LAFalot

Anyone got any info regarding the health of the UK instructing market? Thinking of going this way next year, so any constructive remarks on good places to do the course and good places to try and find work would be appreciated. Also rates of pay for freelancing. Cheers...

Huwey

As on FI(H)R...AFI(H) in none JAR speak ibelieve there are not enough QHI's to go around. With a NVQ going and the introduction of the relatively new JAR PPL(H,), it has taken the helicopter training industry some to adjust. I belive (taking the two schools I work for as a yard stick), that we are over the worst now as far as its introduction goes. Schools now feel more confident in discussing the 'new' JAR PPL(H) to prospective students.

I think the long term picture should be good if you do go the instructing route - the cost of getting there on a self sponsor ticket seems to be more and more unrealistic for too many people who would otherwise have considered instructing under the old system.

I assume that you've already got 300+ hrs and a CPL (H) - the PPL(H) +200hrs P1 before instructor course route died with the intro of JAR -grrrrrrr!!!) Good luck!

LAFalot

Huwey, thanks for your reply. You mentioned that NVQ may be available for the Instructor's course - do you know any details about this?

Simonjknightuk

Guys...advice please.

Am starting down CPL(H) path and really want to instruct at the end of it all. I even have the lucky offer of "interested parties" once all is said and done. Any R22 instructors out there care to give me a ball park figure of possible earnings?

Cheers

Michael Jupp

it's a long path,155 hours before the 35 hr commercial flying course,theoretical exams (if you can find a school,as yet i think JAR are still running ATPL(A) with helicopter add ons only) hour building to 300 hrs .then 25 hrs for instructor rating +100 ish ground school.
After all that you can look to earn 30-40 £ a flying hour.
having said all that i does seem there is demand at the moment for instructors after the glut of 2 years ago
good luck

Robbo Jock

In that case:
I'm based Derby, got the CPL(H) and would like to get an Instructor's ticket. Anyone know of a good place within striking distance?

staticdroop

Am also looking to step down that road and was wondering if you know who requires instructors. Reccomend a copy of BHAB handbook, it is ideal for all the questions of who does what were and with whom.

Robbo Jock

That, presumably, involves handing fistfuls of Filthy Lucre to the BHAB?

Whirlybird

Nah, only a little bit of Filthy Lucre. I'm another wannabe instructor, and I got one about a week ago, and it cost me all of £7.50. It has lots of potentially useful info, and even lots of pictures of helicopters. Details are on their website.

Helinut

While the BHAB Handbook is OK, there are many flying schools that are not members and therefore not listed. If you go to the CAA SRG website, there is a pdf file of FTOs and TRTOs at:
<a href="http://www.srg.caa.co.uk/documents/srg_fcl_ApprovedFTOs.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.srg.caa.co.uk/documents/srg_fcl_ApprovedFTOs.pdf</a>
This should give you a fairly good list of both places to do your instructor rating and/or places to instruct once you have the rating. However, the CAA list is not complete and out of date, so it does not contain all the schools. Try copies of Flyer and Pilot too.

The instructor who does your instructor training is key. Do spend time talking to him/her?; the course is very intense and you will need to get on.

When it comes to getting work, an outfit is likely to look more favourably on you if you have spent some money with them and if they know you.

I was talking to a couple of CFIs recently, and they both mentioned that there was a difficulty getting new instructors.

Good Luck

t'aint natural

I'm an instructor, AFI, London-area, and work is very thin on the ground.

muffin

Robbo

If you want to borrow my copy of the BHAB handbook, e mail me direct. I am only 10 miles from Derby.

elpirata

SJK,

I would like to start by disagreeing with your initial premise, I was lucky enough to get an instructor rating under the old system i.e. on my PPL, and having done more than 1000 hours instructing you will find that it is ok but you will want to move on to the next challenge, i.e more and bigger types on your licence plus commercial flying, instructing is a great way to increase your experience and pass on your skills but in itself it is quite limiting.
expect difficulty getting started. e.g i did 30 hours in the first 6 months (all trial lessons)and 200 hours i the next six months, i was running about 500 hours a year when i finished which equates to £20k pa.

it is harder to find work when you are a new instructor FI(H) (resticted), because you need cover from a senior instructor, so he/she really needs to have a program before you do.
much easier to find work when your instructor rating is upgraded because you can work unsupervised (t'aint natural - work is available around london for a FI(H) (unrestricted,
however gettting the restriction removed is tougher than it used to be - in particular you have to supervise 25 solos, as well as do 100 hours instruction, 25 solos takes ages believe me, way over 100 hours normally, i reckon i must have done about 300-400 before i had done 25, you really need active help from the senior instructor to help you get the upgrade.

dont give up it may take time but you will succeed, you must be flexible (i.e travel at shirt notice long distances to do 1 or 2 trial lessons), if you say no to work they will ask someone else first next time

i have done various types of helicopter flying now and the thing that keeps it interesting is doing varied stuff, so dont set your sites too low.

hope this helps

Robbo Jock

Thanks for the input, folks. £7.50's not bad, I'll get in touch with BHAB, Whirly. Ta for the CAA link, Helinut - I'll have a dekko after posting this. And thanks for the reality check, elpirata. Always a good idea to keep one's eyes open. I was thinking of part-timing initially, so it may be a while building the instructional hours for me.

Muffin, I'd noticed you're location is Ashbourne and was thinking of getting in touch, but I'm awful shy. I'll fling you an e-mail - not to borrow the book, just to chew the fat.

Helinut

SJK,

elpirata's story is IMHO realistic. The restricted instructor is of limited use to a flying school. It is also useful to remember that, wonderful as "free" flying is, the school assumes you are working. Most schools are looking for some one prepared to add lots of non-flying hours to the valuable flying hours for which an instructor is paid.

t'aint natural

Elpirata: Spot on about the 25 solos. After three years I have 17, out of over 400 hours instruction (part-time). In theory I can only send my own strudents solo (as a part-timer I simply don't "own" any) and I can't authorise their first solo or their qualifying cross country. How long before I get the other eight? If ever.

Simonjknightuk

Thanks guys for the candid responses...
ok, what can a pilot with frozen ATPH earn on the North Sea Rig runs? Its the other end of the scale but at least you can come back to instructing later I suppose!
Cheers

Moneyshot

Ladies and Gentlemen
I am an airline pilot (ex-RN rotary) and for some time have held an ATPL (HG) with a type rating on the R 22 (AFI). I have tried several times to obtain gainful employment on a freelance basis as an instructor at several schools around the London area (Stansted based). I've not had much success as I believe instructor jobs are either jealously guarded or just not there in the first place.
For me, such a position would be ideal especially for when things are a bit slack over the winter period. I would also be interested in any charter work and quite willing to obtain a type rating on the B206 or twin squirrel if the work could be guaranteed.
Please can anyone help me? All comments (even rude) welcome.

t'aint natural

Moneyshot: I too do AFI work here and there around London, and the plain fact is there aren't enough students coming forward to keep everyone in business. We British contrive to make learning to fly difficult, expensive and unrewarding, and especially so with helicopters. It's not that the jobs are "jealously guarded." People who have them are by and large keen to move up.
Keep trying. You're better qualified than most, and I'm sure you'll find something now that the weather is picking up. It's the Bank Holiday weekend - anyone who can't sell flying time this weekend should give up.

Moneyshot

T'aint
Thanks for that . That's more or less what I thought. Unfortunately I've got to do my main job this weekend but I'll take any opportunity to do do some real flying. It's a shame that fixed wing is where the money is!!