CFI or charter airline?

[wikz]

what's up y'all! I am in the process of getting my PPL and I absolutely love flying, and will be continuing after I finish college; however, I am stuck between the two options listed above in the title. Ive heard so many different stories of how having time before going to UPT is good because you have a good idea of how to do things, or how it can also be bad due to unlearning civilian flying habits. 

it seems to me like most of our guys at the 199th FS had time before going to UPT such as Skywest, HA pilot, CFI, charter airline, and I definitely think i'm gonna jump on that train. I understand that Uncle Sam would be paying for those ratings and it would be a waste of money, but I want to ensure I comeback to the squadron if I ever got picked up by these guys.

I don't really care about how much hours I'll accrue, but rather which skills will transfer over to UPT more. if I trained students as a CFI/CFII, I feel like VFR and IFR flying will be engrained in my head which I think will be good? However, I will mainly be teaching and not flying meaning I could possibly lose the flying hands? I also think CFI flying will look better on a resume then charter/cargo flying.

On the other hand, I have buddies who are also trying to fly for the 199th that fly for kamaka air (the charter/cargo airline im talking about) who said they would vouch for me if I ever tried to fly for them. It probably would be an easier way to gain hours, and I would actually be flying, however, its less focused on maneuvers, etc.

I would appreciate any thoughts you guys have! Thanks in advance!🤙

 

[Biff_T]

IMHO 

If you have the funds, go CFII until you have ATP minimums and then try to get on board at an airline.  You can get paid as a CFII (not much money but plenty of hours and knowledge gained from instructing new pilots) while waiting for a regional or mainline company to hire you.   

Continue to apply for the USAF during the process of becoming a professional pilot.

The few CFIIs I knew did a little better at UPT and the regionals (RIP Compass).  

 

Edited Friday at 04:18 AM by Biff_T
Words are hard: hire

[brabus]

Keep in mind you'll need 250 hrs for a commercial, which is going to cost a shitload, especially in Hawaii. Additional hours may be required for a specific company’s mins. I would go down this road only if professional flying outside the AF is a desirable career. Doing all of that just to boost your ANG app or UPT performance (I watched CFIs do great and horribly in UPT) is not a great reason by itself. Definitely get your PPL and continue to learn, just make sure you only go into a shitload of flight training debt for logical reasons.

[wikz]

3 hours ago, Biff_T said:

IMHO 

If you have the funds, go CFII until you have ATP minimums and then try to get on board at an airline.  You can get paid as a CFII (not much money but plenty of hours and knowledge gained from instructing new pilots) while waiting for a regional or mainline company to higher you.   

Continue to apply for the USAF during the process of becoming a professional pilot.

The few CFIIs I knew did a little better at UPT and the regionals (RIP Compass).  

 

I definitely dont have the funds but im hoping to got on the next 6 monther coming up so I can qualify for the GI Bill. 

thanks for the information brody. CFII just became more favorable.

[wikz]

2 hours ago, brabus said:

Keep in mind you'll need 250 hrs for a commercial, which is going to cost a shitload, especially in Hawaii. Additional hours may be required for a specific company’s mins. I would go down this road only if professional flying outside the AF is a desirable career. Doing all of that just to boost your ANG app or UPT performance (I watched CFIs do great and horribly in UPT) is not a great reason by itself. Definitely get your PPL and continue to learn, just make sure you only go into a shitload of flight training debt for logical reasons.

Kamaka Air thankfully only requires up to CPL and a deal if you work at the front desk with them for at least 6 months, they will hire you. 

I am interested in flying for HA if I was a part-time raptor guy, but then again that's not my motive for all this. 

I do see where you're coming from though. I definitely dont want to go into a shitload of debt, but am willing to if it gives me a better chance at coming back. 

thanks for your 0.02 cents brabus. always appreciated sir!

[HuggyU2]

Go fly aerobatics.  Fly anything you can get your hands on.  

[Springer]

5 hours ago, wikz said:

what's up y'all! I am in the process of getting my PPL and I absolutely love flying, and will be continuing after I finish college; however, I am stuck between the two options listed above in the title. Ive heard so many different stories of how having time before going to UPT is good because you have a good idea of how to do things, or how it can also be bad due to unlearning civilian flying habits. 

it seems to me like most of our guys at the 199th FS had time before going to UPT such as Skywest, HA pilot, CFI, charter airline, and I definitely think i'm gonna jump on that train. I understand that Uncle Sam would be paying for those ratings and it would be a waste of money, but I want to ensure I comeback to the squadron if I ever got picked up by these guys.

I don't really care about how much hours I'll accrue, but rather which skills will transfer over to UPT more. if I trained students as a CFI/CFII, I feel like VFR and IFR flying will be engrained in my head which I think will be good? However, I will mainly be teaching and not flying meaning I could possibly lose the flying hands? I also think CFI flying will look better on a resume then charter/cargo flying.

On the other hand, I have buddies who are also trying to fly for the 199th that fly for kamaka air (the charter/cargo airline im talking about) who said they would vouch for me if I ever tried to fly for them. It probably would be an easier way to gain hours, and I would actually be flying, however, its less focused on maneuvers, etc.

I would appreciate any thoughts you guys have! Thanks in advance!🤙

 

Out of curiosity where are you learning to fly?  Hawaii?

[wikz]

2 hours ago, HuggyU2 said:

Go fly aerobatics.  Fly anything you can get your hands on.  

dude id love to; ive heard that's also beneficial for UPT. maybe sometime in the future after I get my GA ratings ill look into that. 

