Any age is a good age to be a CFI
Is it impractical for a low-time private pilot in his mid-40s to consider earning a flight instructor certificate? And how marketable would a latecomer like myself really be if I were to show up at some worthwhile FBO with just the basic FBO-obtained CFI ticket looking for a job? To be clear, I'm not talking about switching careers and "building time for something else." I'm talking about the probability of becoming a professional CFI at the grassroots end of aviation.
Greetings:
In my opinion, aviation can always use mature CFIs, regardless of your total flight time. Flight time is often overrated in these instances. Maturity and wisdom provide for a far more meaningful contribution to a pilot's aviation education. The biggest stumbling block that you might encounter is in convincing an FBO to bring on another part-time CFI if there are several part-timers out there already. Now, if you suggest that you'll bring your own students to the FBO, then the odds shift in your favor. The main issue is that FBOs have only so many students to offer their already-employed CFIs.
If I were in your shoes, I'd find a good local FBO and work with these folks toward the CFI. This gives you squatting rights in a sense, since you've already spent money at that facility. It also allows the folks at the FBO to get to know you, which is always a good thing in these instances. If this doesn't work, then I'd consider going to a fast-track CFI program and obtaining your certificate there. I actually recommend this process for the flight instructor certificate for more mature candidates who may not have the time to follow a more traditional route of training.
Aviation needs more folks like you in this business. And believe me when I say that the mid-40s aren't too old to become a CFI; neither are the mid-80s, as long as you can still wrestle a yoke from a student's hands. In my opinion, you're at a perfect age to begin.
A collegiate conundrum
Dear Rod:
I'm 18, a private pilot, and I want to be an airline pilot. I just graduated from high school and want to begin flight training toward the airline transport pilot certificate. I can get a job, live at home, and earn my ratings, or I can go to college and my dad will pay for the schooling and my books. What is your recommendation?
Sincerely,
Kyle
Greetings Kyle:
Let me see if I understand this. Someone wants to give you free rent, free food, free college tuition and pay for your books, and you want to get a job? This is a no-brainer. Go to college! End of story.
The chance of your becoming an airline pilot with a major airline without a college degree in today's or tomorrow's market is somewhat smaller than the space between two water molecules. In order to get an airline job, given the pool of qualified applicants, you'd have to make every one of them disappear first. And this is tough to do unless you know a few extraterrestrials with a spaceship for rent.
On the other hand, you might be able to earn your flight instructor certificate while in college and instruct while attending school. This is what many young folks have done, myself included. This way you're building flight time and earning an education.
Charging for preflight time
Dear Rod,
I am an independent instructor, and I have a question about how to charge people for my time. I typically charge for time in the airplane. What gets me is when I am scheduled to fly from 7 to 9 and people don't think they have to have the airplane ready, then I have to stand around and wait, then they get upset that I would charge for the whole two hours. Is it OK to charge them, or am I wrong?
Mr. D.
Greetings Mr. D.:
Your behavior is perfectly reasonable as long as your students know in advance that they're going to get charged for all scheduled time. I'd suggest preparing a page with your policies on missed appointments, late starts, etc., and have them read and sign it before the first lesson. Then everyone knows the rules, and there are no misunderstandings or unpleasant surprises. You can consider waivers or exceptions based on individual incidents, but you've stated and they've agreed to the "worst case" scenario.
As a CFI, I schedule a two-hour block with students and charge them for two hours, regardless of whether I'm sitting on the ground teaching or in the air teaching. Of course, if I'm not teaching in some way during this time then I don't charge them (although this doesn't usually happen since I'm there to dedicate two hours to teaching). I always leave 15 minutes between students so I have time to transition between one student and the other. That's my method and it has always worked out very well for both me and my students.
Learning when to lean
Dear Rod:
I'm more than a bit confused about what altitude value I should use when determining when to lean on takeoff from a high-altitude airport. Should I lean when departing an airport at 5,000 feet mean sea level or above? Or from an airport with a pressure altitude of 5,000 feet or above? Help.
Paul
Greetings Paul:
Neither of your choices would be correct here. The altitude value that determines when the engine should be leaned in this instance is density altitude. The normally aspirated piston engine performs and reacts to how dense the air is, and density altitude provides that value. You can be at an airport at 3,000 feet msl with an outside air temperature of 87 degrees Fahrenheit and the engine isn't going to perform like it's at 3,000. Instead, it's going to perform like it's at 6,000 feet because that's the approximate density altitude. That's why Lycoming recommends that you lean your mixture for takeoff when the engine produces approximately 75 percent or less of its maximum rated power. At a density altitude of 5,000 to 6,000 feet, most non-turbocharged engines fall within this range. So break out that big E6B computer (or the smaller version known as the E6-Bay-B) and use the current pressure altitude and outside air temperature to calculate your density altitude.
Rod Machado is a flight instructor, author, educator, and speaker. A pilot since 1970 and a CFI since 1974, he has flown more than 8,000 hours and owns a Beech A36 Bonanza. Visit his Web site.
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