What kind of instructor are you?

[Pilot16]

Thought this might be interesting to know. Appologies if a similiar poll has been posted before.

Thanks

[foxmoth]

I think this poll needs at least one more choice, as well as the two options given there are certainly some who do not fit into either category, eg. those of us who instruct part time but are not looking at taking it further, or are already higher up the ladder and just instruct because we enjoy it and want to put a little back into aviation.

[A and C]

foxmoth has a point ,I an normaly in the left seat of a jet but instruct for the fun of it.

I was lucky enough to have instructors who had a long background of proffesional aviation and hope that I have something to bring to instructing that will benifit my students.

[Dan Winterland]

Also in Foxmoth's caregory.

[FormationFlyer]

How about 'instructor who is heading for the airlines, is NOT hours building, and once with the airlines will remain doing part time instructing because they enjoy so much!'

Yep thats my category!

[big pistons forever]

I agree, you should redo the survey and add the choice " I am a professional line pilot who enjoys instructing part time " . That would be me :)

[Pilot16]

Sorry! I dont think polls can be edited now.

But I get the drift. Thanks for replying. Good to see there are instructors who enjoy instructing but also want to work for airlines.
I had an impression there were a LOT of instructors intstructing JUST for building hours. Seems like thats not the case :)

[foxmoth]

Bottom right of the poll - I think the moderator can edit the poll!

[Long Beach CFII]

I love instructing because I can pay my bills ontime and I love to pay bills ontime
I don't have the hours for any other kind of job other than instucting
Instructing is what I have been trained to do, and I do it best.
I always wanted to fly and I'm flying now...at least three times a day

I think that these statements cover most of the possible answers that an instructor can give, and I'll add...the bigger the aircraft the bigger the problems you have to deal with.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

I have edited the poll as has been mooted.

Cheers

WWW

[Flyin'Dutch']

WWW

Any chance of adding an automatic spell check?

Some instructors/jet jocks can well do with one!

:eek:

FD

[idle stop]

I'm with Fox and Dan on this one.
Have another more lucrative flying job, but recently gone back to instructing as well, after a 3 year gap with no training hat on after 20 odd years of it.
I find all the old satisfaction is still there and now realise how much I've missed this aspect of aviating in the past few years.

[Maximum]

Pilot 16

I had an impression there were a LOT of instructors instructing JUST for building hours. Seems like thats not the case

I hate to be nitpicky, but have you seen the results of your poll so far?

Good to see there are instructors who enjoy instructing but also want to work for airlines.

Errmm? I'm obviously missing something here - I thought this was generally regarded to be the problem? Honestly, I'm not being argumentative but 67% of those who responded to your poll either want to or do fly for the airlines. What does that say about people being motivated to be career instructors?

The way I would interpret those results is that the majority of instructors are building hours to get into the airlines, and when they get there, some of them decide to still instruct part time.

As an aside, the airlines I've worked for would not allow instructing on days off, as it interferes with max hours per month, and they weren't prepared to risk me being taken off the flying programme because I'd exceded the monthly max due to some part time flying instruction.

Your poll throws up an interesting question on how we interpret statistical information.

[Maximum]

Pilot 16

I've just seen your post was on the 4th October, so obviously the poll results at that stage may well have been in accordance with what you said. Mucho apologies if this is the case. If not, then what I said still stands heh heh....

.........think the red wines getting to me.......;)

[noblues]

Fly professionally for the money but still instruct for fun !!!

Always come home from a days instructing with a smile on my face, I love passing on some of my knowledge and seeing the face on my student as I send him off on his first solo etc ......

The GA instructing world is 'FUN' !
I fly nice shinny jet's for the money .... but its like wearing a straight jacket compared to flying in the open FIR in a spam can ........ (Don't get me wrong, airline flying is a great way to earn a living - but it is work !).

;)

[Up & Away]

WAS Contract Airline Captain.
Instructed part time on Helicopters
best conbination of jobs on the planet.
BUT 'First to go' after Sep 11!!

Now instruct helicopters full time.
so voted such

:p ;) :p

topilot.com

[Sleeve Wing]

Surely,guys, there must be another category.
What about the ex-Airline jocks who are now retired, renew their Instructor / Examiner ratings and fly light aircraft just because they love it ?
No hours building here - just the sheer joy of putting something back into the game and, to quote another contributor, the freedom of the FIR
instead of the choking restrictions of an airline operation.
B767s ? Give me a Tiger or a Super Cub, and a motivated young hopeful anytime !!

