Instructor Rating vs MECIR

[dreamer84]

Hi all,

Have been reading on here for a while with great interest but this is my first post. I have recently completed my CPL and am well aware of the prospects out there for me at this time. (lack of)

I am able to arrange finance for either an Instructor Rating or MECIR and my question is which way to go. I am leaning towards an Instructors Rating because in my opinion (and from advice I've been given) that may be the only way to gain employment. By no means do I view instructing as just a means to an end because I think I would love the challenge of teaching others to fly and learning so much more myself. And I am acutely aware that I wouldn't put a MECIR to use for a good 12-18 months anyway.

I guess what I'm after is opinions from those who know about the validity of both these ratings. Obviously I would need a MECIR at some point in my career but for the meantime is Instructing a good place to start? How are the hours accrued instructing actually viewed in the industry? I know about the wages/conditions etc but still want to give this career a go! Plus I have a newly qualified teacher as a spouse.

One other question I have is regarding claiming back the cost of a MECIR or FIR. For example, if I was employed by a Flight Training Organisation in any capacity, and completed a FIR to gain employment as an Instructor there, would I be able to claim some/any of that cost back? Any thoughts welcome.

Any other comments/advice on these things would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards.

[Kwod]

Dreamer84

I think the advice you have been given is sound. Unless you have a twin job lined up you will quickly lose currency on both the twin and IF flying. The Instructor Rating I am pretty sure still includes a Night VFR which will give you some aid tracking experience.

It is hard to advise not knowing you, your skills or personality. When I was instucting students often asked the same question and I would answer according to how I saw them at that time. Depending on your long term goals - I would say instruct for now, and you will know (and this is part of your command experience) when it is time to get the MECIR and move on.

Good luck - I remember finding the Instructing Rating very useful , and the MECIR the best flying ever.

[watchyourairspeed]

Dreamer84

Go with your gut feeling and do the FI course. I have done mine in RACWA with Mike Pottier + John Douglas, and I strongly recommend this outfit to anyone.

FI course will only give you the "primary-basic" tools. You'll need to strenghten your knowledge + skills with time. Instucting is rewarding.

Brgs

WYA

[Mach E Avelli]

The problem for some employers is that their insurance or client requirements will stipulate certain minimum experience before they can let you loose in an IFR twin. IMHO a 300 hour pilot spending big bucks on the MECIR will need to also have enough cash saved up over the following 12 months to do a renewal. So then recent practice (or lack thereof) becomes an issue. More cash needed.
An instructor rating will initially make you more likely to gain employment.
I can feel an instructor shortage looming as the regionals and airlines raid the more experienced guys from the twin instructor jobs, with movement of the existing junior grade instructors into those twin jobs etc.
The alternative is to do neither, but spend the money on the big trip with a bedroll in the back of the ute to remote areas where you MAY get lucky and go straight into something like a C210 on charter or scenic flying. Because next year I believe that some of those operators will also see movement of their pilots into better jobs. Pilot demand won't be huge like it was three years ago, but it is starting to show signs of improving.
Good luck.

[ab33t]

Agree FI will fill many gaps , hours , training and the aviation world today that seems the only way for a few $ at the moment , no certainties though.

[Howard Hughes]

I never went the instructor route so I can't comment on that. What I can say is when it came time to use my Instrument Rating, it was simply a matter of doing a renewal (about 3 days) then I was in business, even though I hadn't flown IFR for a long time (almost ten years)!:ok:

[Pandanus]

"One other question I have is regarding claiming back the cost of a MECIR or FIR. For example, if I was employed by a Flight Training Organisation in any capacity, and completed a FIR to gain employment as an Instructor there, would I be able to claim some/any of that cost back?"

Dreamer84,

I'm pretty certain you'll find the ATO in its spirit of generosity, specifies that you can make claims on aviation related training, but only those items that are incurred after you are employed on the payroll as a working pilot. In other words no back-claiming. :=

If you are employed by an aviation employer in a capacity other than flying instructor or company pilot, the ATO will say no, not a dime, even if you happen to hold a CPL.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Dreamer84, but I think those are the rules of the game. :ok:

[dlx_xlb]

I know this is very late. But I can leave some good advice on the subject.

Doing an FIR would probably be your best bet, You will use it a lot sooner and a lot more often than a CIR. When I got my FIR I was working within a week as the school I did it with offered me a job.

After working for sometime, there was a shortage of work so I decided to do my instrument rating, with the flying school i worked for. Which offered me a resonable discount and I was then able to save a fair bit of money.

I have held my CIR for about 8 months now and have never used it. I have recently applied for a PIFR so I can still fly under the IFR when not current.

So FIR over CIR because:
1. You will use it a lot sooner and more often
2. Working for a school who does MECIR's will more than likely give you a discount so you will save some money. As this probably wont happen the other way around CIR before FIR

[dabz]

After passing your IR you will have a sound understanding of the principles of flight, the bread and butter of how airplanes fly.

After gaining your MEIR you'll know about this extremely cool but different way of flying around in clouds and traffic and staying in control with the aid of a ATC.

For me personally, I found I gained the most knowledge with the Instructors Rating.
It really teaches you the basics of flight, the basics every pilot should know.

As far as progression into a job, if your flight school will have you after you gain an IR then that's a way to get started.

From what I've seen of GA operators so far, they're more interested in guy with MEIR because they know that pilot can handle the A/C if they get in the bad wx.

There was one operator that said they don't like flight instructors because they can point out all the defects and rules rather then getting the job done :oh: