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- Jul 17, 2019
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Display name:
The Little Arrow That Could
I think all the professional pilots I've met were, at one point, CFIs/CFIIs. A lot, if not most of the hours they got were while flying with student pilots that were at an earlier stage of their flying adventures. At least that's been my understanding.
This makes me wonder: If the applicant pool of new, low-time pilots dries up when a lot of people are in the pipeline (CFIs between 250-1500h), what does that do for CFI hour building and career track? I imagine that can happen during econ downturns or if air travel becomes temporarily less popular (e.g., post 9/11?). The way that I visualize the aviation industry it is shaped like a pyramid where to build the requisite hours you need an even bigger base of students underneath you. Is that the right way to think of it?
If their hours aren't subsidized by student pilots how would they continue building hours? Is it common for people to borrow money (like they do for college) or to see them moonlighting in other jobs to fund their advancement in aviation? Have there been periods like this in recent history (20-30 years)?
This makes me wonder: If the applicant pool of new, low-time pilots dries up when a lot of people are in the pipeline (CFIs between 250-1500h), what does that do for CFI hour building and career track? I imagine that can happen during econ downturns or if air travel becomes temporarily less popular (e.g., post 9/11?). The way that I visualize the aviation industry it is shaped like a pyramid where to build the requisite hours you need an even bigger base of students underneath you. Is that the right way to think of it?
If their hours aren't subsidized by student pilots how would they continue building hours? Is it common for people to borrow money (like they do for college) or to see them moonlighting in other jobs to fund their advancement in aviation? Have there been periods like this in recent history (20-30 years)?
