Thanks for all your comments Gentlemen
securing a job before completing the FI course is almost impossible at the moment. I've spoken to the chief instructor on the phone at my school (pretending that i was already qualified FI looking for work) and was told i would only be considered for a job if the course is completed with them (at this point he did not know i was looking to start an FI course so he wasn't trying to sell his product to me). Full time positions were full last month but part time is and will be available in the coming months.
At this time my situation is that I would want to work part time cos i couldn't survive on full time salary. i already have a full time job which i can keep and fly almost all day everyday with.
answers to Andy R's questions answered brutally honestly.
1. Can I afford the money for the FI rating, along with the time needed to invest in myself? At this time Yes. My current job allows me to have multiple days off in a row, i still have loads of annual leave to take, I have the 7k for the course which took me only 20 months to save. Do not have large amounts of debt.
2. If there was no option of ever flying for an airline, would I seriously consider it as a career choice? Yes i would and truth be told I did when i first started training. Obviously i would love to fly an A380 one day or even concorde (if they bring it out of retirement) but IF i never ever get a job in an airline (and i have to be REALLY unlucky for that), I can be content with flying a C152 at 2000ft. My passion, determination comes from flying not walking around an airport in a fancy uniform. I'm not one of those poncy wannabees that will say ''I spent daddy's 80k on a fATPL, means i'm a qualified airline pilot. sitting in a cessna is beneath me..Er captain can i please ask the cabin crew for a coffee please sir...No you cant shut up!) As a career i want to advance and so CPL / IR instruction will always be on the table as well as examining and aerobatics.
3. Do I really want to do this? Can I cope with teaching, spending an entire day doing circuits for the umpteenth time with someone I wouldn't even consider sharing a beer with outside of work? I am a very patient person i have been told. hen i did my MCC, the instructor was a captain on a 767 and he said ''I have the perfect flight deck attitude''. he was referring to the fact that whether we were in S&L flight or dealing with emergencies, the tone of my voice stayed at a neutral level throughout (something i never realised until he told me). So i think i do have the patience and the attitude for the work.
4. Am I capable of enjoying instructing regardless of aeroplane type, student type, weather, lack of money? I love flying different types of airplanes, Weather i dont mind thanks to my CPL instructor who decided to fly in very sporting weather in the winter of 2008, i loved it. I think i'm quite a sociable guy so student types wouldn't bother me. I'm not prejudiced against anyone at all.
5. Am I going to become trapped into PPL instructing due to lack of funds? Do I have a get out if it should be required? I would definately move up the ladder and not just stick with PPL instruction. my get out would be my current job.
6. Did I want to instruct before the market turned belly up? It was always on the table. when i finished my fATPL i always said i try the airlines first and if nothing came along for say 6 months or so or would do instructing.
I'm not going down this route to build hours only but to do something about a career that i've chosen. This recession is probably going to last about 5 years and i want to make the most of it, otherwise when the upturn is upon us, i'll be competing with thousands of fATPL holders all the same boat as me.
I dont want to pay for a type rating without a guaranteed job at the end of it and i Refuse to pay for line training (i'm morally against it).
My decision is that i'm going to take a dive and do the course simply because i dont see myself loosing anything (except 7k but hey money comes, money goes. I worked for it so i deserve to spend it) but i only see gaining a rating, gaining valuable experience.
Am i making sense? Do people see valid points and reasons in this post as to how i've come to this decision.
Regards
MHN