Australian Pilot wanting to become an instructor

[marshall]

Just wondering if anyone could give me some information about becoming an instructor. Completed my Australian CPL 3 months ago and a tad unsure what my next step will be.

Does anyone know of any good schools in Australia in which to do an instructor rating? What are the possibilities of getting a job afterwards?

Also what about the chances of doing my instructor rating and getting work overseas?

Any information would be great.

[A.H.]

Why would you wish to do that to yourself? EVERY time U go flying some one is trying to kill you, when you overcome all the problems, and U get a student up to sitting his/her lic.test the CFI (see if I care) thumps them for six and U R left looking like a Richard Cramium.
U Can have my Job, Marshall. I'm almost ready to toss it in and get a life back.

[W84me]

how long have you been flying for ?

I will not fly with an instructor that has only had a cpl for 3 months

[strewth]

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:


Great encouraging responses guys!!!! Excellent effort!!!!


W84me.... why not??? How about you wait for MARSHALL to go up north for a year or two, get totally disgruntled with the entire industry, forget half of what he's just learned, then with little more total time, then get his instructors rating... how about then?

A.H. sounds like you either work for a bunch of a@#holes or you've just got the wrong attitude. How the hell can a CFI blast your students if they are not up to standard? How can they not be up to standard if the CFI has been doing his job by giving you direct supervision if your new or indirect supervision (which includes standardisation checks and student ability checks)??? Maybe you've just got the wrong attitude.. Better get out now before you pass it on to your students.

MARSHALL If you want to do it, then do it. The rating itself is both one of the hardest things you will probably do in your life, and at the same time one of the most rewarding. It feels great after a couple of months to be able to jump in a plane and GET TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT IT TO DO.. I didn't really learn to fly untill I did my instructors rating.

As far as work goes, there isn't a whole lot around, it really just comes down to the choice if you want to do the hard yards and get some rewarding experience.. Keep in mind, if you stick to it, it will happen.

Send me an e-mail if you want

[No Cigar]

Strewth

I agree with you completely. Utter rubbish responses. I started my career as a flight instuctor out of YMMB & although conditions were not always rosy (salary, employer, etc), I still regard the job very highly as a great way to build experience & learn people skills which I've found to be a great help as an airline pilot.

Even working for complete a**holes cannot justify your attitude AH. Your students pay good money to be taught how to fly, it is your responsibilty & privillage to teach them how to do so. You spent your early days 'trying to kill' your instuctor as well as I'm sure we all did. We're not all born with wings, for some of us the process is more difficult than for others. Taking the first step to wanting to learn is a big one & it is your responsibilty as an instuctor to help them take those first steps.

As for you W84me. I've spent a great deal of time training & working with junior instructors who could teach Grade 1s a thing or two. I've learnt a great deal from them as a Grade 1, why do you thing you can't. The junior instructor is not only much more keen to teach basic stuff, they are more current on the sequences themselves having just completed an instructor rating. I still constantly learn a great deal from pilots with much less hours than me, have you reached such a pinnicle in your flying ability that you can say you won't learn from a junior instructor?

Marshall, as Strewth said, go for it. Treat the job with the dignity & respect it deserves. Don't let other disgruntled instructors discourage you from it. GA is probably not where you want to stay forever because of the conditions, but it's a great start. Nothing like getting paid to fly, sure beats working for a living. If you can bring forth your enthusiasm to fly into a job interview, it'll only be a matter of time before you find that elusive 1st job. Take that same enthusiasm on to a flight deck, be it a C152 or an airliner & you'll be surprised how far you end up going. Good luck mate, please let us know when you get a job.

Cheers

[CharlieBrown]

Well, I spent my early days ' trying not to kill ' my instructor.

I am interested in this topic, however, I couldn't find any answer to the questions. :confused:

[marshall]

Thanks No Cigar and strewth. You have been a great help. The other dicks, well.......:rolleyes:

Still looking at a school to do my instructor rating. Based in Melbourne at present closer to YMEN but seriously looking at YMMB.

Wings at YMEN offer the rating for $8500 in Piper's but I have done all my previous flying in a Cessna 172 so it might be a bit strange.

Any reports of good schools? I heard General Flying Services (GFS) at YMMB is pretty good.

Any information would be great guys.

[No Cigar]

Have you got your ATPL subjects out of the way? General Flying Services will not consider you unless you have. If you do, not a bad option, but you have to compete with the Swinburne & RMIT students.

If you do get the job with GFS however, quite a good steady stream of work with their mainly big contract clients. You also get to work with a pretty good bunch of guys.

Doesn't hurt to try, but I suggest you make first contact with the management before you commit yourself to at least make yourself known to them. Ross Carrington (Chief Pilot) or Phil Betts (CFI) would be the ones to speak to. As always, they will say 'no promises', but at least they won't be meeting you for the 1st time on your flight test, your chances of a job may be a bit higher then.

As for transitioning from a 172 to a PA28. you won't have a problem. The PA28s are easy to get used to. A couple of hours will do the job. So if you want to consider Wings, the new aircraft should not be a consideration. Hope this helps you, good luck.

[marshall]

Thanks again "No Cigar"

Sorry to say that I factored my ATPL's into the last half of this year (Oct-Dec). So my chances with GFS are looking pretty slim at present. Did you use to work for GFS? Seems like you know a fair bit about the place.

YMMB seems to be a "primary" training airport. It just seems to make more sense doing it where people are wanting to train. YMEN is very quiet these days and although I might have a few prospective students lined up, the work looks a tad thin.

Again No Cigar thanks so much for your info been a great help.

You shall be the first to hear of my new job! ;)

Thanks mate

[stormywx]

I have also recently completed my CPL (with ATPL theory) in Sydney and I'm currently looking for an instructors rating as well (so if anyone can suggest someone in Sydney feel free to post!).

What attracted me to replying however were posts from:

1.AH - I had an instructor like you early in my training. It is most disappointing that you feel that way, however you should leave your position now and not discourage others. Just because you don't enjoy teaching others doesn't mean we won't.

2. W84me - If we passed our CPL's then we surely couldn't be that dangerous to fly with! Comments like that only discourage others and make the industry look bad. Remember when you were there??

I completed most of my training in PA28's, they are a real pleasure to fly, much more stable then C152 & C172's.

Marshall, best of luck! I hope you enjoy the instructing experience.

Cheers
stormy