Is this a good solution?

Question

I'm interested on becoming a commercial pilot. I know my age is not perfect cuz i will be soon 25 but i was thinking to follow this way. i think its more convenient economically but i will take longer. Steps that i want to follow are:

1) PPL

2)IR

3)ME

4) CFI

can i accumulate enough hours with CFI and than jump on CPL and maybe ATPL?

I would appreciate a detailed answer. thank you

Answer 1

No, you have to get the CPL before the CFI, because instructing is a form of commercial flying. That's the way it works. At the right school you can build hours pretty fast as an instructor, but figure 2 years minimum to your ATP. You're not too old to start (I began at 24 and made it to Captain at a regional airline by 29), but if you have a fairly decent career already you should take a hard look at making that decision.

Depending on where you go, training is going to cost you anywhere from $40k to $75k in the US to make it through Commercial pilot single and multi-engine with a CFII and MEI. You'll start out making around $20k, so you won't be able to afford loan payments, car payments, a girlfriend, an apartment and decent food unless you live like a monk. Unless you can hit the fast track to a major airline within 5 years (highly unlikely in the current economy) It will probably take you 10-15 years to pay the flying loans off, so you can probably forget buying a house until you're in your 40's unless you have well endowed relatives.

If you don't already have a 4 year college degree, your chances at getting hired by a major airline go down by about 75% until you have about 10,000 hours behind you at a regional or in other commercial flying (i.e. 10 years or more experience). And that's all assuming you've never been arrested, you don't have a history of speeding tickets, you are in good health and reasonable physical condition, you are a good student and don't fail many flight tests, don't ever get an FAA violation, have a good credit rating (oh yeah, the airlines look at that too) and you have a personality that other people can tolerate 8 hours a day or more in a confined space. I'm not saying don't do it, but it highly competetive and  isn't going to be easy unless you have a wad of money,  everything goes right for you, and you make some "inside" contacts.

Answer 2

Ben gave you a good dose.. and I will tack on this because we are seeing it more and more now...

Credit Rating.  Even the military is looking at this now as a measure of your responsibility.  The more competition there is... the harder they are going to look. In the early 90'a Judy Tarver are AA said there were over 10,000 applications on file...which meant about 1-100   so you need to bring your best.

Answer 3

in order to be a CFI you have to you your CPL.