Work Hard, Play...eventually

This is going to be an interactive post.  Please share your opinions on my facebook wall or at the bottom!

I liked being salary in the Air Force.  It was a guaranteed paycheck every two weeks for a very predictable amount.  Unfortunately, being salary, I tried to be at work as little as possible.  After all, technically I was only paid for a 40 hour work week and for every hour I was there above 40 hours, my time became less valuable.  Now, for the first time in my life, I'm hourly.  I'm not going to count the two years in high school when I operated the girls basketball scoreboard for $17 a game.  That was barely a job.  One of the most rewarding things about being hourly is that I am paid directly for the work that I do.  If I don't work a lot, I don't get paid a lot.  If I go nuts like I've been doing, I get a more generous paycheck.  And the greatest part: this school's marketing campaign is based on finishing students quickly.  Not only am I directly compensated for my hard work, but my bosses recognize my hard work and proven track record (6 check ride passes with two-three more this month) and throw more work my way.  

"Chris, do you mind working on the weekend? No?  Ok, well, the other multi-engine instructors that refuse to fly on the weekend, we want you to fly with their students then." Done.  

One of the biggest negatives?  I've found myself chasing hours.  In June and so far in July, I've taken 3 days off.  You might say that I need to take more of a break.  The only problem with that thought is that when I'm taking a day off (when I'm not tired) I know I COULD be out there getting more flight time and thus one day closer to moving on to another job.  I know I need to take a break, but as the cliche goes, "you can rest when you're dead."  To be a full time employee (something that some instructors struggle to maintain) you need to bill 100 hours each month or, if you struggle 285 in three months.  Those are flight, ground, and simulator hours.  I've averaged over 150 each month since I started.  So technically, I could take a month off and still be a full time employee.

As I said earlier, you get rewarded for your hard work here.  My boss comes to me and tells me that he wants to standardize me in a new multi-engine airplane.  They are short instructors for this airplane.  To get standardized to teach in any multi-engine airplane according to the regulations, I need 5 hours in the airplane.  For this particular airplane, I have zero.  It is a VERY expensive airplane and it rents at $480 an hour.  For those keeping track, that's $8 a minute.  He said they would do it for free if I signed a contract with the company.  I would be required to be a full-time employee for 6 months from the signing date...

 

My wonderful mother would tell me to make a pros and cons list so I've detailed here for you:

Pros

More multi-engine flying

Guaranteed extra work

Only the rich students fly this aircraft and they don't have a problem flying and flying and flying

Maintaining the "never turns down a chance to fly" reputation I have now.

Cons

I am dedicated for 6 months and cannot go anywhere should something come along

If more Embry-Riddle guys get their Multi Instructor rating, they already have time and experience in it and with only one airplane, I may not get to fly it that much anyway.

Did I mention I'm on the hook for 6 months?

Other considerations

I am sitting at 600 hours right now.  

The lowest airline minimums right now are 1000. 

Single-pilot cargo is 1200 MINIMUM

By August 2013, I'll need 1500 for airline flying regardless.  

If I keep up my current pace, I'll be at 1000 in 4-5 months.**with more work, pace may change.

So, as I mentioned earlier, this is interactive.  Share your thoughts!  Thanks everyone for reading again!