At a X-Road

Ventucky Red

Ventucky Red

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Jan 9, 2013
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Jon
Hi,

After walking away form the recent plane transaction.. Long story and there are some real jerks out there… Driving back home yesterday I sort of had an epiphany.. In place of buying a plane right now, take the plane purchase money and allocate some of that towards a Commercial, CFI, CFII ratings… and then look at the purchase thing later…

For the commercial with the exception of the complex (I do have a high performance) and the instruction requirements I have all the other x-country and time boxes checked off.. so I am not figuring there will too much on the cost for that rating… The unknown to me is how much I should expect to spend for the CFI, CFII…

With the instructor shortage out there and my retiring in a year or so, I am figuring now would be a good time, and keep me out of the house and from underfoot in retirement and of course flying…

Has anyone out there done a CFI/CFII rating recently? If so could you share your time spent, the experience, and maybe the cost...???

Thanks
 
I'm working on my commercial now and then looking at CFI. American Flyers used to have a tremendous package deal but they've doubled the price in the last few years on it. FlightSafety will pay for your CFI with them if you commit to work for them for two years. You'll get normal pay but it's a two-year commitment. There are probably other places that will do something similar.

Edit: just looked at American Flyers site and they mention tuition reimbursement on the CFI also.
 
Thanks Alfa...

American Flyers use to be in Santa Monica, but they pulled out of there....
 
Cfi you can do as cheap as you want. Crash courses just force you to study which you could do on your own. I did mine checkride and all for a hair under 4k cause it took me a few hrs to fly the Sierra to comm standards and i had to get a spin sign off.
 
Ventucky Red said:
Hi,

After walking away form the recent plane transaction.. ...
Click to expand...

What’s your goal? Seriously, in 3-5 years, where do you want to be in the aviation world?
 
If you buy a plane, after you are finished with your ratings you'll be employable, and still have a plane...
 
My CFI training took about 20 hours of dual, plus assorted solo time practicing maneuvers, plus assorted ground time. The first 5 of those hours were spent just trying to fly from the right seat without feeling like a complete noob. A *good* pilot could probably do it faster. :)

If you know in advance that you want to do both Comm and CFI, you can do some of the Comm flying from the right seat, which economizes/optimizes your CFI time a little later.

Now that you don't have to bring a complex to the CFI checkride anymore, I did everything in the "marital plane", a 172. So I only paid for the instructor (and examiner). I bought a Gleim study book and studied for the written on my own. This was last summer.

Now, I am absolutely *loving* flight instruction. I still have a day job, so I can only do it evenings/weekends and can only have one or two students at a time, but still, it is the most rewarding part of my week and I look forward to every flight.
 
Ventucky Red said:
Hi,

After walking away form the recent plane transaction.. Long story and there are some real jerks out there… Driving back home yesterday I sort of had an epiphany.. In place of buying a plane right now, take the plane purchase money and allocate some of that towards a Commercial, CFI, CFII ratings… and then look at the purchase thing later…

For the commercial with the exception of the complex (I do have a high performance) and the instruction requirements I have all the other x-country and time boxes checked off.. so I am not figuring there will too much on the cost for that rating… The unknown to me is how much I should expect to spend for the CFI, CFII…

With the instructor shortage out there and my retiring in a year or so, I am figuring now would be a good time, and keep me out of the house and from underfoot in retirement and of course flying…

Has anyone out there done a CFI/CFII rating recently? If so could you share your time spent, the experience, and maybe the cost...???

Thanks
Click to expand...
Sounds like a great plan!!! Good Luck!!!!
 
Good luck,enjoy your retirement job.
 
You will enjoy it - at least I do . Been retired for a year now. My family says I ‘failed’ retirement because I’m busier now than when I was working!
 
I plan on becoming a cfi someday when the times right just for a student here n there as that’s all that rural living really would generate... I don’t want it as a career just want to be able to pass the gift of flight on to others.

Both your plans could make sense... but I’d buy the plane... then u don’t have to rent an aircraft for training and chip away as funds allow
 
Owing a basic trainer is never a mistake... If you want to be super affordable (and you actually fit in the bird) buy a C-150 and burn MOGAS. Can you say flying for less than $20/hr in fuel? Make friends with a good mechanic, your local EAA chapter is a good place to start. Find a guy like me who is passionate about aviation, but doesn't really need the work...
 
thomasdr72 said:
Owing a basic trainer is never a mistake... If you want to be super affordable (and you actually fit in the bird) buy a C-150 and burn MOGAS. Can you say flying for less than $20/hr in fuel? Make friends with a good mechanic, your local EAA chapter is a good place to start. Find a guy like me who is passionate about aviation, but doesn't really need the work...
Click to expand...

Agreed, but don’t rule out her predecessor the 120/140... love mine, love learning TW...
 
thomasdr72 said:
Owing a basic trainer is never a mistake... If you want to be super affordable (and you actually fit in the bird) buy a C-150 and burn MOGAS. Can you say flying for less than $20/hr in fuel? Make friends with a good mechanic, your local EAA chapter is a good place to start. Find a guy like me who is passionate about aviation, but doesn't really need the work...
Click to expand...
I did this for my PPL and now I can fly while having a family and making only 50k.
 
DGlaeser said:
You will enjoy it - at least I do . Been retired for a year now. My family says I ‘failed’ retirement because I’m busier now than when I was working!
Click to expand...

I don't know anybody who's been retired for more than 6 months who can figure out how they had time to work before...
 
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