Billy32

Really? I did aerial mapping work with Landcare for three years, moved on to check hauling, and am now flying an ATR and I never, ever had a problem with any training event or checkride. I was never a CFI either. You are either a good pilot who keeps up with his knowledge base or you are not. Flying precision grids for 6-8 hours a day makes you a real precise pilot. It is up to you if you keep up with the FAR's and general pilot knowledge.

It is going to be up to you whether or not you do this and get what you need. I needed night to become 135 eligible. So if I was relocating, instead of heading home at the end of the day I would wait a few hours and fly back at night. Same with instrument, you can fly above or below the deck or you can file and fly in the weather. I got the time I needed to move on but I had to go the extra mile to do it. It is good experience. I would advise taking it easy on the hard IFR in a 172 though. Work your way up to hard IFR. Doing it under the hood or with someone in the cockpit with you is a lot easier than single pilot IFR in the real stuff. Knowing what I know now I would never do some of the things I did. If I am going to fly a 172 I want a couple of thousand feet of clear air under the deck or localized IFR so that I can escape if necessary. Good luck with your choice.

rickair7777

Yes, really. I'm glad you were one of the exceptions, but aspiring airline/corporate pilots who want to leave the CFI track need to be aware that they cannot expect that kind of flying alone to keep their head in the game for the next step.

A stint in 135 does go a long way towards preparing you for a 121 gig.

Billy32

OK so lets do a comparison. CFI's at my first flight school and me. CFI during primary buzzing around in uncontrolled airspace teaching some newby how to fly. Very challenging, I am sure it is taxing, and you have to know what you are doing but mostly you are observing and correcting while occasionally grabbing the controls and demonstrating. Instrument- more of the same but occasionally get to go into the big bad class C that is Myrtle Beach for an approach or two. Again, I am sure you have to be up on your instrument rules and flying techniques and I am sure it is challenging, but I don't recall my instructor flying the aircraft very often. He mostly watched me and gave me helpful pointers and tips.

Now on to mapping. I was flying inside the Washington DC ADIZ shortly after Sept. 11. I learned a whole lot about coordination with ATC and other govt. agencies. I was flying grids that required +/- 100 feet on altitude, no more than 5 degrees bank or pitch, +/- 300 feet laterally from centerline and speed within +/- 15 knots. All the while running the mapping computer, talking to ATC, fighting turbulence, and avoiding sensitive areas. I did this in DC, Chicago, NYC, Dallas, Tampa, Denver, and a few other class B airspaces. I was in the system pretty much every day and if I got to map in uncontrolled airspace it felt like a vacation. I got to fly IMC approaches into and out of class B and became intimately familiar with SID's and STAR's. I can guarantee you my instructor never flew either until he went to a regional. I also flew from coast to coast and crossed the rockies several times. How many times do you reckon my flight instructor got to plan an across the continent cross country? I think the farthest he ever got from home base was about 300 miles.

I am not trying to slam instructing, but I am going to defend other ways. I think instructing can be very educational and good experience. However I will never accept that it is the only or even the best way to get that experience. Landcare isn't buzzing around with a camera out the window. It requires skill and good piloting. I learned a lot at Landcare that I wouldn't have otherwise. Being hired in 2001 I was there a lot longer than I had planned but I wouldn't do otherwise. I made a good living, made some great friends (even though I don't keep in touch as much as I should), and I got to see pretty much the entire country at 6000 feet and 120 knots. Not a bad way to go.

freezingflyboy

What kind of equipment do you fly at Landcare? Because lets be honest, once you are flirting with that magic 1000TT all the airlines really care about is multi-time and recency.

fosters

when its all said and done, you'll build a LOT more quality and quantity of time at a survery gig for sure. what's a typical cfi build per month? maybe 40 hours?

if one needs to, to get multi time just go to a stint of 135 freight, then you can have your PICK of companies you want to work for (and who said he wanted to go to the airlines anyway?)

let's be honest, all of us ex-cfi's wish we had a chance like this at 500 TT. Back when I had 500 TT, you basically had to beg and plead your way into an instructing position, my how times have changed...

rickair7777

True, I would have certainly jumped at the chance back then...but I didn't know what I didn't know. My 20/20 hindsight includes the experience of seeing every traffic watch/pipeline person in my new-hire classes flunk out.

I am not try to trash anyone who went this route and succeded, I'm simply trying to point out that if you aspire to an airline job you need to stay current on many knowledge areas and the instrument skills. CFI's keep the knowledge up by teaching, and most of them have access to sims to maintain their hands-on skills. My overall instrument skills improved dramatically by teaching instruments in the sim and in the airplane...I learned from other peoples mistakes, especially the ones that recur often.

Again, the point I was making is that if you have the good fortune to get a job actually flying at the 500 hour level, make sure you take the extra steps to retain your competetive edge. Airline training in an RJ is not about stick-and-rudder skills...the AP comes at 600' AGL...it's about knowledge and management. If you go to the turbo-prop that could be a different story.

saxman66

Well I'm going to go ahead and accept the Landcare position. Now its a matter of leaving here without burning any bridges. What if he is mad? What is there to do? Yes I kind of am airline bound. Thats why I posted in the Regional topics. As far as Multi time, it looks like even if I stay here, it'll be a while before I even get multi students. Landcare does have a twin which i could be eligable after 7 months to fly some. I just need about 40 hours more of multi until I reach that "magic" 100 seems like the airlines are looking for. Of course I'm not going to rule out cargo flying either. It's just I've always liked the idea of airline flying, even though I know I'm going to get shunned here for wanting to fly for a regional.

fosters

what if your boss is upset? screw 'em. seriously. it's not your problem the company isn't providing enough students to live on. they understand it's not a career.

you definately should give some sort of notice, the more the better. I left two cfi gigs early, one at 4 months the other at 6 months, both were to better my working and living conditions and to make more $$. I didn't have a problem with any background checks, and am currently working for a regional.

if I would've known and had the opportunity for this job back when I had 500 hours, I WOULD'VE JUMPED AT THE CHANCE. You will be setting your professional flying career back significantly if you don't take this job, mark my words. just give as much notice as you possibly can, you'll be ok. a future employer will understand why you left a stagnent CFI gig for aerial survery...

for rick...a/p on at 600' AGL? seriously? try no a/p, no FD depatures some day, you'll like 'em

rickair7777

That's in the sim. I hand fly all the time...I even hand fly entire legs on a regular basis, if it doesn't stress out the other guy too much.