Flight training questions

[Ithilien]

Hello all,

I have a couple of questions that I am hoping to bounce off of you all if possible.

I am hoping to begin flight training in the US next year after deciding to shift off in a slightly different direction in life and having fallen in love with flight after spending a few hours in the skies recently and also finding that I enjoy the theory that lies behind it all immeasurably.

Basically I am at the point where, having made my decision and sorted out the financial aspect, I am starting to consider life after my training. I am hoping to obtain for my instructors rating since I would certainly like instructing to a part of my aviation career and is, at least as I see it, traditionally the best way to accumulate hours, gain experience to to build on ones skills etc.

My question would be, is obtaining my instructors rating (and therefore hopefully soon afterwards employment and some single engine hours) prior to beginning training for my multi-engine rating a viable possibility? This way I could establish myself in aviation prior to beginning the more complex and expensive multi-engine training.

Also, what would you guys consider to a good amount of multi hours to aim for in order to set myself up as best I possibly can - sort of a benchmark to look to as I move forwards.

Thanks!

[patryan]

Hi, im currently doing a science degree in Ireland and im nineteen years old, I wanted to become a pilot since an early age and I was wondering what would be the best approach? ive zero flying experience and ive researched on the internet and found that the us and also spain have relatively cheap training compared to Ireland and Europe. If I was to go ahead with training I would most likely have to pay 30,000 grand up front to these collages in the us and spain. Im basically confused on what is the right approach on this, bight the bullet and try my luck in the us paying a high amount of cash towards a flight school or starting off in small steps by getting my ppl here in Ireland and gradually building up from there?

[Nomde plume]

Ithilien, instructing is a rewarding path, but it's not for everyone. I would suggest making that call a bit further down the track when you have a CPL and know what it involves, and as for hour-building, it's looked on very unfavourably by many on these forums...
To put short the general feeling, if you feel after you get your CPL you have the drive to teach others, and you have good communications skills and a truckload of patience, go nuts. But if it's just another way of building hours to you, you wouldn't be doing any potential future students any favours sitting there 'clocking up hours'.
As for multi engine, it doesn't really matter when you do it, if you want to instruct, multi engine time is pretty useless for the first few years until you're at the level of competency level to teach it. But by all means go and experience every type of flying there is! The more worldly your experience is, the more value it will bring to your instructing.
In Oz, 50 hours multi command is the rock bottom minimum for teaching.
Does that answer any/all of your questions?

[Lightning Mate]

and you have good communications skills and a truckload of patience

Let alone a huge truckload of experience.

[flarepilot]

dear ITH

first get your private license

then get your instrument rating

then your single engine commercial

then your CFI

and now is the time to think about a multi engine rating.

I think the instrument rating is the most difficult of all .

I think that the above method is the best way to utilize your flying time and money

by the time you get your com/single and CFI you can actually earn money and someone might pitty you enough when you get a multi commerical and you can get a few hours in.


now, if I were you I would get my pvt and instrument in the same type of plane...piper would be my choice warrior or archer.

and arrow when you get your commercial single

and seminole or seneca for multi.

using a CFI to build hours is just fine...Lindbergh said that teaching flying is how you learn to fly better. Be a positive influence on your students though.

getting a CFII consolidates your instrument knowledge and you learn the system very well teaching others.


and multi engine instructing is fine...but perhaps the most dangerous of all instructing. you might want to get your com/multi engine rating and follow it right away with the multi instructor.


its been awhile since I checked but 15 hours is what used to be required to get the multi instructor (fifteen multi) and five hours in each specific plane to teach...but you check again as it might have changed.


the above method makes you quite proficient as a multi pilot and instructor doing it back to back...

[Halfwayback]

Ithillen
Welcome to the Wannabees Forum!
Please spend a little time reading through the threads here in this forum where you will find that your questions have been asked and answered many times. Little has changed in the last couple of years so the information is not dated.
You have some answers already but I will close the thread to let you do some research for yourself - and perhaps learn more about the state of the industry.
Good luck
Halfwayback
Moderator