Yeah, a lot of people have been in your shoes, including me.
I got the MCC first because of that 'what if', but even in todays market getting that job is as tough as wallnuts. I got promised interviews with BA CONNECT and thomsonfly, which never materialised, and I doubt I would have got that far had I not had the MCC.
BUT... In hindsight, I wish I got my FI rating first because then I wouldn't have been sitting on my arse for six months not flying for a living. Now I've been instructing for a year and I love it. I've got loads of hours and tons of contacts. I've had to renew my MEIR and I've forgotten everything I learnt on the MCC 18 months ago.
If you want to get your FIC just to build your hours you'll probably end up hating it. If you like dealing with people of every conceivable background and enjoy passing on your hard earned knowledge to others, then insrtucting is for you... but only for a year or it will drive you nuts and single engine pistons will ruin your hearing.
After a year you will probably be offered an airline job and saved enough for an MCC.
What I really wish I had done at the beginning (after the MEIR) was apply for the ctc aqc course and worked my arse off to get thru to the type rating. My mates who did that as I started the FI course now fly for easy and earn £50,000 a year.
I'm affraid at 36 you might be too old
