is it worth re-validating?

[activewaypoint]

Hi people, I haven't done any instructing for a few years now. I've been flying jets for the past 4. Things are a bit lean right now and I've time on my hands.
Is it worth re-validating a QFI rating? Is a few years commercial experience valuable to anyone?:)

[orionsbelt]

Suggest not, at the clubs I fly at, there are not enough students to go-around and a lot of bitterness between instructors. The pay is £10 per hour flown and I know one full time chap who did a full months work in November (5 day week ) who flew only 17 hrs!!!!!.
New instructors coming along are resented and its becoming a massive load of grief and not worth the effort. You will get a better return on you money by putting into an ISA.

[activewaypoint]

Mmmmm, thanks for the feedback! I can earn that chap's months money in half a day freelancing! I do get around a week a month sometimes more!
It wasn't so much for the money that I was considering doing some instructing, more that I now have a bit of experience that I thought might be worth passing on. But if there's resentment and grief I may just keep it to myself! (and those willing to pay for it!):(

[eyeinthesky]

Just something else to consider:

How much will it cost you to revalidate the rating? Assuming you need to do the seminar and test (as you won't have done 100 hrs instructing in 3 years of which 30 in the past year) say about £600 (£200 per year for the vailidity of the rating). This is not a great financial burden to maintain something which you might at a later date want to revisit.

If you let it lapse for some time, then the cost of renewing will eventually be higher as you will be out of practice.

[BEagle]

Try at least £750 plus the loss of time from work......

[muppet]

Perhaps a new thread here;
activewaypoint asks, Is a few years commercial experience valuable to anyone?

I think it is poor that almost all 'commercial' flying instructors around have no commercial experience. They are simply hanging around waiting until they have accrued enough hours to move up the aviation ladder. They train pilots who aspire to a level they themselves have not yet reached.
Those who can, do. Those who can't .......

Any club/school should jump at the opportunity to learn from activewaypoint's experience.........or do they have something to hide.....

[walkingthewalk]

<nomex suit on>

I understand the resentment felt by the regular instructors when airline pilots come along and are allowed by the FTO to take away instructing opportunities from them.

There isn't any affinity between the PPL syllabus and what it is like to fly commecially in a jet. So let's lighten up a little avoid observations like "those who can etc." :)

Some of us actually prefer to fly the many different types of small GA aircraft and enjoy teaching what it is like to fly such aircraft and the fun you can have once you have obtained your PPL.:

[juswonnafly]

OK......Soap box time :p

I've been instructing for a few years now and I too have time on my hands. I thought it might be quite nice to offer to get into jets (unpaid of course!) so that I can deprive a few jet pilots of their real jobs!!:mad:

Come on guys, you have your golden ticket, leave a chance for the rest of us

JWF :D

[activewaypoint]

:D well, I may not have been thinking about teaching the ppl syllabus. I was thinking more along the lines of multi-engine instrument flying which takes you into controlled airspace.
The disciplines involved apply equally to a C152 or a Learjet. The latter goes a bit faster thats all.
Seems theres a lot of frustrated instructors out there. The tragedy is that most seem not to want to be where they are.
This can only detract from the very real responsibility you all have. That is to teach the very basics of flying - something that will be with the student forever.
The system of course is at fault here. Instructing should be given the value commensurate with its responsibility.
It certainly should not just be a stepping stone to bigger things.
Thats it.......good luck to all of you......but rest assured if I need a job sometime......I'll take yours! :D Its a dog eat pussycat world out there!