Brady,
That is a great way to kick off instructing! Congratulations to both you and your student.
Thank you for the update as well, it is good to see that you are doing so well.
Chris
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Really nice post! Thanks for sharing.
Adam
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Brady,
Congrats! Really enjoyed reading your post. I’ll be starting instuctor indoc next week, so it was great insight to hear how enthusiastically you approached instructing in these first few months. As a student, I was always a little nervous going into checkrides, but I knew that as an instructor, I’d be just as anxious for my students!
Roscoe
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Roscoe,
I felt very confident in this student, he came to me a little confused on where he should be studying/focusing material wise. After a few minutes and showing him all the materials available, everyday just seemed to get better. We came up with an acronym sheet at our training center that we have printed out tons to just give the students opportunities to grab one when they come in, fill out and then talk to someone about what they mean. Every flight I did with him he performed better and better, feeling more confident in himself and his ability to fly the airplane. I definitely did a little pep-talk right before he met his DPE face-to-face, I want to think that helped too! 
Chris & Adam, appreciate both your kind words, this was definitely a milestone for myself in my career.
Brady
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I admire the compassion you have for your students, Brady. I know they appreciate it and I would too if you were my Instructor.
Tory
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Brady,
Congrats! It’s simply the first of many students you will sign off over the next 1000-some hours but you’ll never forget your first. I enjoyed reading your post shedding light on the transition from student to instructor knowing you were in your students shoes not long ago. I too admire your enthusiasm and commitment to your students. In 10-12 months from now if you end up getting tired and burnt out, come back to this post and remind yourself of that joy. 
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500th Hour Milestone - September 2
After a short disappearance from the site, a bunch of flight hours a day and working hard with ground instruction with my current students…I’ve officially joined the 500th Hour Club!
I couldn’t decide which picture I liked best, so there’s both (I liked having the Piper logo, but I also liked having the tail number/APT logo)! Hopefully more milestones to come shortly 
Brady
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Definitely a tough call! 
Nice work! Just do that 2 more times…
Adam
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Brady,
Congratulations! The other 1,000 hours will come before you know it. Enjoy your time as a CFI, in many ways I look back on it as the most fun I have had in aviation.
Chris
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I have definitely been enjoying instructing, there are challenges here and there to it, but with really big rewards. I think the best part is when you send someone off to solo and they are excited just as much as you! I also enjoy the laughs in the plane when the student makes a small mistake and goes “Ah man, that was bad,” when in reality they where in a good position.
I’m excited to see where the next 1,000 hours take me!
Brady
Congrats Brady! Welcome to the 500 hour club! Race you to 1000?
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1,000th Hour Milestone & Republic Airways Offer – March 1, 2022
6-Months since my last update, September 2. I have finally reached the 2/3-way mark of the required 1,500 hours. It feels almost as if the time that has passed literally flew by; You could say Tempus Fugit: So excited to join the Thousandth Club! I was challenged at the end of November (around the time of Thanksgiving) when my previous Lead Instructor received the call they were transitioning into TAA, leaving me recommended to take charge of Trenton as the new Training Center Flight Standards Instructor (aka Lead Instructor). For the first two weeks in December, I had to overcome adversity and challenges such as scheduling checkrides, catching up on evaluation flights and conducting mock checkrides; My Training Support Specialist was on a 2-week vacation, talk about hands on instant learning…jump to Christmas, we bounced back as a whole at the training center and ended the quarter (Q4)/year (2021) strong with successful checkride passes first-time.
To present day, March 1st, I had my eyes set on 1,000 by the end of February, but due to weather throughout the month, I was nervous to not hit those last few hours. When I arrived at the training center, I had two flights to do, one Instrument Procedures and a Solo Prep… I remember when I hit my 500th hour mark the student I flew with felt a part of my success and shared the moment of cheerfulness. @JawadB brought a dozen of donuts to celebrate the 1,000 and even helped capture my 5:30 AM look of obtaining my 1,000th hour! I wish @bellc09 was around to celebrate with, hopefully I expect we will cross paths again very soon. It is crazy to see the full cycle with students, I’ve seen many from when they started to now finishing and it is such a blast of a feeling.
On this date (March 1, 2022), I have signed my Republic Airways CJO through their RJet Cadet Program and look forward seeing where my career grows. I believe Republic Airways will provide me the best opportunity with one day making my way into a Legacy. It almost felt like it was a national signing day yesterday informing family, friends and now everyone here on the forums my decision and path.
Thank you to all the mentors: @Chris, @Adam, @Tory, @Hannah, and @JLascomb, for all the tips and advice on the forums since I’ve started the program in 2020 and now in the final 1/3 of my journey to the Airlines. I have met some amazing people in this industry and look forward to all the friendships that I make along the way.
Brady
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Brady,
Congratulations!!! It has been such a pleasure to follow you through your decision making process, then flight training and now flight instructing. I think that Republic is a great choice and look forward to seeing where this next phase of the journey will take you.
Do not forget to take time and enjoy those last 500 hours flying small airplanes, either.
Nice work, thank you for the update!
Chris
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Brady,
Huge congratulations to you, man. This is awesome!
Ben
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Love your updates and enthusiasm Brady!
You’re a shining example of what a person with the desire and a dream can do.
Kudos as always,
Adam
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1000hrs already!! I feel like you just started instructing!! Keep at it man, and congrats on Republic!
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Congratulations, Brady!
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Congrats Brady! Lots of major milestones! Enjoy these last few month, it will fly by 
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Congratulations!! Wish you the absolute best on the last third! Thank you for all your advice.
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Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement.
Every hour of flight time I’ve had I have enjoyed, it’s amazing to look back and see my 0 time start in March 2018 at my home airport when I took my first lesson to now reaching the 4-digit club! I have enjoyed so much of instructing, getting to enhance my own skill and brushing off tips/tricks to help brighten weak spots of students.
I once had a dream of flying and now I’m doing it every day of my life (except when weather permits, then I fly in my mind). This was the best investment I could have ever done, and I am thrilled to see what the future holds.
I am loving every minute that I am in an airplane, waking up at 4 or 5 AM’s are worth it, especially when I get the opportunity to experience a student’s phase and they are proud to pass their checkride.
And Addison, thank you for answering some of my ridiculous questions at times, sometimes I just feel the need to talk to someone at Admin when I get lonely… 
Brady