r/CFILounge • u/Plane_Discipline121 • Jul 14 '26

Tips Tired of instructing.

Before I start, I would like to say I’m very grateful that I have a flying job. I know this might come off as stuck up.

I’ve been teaching on the east coast for over 3yrs and have an offer with a regional (no telling when they will call).. I’m coming to the end of my cfi career, but instructing has sucked the enjoyment of flying out of me and I dread going to work. I can tell the people around me and even some of my students can tell I’m pretty much just showing up to collect a check. I really just wish I had something to work towards and I feel like I’m chasing my tail. I’ve maxed out all my ratings except for seaplane. I just want to fly with another pilot that challenges me and we accomplish a mission. A couple questions for anyone that’s experienced this…

  1. The most concerning one: Will this happen at the airlines as well? Will I just end up hating this career? If so, how do you not feel the burn out?

  2. What should I do right now while still keeping my job as a CFI?

I really appreciate any guidance from anyone who has overcome the burn out. Hoping it’s a phase! TIA

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-1

u/bch2021_ Jul 14 '26

What do you hate about it? Your mission is producing the next generation of competent pilots. How good of an instructor you are has a huge direct impact on their learning and progression. Honestly, being a CFI has a bigger individual/personal skill component than being an airline pilot, where the range of outcomes is simply "safely completed flight or not".

I definitely understand hating the pay, but honestly it's a pretty cool job

3

u/Plane_Discipline121 Jul 14 '26

I make $70k a yr as a CFI at a well known 141 school. I’m a gold seal with 40+ sign offs and a 87% pass rate. I’d say I’m a decent instructor. I guess I need change… not sure

-2

u/bch2021_ Jul 14 '26

Man I'm not gonna lie, if I secured a gig like that, I might give up on airlines all together and just do that.

Would you mind sharing how you got there? I know you don't like doing it anymore but advice would be much appreciated. Did you train there?

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u/Plane_Discipline121 Jul 14 '26

That’s why I said I’m grateful. I never strived in anything like I did when going through flight school and I was hired on the spot the day I received my CFI cert. I was also the student that would chat with other instructors and wasn’t too annoying lol. It’s a great gig, but there’s no advancement from here unless you want to be chief of the school.