Edited Friday at 07:23 AM by wikz

[wikz]

1 hour ago, Springer said:

Out of curiosity where are you learning to fly?  Hawaii?

hey springer! yeah, I fly in Kona right now and its great, but I think im gonna be flying on Oahu after college (where I live). I have looked at places on the west coast but some are just as expensive or even more. maybe im just not looking good enough, but from my experience in Kona, rent, groceries, etc. is no joke which is why im leaning more towards going to a school where I live so I only have to worry about paying for flight lessons. 

[Springer]

18 hours ago, wikz said:

hey springer! yeah, I fly in Kona right now and its great, but I think im gonna be flying on Oahu after college (where I live). I have looked at places on the west coast but some are just as expensive or even more. maybe im just not looking good enough, but from my experience in Kona, rent, groceries, etc. is no joke which is why im leaning more towards going to a school where I live so I only have to worry about paying for flight lessons. 

A lot of good advice on this thread wikz.  I went to the U of H (majored in sailing 😁) and received my private at KHNL through the 2 yr AFROTC program.  Is that not offered any more? Thought about trying out for the 199th when they had Phantoms after my AF commitment but livable job opportunities as you know in the Islands are scarce.

[wikz]

8 minutes ago, Springer said:

A lot of good advice on this thread wikz.  I went to the U of H (majored in sailing 😁) and received my private at KHNL through the 2 yr AFROTC program.  Is that not offered any more? Thought about trying out for the 199th when they had Phantoms after my AF commitment but livable job opportunities as you know in the Islands are scarce.

I honestly haven't even tried to look at UH's AFROTC program because Im going to American Military University right now to speed up the college process and because it's cheaper. I can pay for the PPL out of pocket, but its a matter of how im gonna pay for the rest of the ratings after if I do go for it.

yeah the economy is kinda f'd, especially in Hawaii. 

Edited 23 hours ago by wikz

[HuggyU2]

3 hours ago, wikz said:

yeah the economy is kinda f'd,... 

LOL, wut?

[TreeA10]

It's been a few years since I instructed in the T-38 but the guys with flying experience, including WSOs (usually #1 in their class) but not Navs, did better than those with no flying experience.  More flying hours in anything is better than no hours. No matter whatever you end up doing, once you get to UPT, how you did things that one time in band camp is irrelevant and annoying.  Listen more, talk less.

[Springer]

2 hours ago, TreeA10 said:

It's been a few years since I instructed in the T-38 but the guys with flying experience, including WSOs (usually #1 in their class) but not Navs, did better than those with no flying experience.  More flying hours in anything is better than no hours. No matter whatever you end up doing, once you get to UPT, how you did things that one time in band camp is irrelevant and annoying.  Listen more, talk less.

Two WSO's in my class finished #1 & #2.  #1, Roger Locher, had 3 Mig kills as a WSO.  Couple classes after me DeBellevue, the WSO MIG Ace after washing out of UPT initially, came back to UPT and ended up flying fighters.

After flying LL missions with any extra fuel I usually gave the stick to the WSO.  On a 10 hr deployment from TX to Germany my WSO flew at least a quarter of the flight. 

[ViperMan]

On 8/14/2025 at 8:57 PM, wikz said:

I definitely dont have the funds but im hoping to got on the next 6 monther coming up so I can qualify for the GI Bill. 

thanks for the information brody. CFII just became more favorable.

CFI / CFII will make you a better pilot faster. If you already have a pilot slot, IMO you shouldn't waste your time trying to become an airline pilot.

Second, are you thinking of using your GI Bill to pay for flight hours / flight school? Other people may say different, but using it like that is an enormous waste. You'd be better off taking basket-weaving classes at a community college and stuffing the E-5 (with dependents) BAH into a mortgage. Sell the house. Collect the money. Don't use it on flight hours.

[wikz]

5 hours ago, ViperMan said:

CFI / CFII will make you a better pilot faster. If you already have a pilot slot, IMO you shouldn't waste your time trying to become an airline pilot.

Second, are you thinking of using your GI Bill to pay for flight hours / flight school? Other people may say different, but using it like that is an enormous waste. You'd be better off taking basket-weaving classes at a community college and stuffing the E-5 (with dependents) BAH into a mortgage. Sell the house. Collect the money. Don't use it on flight hours.

Yeah I also was thinking it would be kinda dumb to go through the whole process of learning to fly and becoming an FO for HA just to leave for UPT shortly after. 

well this is the first time ive heard someone say not to use the GI bill for flight school. I was planning on it, because im honestly not sure how else to pay for it other than scholarships, or just taking out a big ass loan and paying the monthly minimums for it until I have enough money to pay it off. 

Edited 3 hours ago by wikz

[HuggyU2]

2 hours ago, wikz said:

Yeah I also was thinking it would be kinda dumb to go through the whole process of learning to fly and becoming an FO for HA just to leave for UPT shortly after. 

You're in the process of getting your PPL, as you stated in your first post. 

In your mind, how soon do you believe you will be competitive for an FO job at HA?

[wikz]

21 minutes ago, HuggyU2 said:

You're in the process of getting your PPL, as you stated in your first post. 

In your mind, how soon do you believe you will be competitive for an FO job at HA?

well in my mind, I won't be able to apply for the 199th until the 2027 board because I have to finish college and get my AFOQT and TBAS done. From there, I will start flight school again and get to CFII in a year or two = 2028/2029. I probably won't be picked up for the 199th until ive applied for a couple-few years which is just time for me to keep building hours and instruct. id probably reach 1500 in 2030 and fingers crossed im hired around this time to fly for the HIANG. 

the pipeline has been pretty bad recently and our F22 select who just left for UPT got hired in 2021 which means ill most likely have four years to continue instructing or attempt to get hired by HA, or fly for HA. 

however, this is all hypothetical and im positive it won't be this smooth and fast tracked.