Feeling hopeless
Posted by Rude_West_8967@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 25 comments
I really hate making this post because I never thought I’d be in my current position to even outwardly express being stuck in a rut but I am stumped. Last October I graduated from a large 141 school with my CFI/CFII. Since then I have not been able to find instructing jobs or anything stable and I’m starting to worry. I did try teaching at a small 61 school but all 4 prospects I had fell through and I realized I’m a horrible salesman. This is going to sound odd but I was working as a line tech at a small FBO and this company also runs a Part 135 operation and because I was such a good worker and had my certs they started using me right seat on trips in their airplanes. Which sounds nice right? Well no not really. I can’t log the time because it’s single pilot ops with no type rating so it’s really just to make a little extra money but even the 135 flying has dried up for me because the trips have slowed down. So idk what to do. I’m not one of those guys that is in the airline rat race to get to 1500. I want to stay 91/135, so I’m just wanting to find a stable job doing ANYTHING. I’ve applied to aerial photography, pipeline, 141 schools, and 135 companies just to humor myself and nothing. Not even rejection letters I just don’t get a response. Is anyone else having issues too? Or is it just me?
NoNewBalances@reddit
Have you tried quitting
Rude_West_8967@reddit (OP)
Well…. Yeah but then I’d be just like you lol.
i_own_5_cats@reddit
same boat man, cfi/cfii here and my first 61 gig dried up in like 2 months, then i bounced between random ferry and right seat stuff i couldnt log. only thing that helped was cold calling every school and showing up in person. it’s insanely hard to find anything steady right now, feels like nobody’s hiring
Rude_West_8967@reddit (OP)
How does one get into the ferrying business? I would love to move planes around. Hell I’d do it for free if it meant logging time
live_drifter@reddit
Ahhh yes, the work for free guy.
Rude_West_8967@reddit (OP)
I know… it’s almost like the paying jobs aren’t hiring 😂
justcallme3nder@reddit
Since nobody explained this to you, the answer to paying jobs not hiring isn't working for free. You devalue the work you put in to getting your certificates by doing that, and you're getting downvoted because devaluing your own hard work ALSO devalues the hard work of you fellow commercial pilots, since an outfit that takes advantage of you like that is less likely to pay a fair wage to the next guy either. So in short, don't work for free, don't work for discounts, don't undercut your fellow commercial pilots.
IntroiboAdAltareDei2@reddit
Why would your 135 pay you to sit right seat if it’s not legally required?
Rude_West_8967@reddit (OP)
Argus requires two pilots sometimes. We deal with brokers who sell trips to us. If the customer requested two pilots it still has to be fulfilled no matter what type of aircraft it is. So it’s really just for the broker. A lot of 135’s have glorified gear swingers in the right seater not because we’re needed but because the broker wouldn’t give them the trip otherwise.
IntroiboAdAltareDei2@reddit
Thanks for explaining
joe6419@reddit
I’ve got 2 recommendations for you, go for your MEI and be willing to relocate. Certain regions are hungry for CFIs, while others are completely saturated. Depending on where you’re located I can give you some recommendations, just PM me.
Also prepare for your interview well, I had a 3 stage interview process. Some schools take CFI selection very seriously.
AccidentCommon208@reddit
I got my cfi/Cfii last May. Landed a job exactly one year later, I start Monday. The only reason I got this job is because my buddy worked at the school and recommended me.
The best thing to do is network, try to make friends with other pilots, and just be known by your community. If you live near flight schools swing in once a month, and just talk to the instructors, owner, etc. that way when they have an opening they’ll remember you and may call you for a job. Good luck
Silent_Effective_320@reddit
This is how my son did it. There are hundreds of applications for every opening. I told him his best shot was to get a job before it is posted by making a connection before they have an opening.
No_Excitement455@reddit
Is he flying for a regional ?
Silent_Effective_320@reddit
No I’m just talking about getting that first job as a CFI like OP and the comment I replied to. A lot of new grads are having a tough time getting positions. My son’s college (2 year program) had 15 in his graduating class. I think a year later only 4 have jobs flying.
Bowzy228@reddit
Only since last October? You stay on this sub long enough and you’ll see posts like this once or twice a week. I’ve been in your shoes for over a year and a half now. It’s not just you. Keep working the line and flying those 135 ops. It’s only a matter of time before they trust you enough to have you fly for them. And try interacting with every pilot you meet at the FBO.
I know it hurts but you eventually become numb to it because everyone is feeling it. You can’t control it. All I can tell you is hang in there if you love aviation enough. Your day will come and you’ll be glad you didn’t give up.
Avia_NZ@reddit
I have 1,000 hours including 700 as a CFI. I haven’t found any work flying for nearly 2 years now, and there aren’t even any volunteer options here that are viable.
To say that I’m beyond lost at what to do really is underselling it.
Tatimary@reddit
Sounds like you were headed in the right direction with the right seat 135 gigs. Doesn’t matter if you can’t log the time.. use it as an opportunity to network & get actual experience that you won’t get as a CFI. Just keep networking
Rude_West_8967@reddit (OP)
This is true. The Chief Pilot at that 135 is really knowledgeable and he’s super nice. He’s written a LOR for me before which was invaluable. It’s just I don’t have the 135 time because I can’t legally log the time, I just have 135 “experience”. But not the hours to back it up. Which sucks. So it’s kind of a dead end. If they had a PDP, I could log the time and would probably be over 500TT with 200 multi turbine time. Which is why I want to find a 135 with a PDP but people gatekeep those gigs for obvious reasons. They’re rarely advertised.
saml01@reddit
Offer to whip up a PDP for them?
Rude_West_8967@reddit (OP)
So apparently they have another 135 cert with a PDP attached to it. They’re just not using it at the moment. Kind of waiting for an in house check airmen. I’ll be long gone before they actually get it instated Unfortunatly. I’ll either be flying elsewhere or working loss prevention at Walmart lol who knows
stuck_inmissouri@reddit
I got a CFI job years ago thanks to networking. My first 121 job happened because a friend interning there walked in my resume. My current 91 job happened because I had worked with every pilot in the department previously.
Network.
Gabriel_Owners@reddit
Oh, look. It's this post again.
x4457@reddit
Be less of an asshole. Go pick up a green slip.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I really hate making this post because I never thought I’d be in my current position to even outwardly express being stuck in a rut but I am stumped. Last October I graduated from a large 141 school with my CFI/CFII. Since then I have not been able to find instructing jobs or anything stable and I’m starting to worry. I did try teaching at a small 61 school but all 4 prospects I had fell through and I realized I’m a horrible salesman. This is going to sound odd but I was working as a line tech at a small FBO and this company also runs a Part 135 operation and because I was such a good worker and had my certs they started using me right seat on trips in their airplanes. Which sounds nice right? Well no not really. I can’t log the time because it’s single pilot ops with no type rating so it’s really just to make a little extra money but even the 135 flying has dried up for me because the trips have slowed down. So idk what to do. I’m not one of those guys that is in the airline rat race to get to 1500. I want to stay 91/135, so I’m just wanting to find a stable job doing ANYTHING. I’ve applied to aerial photography, pipeline, 141 schools, and 135 companies just to humor myself and nothing. Not even rejection letters I just don’t get a response. Is anyone else having issues too? Or is it just me?
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