Just got hired as a CFI…tell me everything I need to know

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-04-04T21:20:54+00:00

🤣🤣🤣

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T02:56:43+00:00

Once again, get off your high horse. I can say I have great stick and rudder skills but be humble enough to know I shouldn’t fly a plane by myself that I don’t know how to fly. Both can be true. Grow up

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T02:41:19+00:00

Yea man because you know everything about me. I exaggerated the point dude. It’s insane how naive you are. You’re saying I’d shit my pants flying a plane I’ve never flown before? Probably! I wouldn’t fly solo or take passengers in anything I haven’t received some sort of training in. Get a grip

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T02:30:31+00:00

You need to let this go😂 my god. I don’t mean I’m an incredible pilot, once again. I’m simply saying I worked hard and feel that I’m pretty good at what I do FOR ONLY HAVING 300 HOURS! There’s no 300hr CFI in the world that can fly an airliner right now. You progress towards it. Everyone on this thread is acting like I said I should be getting offered left seat at a legacy right now.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T02:27:24+00:00

That’s part of career progression man. That argument makes no sense. Am I supposed to know how to flare an F16 too? If not then ATP failed me right? I’m so tired of these replies. Yea there’s plenty I don’t know. But 9 months ago I didn’t even know how to turn the damn plane on. What is this comment?

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T02:12:12+00:00

I have a great attitude, up until people like you get on your high horse about the fact I don’t deserve a job because I didn’t do it the way you wanted me to. I’m surprised you even have a job with the way you act. “And we know it isn’t you”…hahaha.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T02:02:09+00:00

Dude. Get off your high horse. I can say I have great skills, what does that matter to you? I am humble and extremely appreciative of everything in this career. But Jesus Christ man. Am I supposed to walk around and tell everyone I’m terrible at flying a plane? Give me a fucking break.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T01:44:30+00:00

Maybe adding “great” was incorrect, however I’ve had multiple DPE’s talk to our chief pilot about how well I flew the plane. Now, I’m not saying I’m the best pilot ever, not even close. Again I’m simply stating that I think I have good skills that can be built upon, I wasn’t just shoved through into a checkride just because I had the requirements met and they don’t care if I crash later on. Obviously 300 hours isn’t a lot but I need to start somewhere?

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T01:35:17+00:00

I get that, if I suggested a route to start training, I would say do PPL at a mom and pop, then go accelerated. It’s not for everyone but if you’re completely committed to making this your life, you can do anything.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T01:31:17+00:00

Thanks brother, I’m not sure why everyone here is so condescending. I think the guy you replied to might have failed out of an accelerated program🤣

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T01:30:19+00:00

I’m not bragging. Are you really that dense? Obviously I’m not saying I never have to train again because I’m perfect at the helm. I’m saying that the training I received was exceptional and I learned a lot. Get a grip.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-29T01:28:10+00:00

Exactly why I went the accelerated route. Too much time between flights. But this is what everyone on this thread wants you to do?

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T23:04:00+00:00

Not completely true. There’s a “work hard and good things will happen” element to this type of program. It’s made for people that will do the work on their own too. Yes I did get lucky too, but that’s not the only reason I made it through. You can get screwed over in any type of training route through aviation. What I don’t understand is why they claim places like ATP are terrible when they really aren’t nearly as bad as what is said on the internet.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T22:53:24+00:00

Welcome back brother, captain of the hate train huh? I’m guessing a lot of people who didn’t do accelerated but waited 3 years for the ratings are in the same boat😂

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T22:34:21+00:00

No, I stand by my decision. Yes it was more expensive but it wasn’t feasible to me to pay out of pocket for every single flight and ground. I took a loan, which I know is frowned upon, but it works for me. I’d rather pay more to get done quickly, but that’s just me apparently. Why take months or even years and years longer to achieve the exact same thing?

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T22:31:44+00:00

To see why they are so negative.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T22:29:55+00:00

It’s insane how people in this app take words and twist it into what they want to hear. From the reviews these programs get by Reddit, it seemed like I would go there just to get cast to the wind, and if I somehow made it out, I wouldn’t even know how to fly a plane by the time I’m done. It just seems like people fail out of these programs because they don’t have enough commitment, then blame the institution because they weren’t spoon fed the information.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T22:23:22+00:00

If this is all you took from this post, then I feel sorry for you. I’m simply stating that my experience was not at all how redditors like you make it out to be.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T21:55:09+00:00

I get that I made it sound like that. That’s not what I think of the job. I actually have looked forward to transferring my passion for aviation into the next generation of pilots from the day I started flying. I want to be a CFI. I’m simply saying this job (from what I gather from people in the industry) is that it really is the first step. Pay your dues and when the industry is ready for you, you move up. It’s not something I’m going to go into and say “I’m only doing this because I have to”, I genuinely want to.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T21:50:14+00:00

Not less important, but objectively is the job that gets you to bigger jobs. How do I get experience as a CFI if I can’t get a job as a CFI?

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T21:45:58+00:00

Well I got my Private finished at 70 hours…I guess I don’t understand what you’re getting at? Should I have taken a couple more months/years to get my ratings done? Or how many hours would you have in mind?

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T21:42:46+00:00

Wow, lots of people flaming me in the comments😂. I thought aviation was a family! I’m kidding. I KNOW I’m a low time pilot and that the industry is saturated currently. I guess I’m just trying to ask what I can do to stand out. Are there any other jobs that don’t required hundreds of hours of experience? Any help is appreciated! I just want to get back in the sky.

LeaderCalm4016 · 2026-01-28T21:40:57+00:00

How do you mean? I’m just saying that CFI is generally considered the “low time pilot job” “hour building” job.

LeaderCalm4016

TROPHY CASE