol I hope so!
mild-blue-yonder@reddit
It ain’t that bad. Take the job in NC and look for new flying gigs as soon as you can.
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Don't think so? Seems pretty rough. Though, I did bypass a stack of resumes for this job by going in and chatting with the chief cfi lol
mild-blue-yonder@reddit
You did it once, you can probably do it again.
BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit
This doesn't really sound like flying advice. You're asking anonymous redditors to help you make your life decisions. You need to decide what's important to you and what's best for your family. We can't choose your path for you. Be the PIC of your life.
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
I like the letting anonymous redditors make my life decisions. Then I can blame you all when they fail lol. I will always choose what's best for my family.. if one was worse than the other for them, it would be a no brainer. But.. as-is, the pros and cons are fairly equal for both.
Tight_Ear888@reddit
“Be the PIC of your life” I’m bouta start using that
BRZMonkey@reddit
You see how many post on here about not getting gigs? A CFI with experience is less desired than a fresh one because you're an interview away from leaving. Get your hours & airline gig and dip. You might have to move eventually anyways because there's no guaranteed you might get based out of NC.
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Yeahh, it looks tough out there rn lol
Responsible__Bag@reddit
Stay in NE with the CFI job. 35-45 hrs per month is great just being a part time CFI while having a full time job. Plus you’re making more money there too. Don’t buy a house just rent
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Definitely some tiring days, but, it is what it is lol. Would like to rent a house here, but prices are crazy. I could move to a less desirable area, but that also decreases my QOL lol
BeeDubba@reddit
Hiring is hard, both for CFI gigs and 121. I wouldn't give up on a sure thing. Two sure things, given that you have both a decent income and a CFI gig.
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Well the income would be a sure thing. It would remain the same, which makes it worth more down south.. but no guaranteed instructor job lol
ltcterry@reddit
Where in NC are you looking?
Broader financial well being is probably more important than thinking a flying career is right around the corner.
I’m impressed with your progress and commitment to work. ~50 hours a month is 500-600/year. Nothing to sneeze at.
You bring experience to any job applications.
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Thanks! Job would be in Winston, but I'd travel and be flexible a CFI spot lol. I'm not in a bad financial simulation here, but my salary would care over and it'd be better down there lol. I feel like there are a lot of 135 options up here, but that's maybe just because I'm less familiar with the 135 stuff down south.
Healthy-Sort-7293@reddit
There is something about NOT having a flying job that is a major locked door for some companies. I was furloughed for many years and the flying job matrix was in the toilet. When I finally got a job, the phone started ringing. This does not answer your question directly but its something to store away in the back of your brain.
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Yeah, makes sense! That's part of the reason why I don't want to give up my CFI job
brongchong@reddit
Fly fly fly. Stay put. Sounds like you’re getting hours, and done excellent free multi. Keep grinding. Do you make $150K at your job? You will at a regional on year two.
Stay focused. Fly as much as you can.
TornadoTim60@reddit
Excuse me, what regional is paying 150K to FOs on year 2?
Year 3 at WOs right now is 114/hr, and for some (or all?) of them that’s set to expire in December and could whipsaw back to contractual rates, which are 67% of what everyone there is getting paid now.
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Ouch. That would suck
FlyingThrowawayHey@reddit (OP)
Lol not 150k.. but yeah.. that's what I'm thinking.. stay put and sacrifice for the hours
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I'm on the fence here. I currently live in New England, and hate it. I make decent money though, and that's important for me rn because I have a 1 yr old and a GF that's back in college. I'm also a part-time CFI at my local airport building hours so I can make the jump to full-time piloting once an opportunity presents. I'm at 800+ hours, and I want to go full-time CFI, but the loss in salary would be tough with a child. One of the guys on the field does 135 stuff and will occasionally let me ride with him to pick up multi hours on the dead legs, which is nice too.
Me and my GF are both from places outside of NE, so we have no family here. I have an offer at my job to transfer to NC, which we have lived in and love, and have immediate family and friends. I'd really like to take it, but leaving here, I would lose my CFI job. My salary would go a lot further down there too. I'm only building 35-45 hours per month here, and less through the trashy winters here. At least it's something though! With the difficulty people are having finding CFI jobs, I feel like I'd be without for a bit.
Another angle I'm looking at is I'm hoping to purchase a house in the not so distant future. Buying here would be expensive, but I am in between Boston and NY area airports, which could be helping for commuting if I make it to the 121 world. In NC, it'd be a lot cheaper to buy, and I'd have close access to CLT.
Looking for some opinions.. GF is supportive either way.. Should I hold on to my CFI job here until I get enough hours to be competitive for a job? Or ship off to NC and risk not finding a flying job for a bit? I'm really on the fence because I 'm commited to becoming a full-time pilot, but also would love the QOL increase by getting the hell out of here lol.
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