Rgds, Sleeve. ;)

[moggie]

Where is the "bl**dy good one, actually" option that I need.

Of course, WWW knows the people I work with and they may not agree..................

[Whirlybird]

I didn't vote, because I'm not quite an instructor yet...done the course but not the test. But when I get there I want to instruct on helicopters parttime while keeping my present job, which pays better, is more reliable, and quite enjoyable. I'm just greedy - I want to be paid to fly too. Seem to be quite a lot of us around judging by the poll results.

[maflsc]

all the instructors that apply for a position at my school are out to build hours. They view the students as a means to the airlines and are not interested in them or the problems they may be having be able to pay for or fit the lessons in to their limited free time. One instructor wants all lessons booked a week in advance, or he wont fly because it interferes with his social life.

[Heli-Ice]

I do my best to please every customer because that is a big part of my job.

Job satisfaction on the other hand is a big factor when it comes to talking about flight instruction. If the instructors can live on their salary from instructing then they are more likely to perform better on their job.

I cannot instruct just for the fun of it. I also have to get paid because pure fun doesn't fill my stomach at the end of the day. Though I have to admit that I do the same as every other low time pilot, that is I take every flight I can and think little about the pay. That is why I have another job, to pay the rent and all that boring stuff. My missus also wants to have something to eat every day.

Happy instructing,

Heli-Ice

[Whirlybird]

Since this poll has made it back to the top and I'm now a part time helicopter instructor (still new enough to enjoy saying that :) ), I have voted accordingly. :ok: Having two jobs I enjoy is great, but exhausting - anyone learned to make eight day weeks?

[dreamingA380]

I love the instructing - very rewarding.
but I really battle with the poor cash scenario!.

[jarjam]

Quiet easy to answer this one " A F@##ing poor one"

I'm earning less now then when I was 17 working in a pub kitchen. Netherless I have 1500hrs a fATPL and I can fly most light a/c with my eyes closed.

The thing is I've always been a flying nut from way back when I started Gliding when I was 15.
So in summary YES I love teaching people to fly who REALY want to learn, NO I hate the money and No I am not going to be a career instructor waiting for the carriage clock, But YES I will look back in years to come at the two years I spent scaring myself in light singles with some very fond memories.:ok: :O

[zelemenos]

Another category for this poll:

Retired professional pilot living in the sun who instructs because it's fun.

[B2N2]

Voted looooong time ago but thread has come back to life.
Been a FI for 3.5 years now,time to move on I'd say.
But as nobody has pointed out yet flight instruction is one of the few things about flying that carries on all the way to the top.
When you get hired for your next job who's training you on the sim and in the plane?........a FI.
First jet-job.....training captain...is instructing you, according to the regs he doesn't have to be a FI( for company training) but I bet it helps.
People I know are now instructors on the 747-400 after flying the line for a couple of years.
Guess flight instruction never really stops.
I started out as a strictly "timebuilder" but have changed my mind now,once I'm proficient in whatever I'm flying next, I'd like to continue instructing on it and take it all the way to the top.
How many chief pilots of the majors have a long instructing career behind them?
I think flight instruction is one of the great ways to practice CRM, face it you have no influence over who's sitting next to you and you have to make it all work in the next 30 hrs or so.
A lot underestimate the "people-skills" required to make this job manageble.
Anyway, comments welcome...:ok:

[HeloTeacher]

That is my situation as well.

So far I've flown helicopters in the Canadian Military, civil flight schools, EMS, VFR charter and offshore IFR. In every role I've spent at least some time in the instructor's/training pilot's chair. I still enjoy it and wish there was a school close enough to my home to continue to ab-initio instruct. I'm considering making the leap to finish my plank instructor rating to get back into it regularly.

Training has taught me so much about flying, other people, myself, and theaviation business that I can't imagine ever leaving it behind.

The only caveat is to never, ever to do it for less than the guys/gals who are earning their keep by doing it. It is completely unfair to them and a disservice to the industry.

[whatunion]

some people leave instruction as they found it, they contribute very little, to the others i thank you for giving me a career and changing my life