Can't do initial I yet.
That's the whole obstacle. Fortunately, this was the easiest way to do everything in my case.
I'm in a lousy spot, 700TT with 140multi. over 100 actual instrument. I meet all 135 and ATP minimums with the exception of Total Time and Age in the case of the ATP. Heck, I haven't taken the written test because it would only leave a 6 month window to do the practical test before it expired after I turn 23.
It boiled down to I didn't have the scratch on hand to pay out of pocket for the initial, didn't want an unsecured loan to do it and was going to get my CFI's anyway. Take two weeks, work hard for a month ahead of time and do it. So far, everyone I've delt with over the phone has been great and helpful.
I made all my lesson plans, arranged them into binders and have more IFR and Multi training materials than you can shake a stick at. I've aquired these on my own or while doing the rating. I just put them in plastic page savers, arranged them in a binder and voila...training materials. I've got a book full of Private and Initial lesson plans that was given to me by another CFI. He bought it from a company (satellite industries maybe?) and didn't use it.
Anyway, long story short there are 2 full time instructors at my flight school. Only one has been instructing for 2 years and frankly I can't even stand to talk to her. She's an airhead who I honestly believe is afraid to fly. She's busted three interviews, one with Chautauqua, one with Airnet and another at ExpressJet. Hell, I turned down Expressjet! I'm not in aviation to race for an airline job like 90% of the CFIs out there today. I have met too many instructors who don't give a hoot about instructing and in reality couldn't fly their way out of a wet paper bag. They just want airlines.
I've got 6 months A&P apprenticeship done with, I'm going to knock the rest of that out in the next couple years. I have a real solid Lear 35 and 60 job lined up thats going to allow me to also instruct, while not making garbage wages at a regional carrier. After that, the reality is I'll either stay with the company and fly for a cargo carrier (UPS) or move back to Ohio to fly CL-604's and Hawker 800XP's for my old insurance company. Minimum pay for minimum qualifications (say, 3000TT, 1000Jet) is $68,000/yr today. When I was an adjuster, I took the time to make friends with the big cheese there and he's been coaching me on my career ever since I got into aviation.
If I wanted to be flying for an airline, I could be. I turned over the traffic job driving 172 around Columbus for 4-5 hrs a day to my best friend who decided he's not going to get his ratings. I'm bored with those, tired of 'talking' about it all the time and dove in head first. In fact, I've been questioned by most at the flight school, including my best friend (who is now in my old job!) for doing this. He has explained countless times that I could fly an airline for a year and then do whatever I wanted. Yep. It would be nice if I wanted to fly for an airline, but I don't. No NetJets, either. Call me crazy, but I'm in it because I love it and want to do it forever instead of for the honor of flying 30 folks in an Embraer sardine can on 30-60 minute legs.
Is that so wrong
