Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Another neophyte-w/questions

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

redshirt

Active member
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Posts
40
Hello all:

Looking for the kind of sage advice this board delivers on a regular basis (or at least some opinions):

Situation: 33 yo, married/no kids (yet), employed full time, flying 2-3 times/wk, finishing up Private in a couple of weeks (took ~6mos./80 hrs/$10k(wow))

Goal: Get my CFI/II/MEI at FBO by this time next year. Work full time until then to pay for my ratings/keep the lights on/keep my modest nest egg. Once I have my ratings, I hope to find a full time CFI gig in the Chicago area.

Question:

In what order do you recommend I get my ratings?

Option 1:
i. private
ii. multi-private
iii. multi-instrument
iv. commercial ratings
v. cfi ratings

Option 2:
i. private
ii. instrument-single
iii. commercial-single
iv. multi-private
v. multi-commercial
vi. cfi ratings

In other words, do I pony up a lot more money early to get the multi time 1st, or do I get my instrument first, then get the commercial/multi/cfi ratings?

The cost differential between single and multi engine training is about $100/hour, which is huge. If I get my instrument rating in a single, I can pretty much pay as I go. If I get it in a twin, I am going to be in debt. I want extra the multi time, but I am just as content to get it as a CFI if possible. I want to be employable as a CFI and beyond, but it is important to me to carry as little debt as possible at the end of my ratings.

If anyone has any opinions on the above, or any general advice about what I am trying to accomplish, that would be great. I hope to give advice on this board someday myself, once I have the foggiest clue.

Thanks.
 
This is the way I did it by checkride.
Private.
Commercial/Instrument Single.
Commercial/Instrument Multi.

There is no reason to take more checkrides than you have to. Bust out the Comm. and instrument ratings at the same time in the single. Then when you take your Multi. ride...it is just to commercial tolerances and you shoot a couple of approaches. I had all of 9 hours multi on my Comm/Instr/Multi ride. It is very simple to do it that way.
 
Thanks for the replies!

Thanks for the responses. Just so I understand, are you recommending I take the instrument/commercial ride at the same time? So, in other words, build up another 100 or so hours tooling around cross country in the 152 to get to ~220 hours, then go for my instrument? So I would do the following:

1) Private
2) build up time to over 200 hours (and study for my commercial)
3) Instrument training
4) Instrument/commercial single checkride

then

5) multi training
6) multi instrument/commercial checkride

then get my CFI ratings.

Is this correct? It almost sounds too simple, but I like it! My only concern is not having enough multi hours to be marketable as a CFI. Thoughts?

Thanks again.
 
Redshirt:

Actually I would wait until after you get your CFII until you even think about multi time. The advantage to this is two fold, first is that by then you would be working for an FBO and coud get a discount on the aircraft and probably get the instructor for free. Second is that it serves as a reward for the CFII. Since the CFI and CFII are rather time consuming and difficult to get it makes for a nice present to yourself.

It is the CFI and more the CFII where you start to make money and fly a lot. Getting a multi anytime before then is a waste unless you have a friend with a plane and will be able to fly it cheap or free.

As AWACoff and Bayoubandit said, combining checkrides can save you money. That might depend on what kind of school you are learning at, Part 61 or 141. From your post it sounds like you are at a Part 61 so it might be difficult to combine the Instrument-Commercial. What I mean is that you will probably qualify for the Instrument way before you have enough time for the Commercial. So the ride you will want to combine is the Multi to Instrument and Commercial standards.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top