some inspiration for a change

[Prophead]

It seems to me that more and more people are shunning the idea of working as an instructor to build hours and gain contacts which will then get them a job with the airlines. Ive heard the arguement many times that the best way to get into the airlines is to instruct, however i also know instructors who have ended up paying for a TR after working for a pitence for years.

There seems to be more and more doom & gloom on this forum lately so id be interested in hearing some stories from people who have secured an airline job as a direct result of instructing.

[MIKECR]

I think the last 2 or 3 years has seen a recruitment boom hence people have managed to bypass the FI route and have found airline employment reasonably quickly. The well debated "buy a job" schemes have also attracted the masses too. With the downtun upon us now though, it will be interesting to see what happens.

[G SXTY]

I was lucky enough to time it right, and got straight into an airline with 200 odd hours. Plan B was to instruct, both as a way of keeping current, staying in the industry, and improving my skills.

Of the captains I fly with, virtually all of them are either ex-military or ex-FIs. Some flying schools are a veritable production line of hour-building instructors, whose photos are barely on the noticeboard before they're off to an airline job. It's a very sensible route into the industry.

[GusHoneybun]

Ex-FI's have been, and probably always will be the FO fodder of choice for TP operators. It's the time to command potential. If you join with over 1000 hours, you're probably only 2 half decent OPC's away from a command check. As opposed to a fresh 200 hour newbie (as capable as any) who has probably a three year wait till LHS, by which time their bond is up and their application to easyjet is swiftly dispatched.

In this day and age unless you are enrolled on a scheme like CTC you are less likely now to walk into a jet straight from school. Unless you have your own money (or daddy's), in which case you can always buy your way into a jet job through a SSTR.

The upshot is, that after a CPL/IR is completed, nearly every newbie has to make another financial commitment and difficult choice of either SSTR or FI rating to move their career along. Personally, I still think the FI rating is a better way into this industry, worked for me and 90% of the pilots in my (TP) company.