Originally Posted by
Pilot DAR
Thanks +TSRA for your considered response, that's great of you! Obviously, that is a lot of valuable wisdom, to be take to heart. Without diminishing anything which +TSRA has offered, I'll add a little perspective of my own. I do not suggest it's better, just different...
First, Why do you want be an instructor? Is it 'cause you really enjoy teaching, and will give the "passing on knowledge" your best effort for the benefit and inspiration of the student? Or, is it just to get more hours into your logbook? If the latter, do the student a favour, and find a different way to increase your experience (go fly survey). I've met both types of instructors, and the "I'm just here to build my own time" people were generally not inspiring. On the other hand, I know a few career instructors who just delight when they see their student progress - and do not seek to move into another type of flying.
Then, what can you offer your student in terms of your skill and experience to pass along? Can you watch them go solo, and feel confident that they had all the skills they could need to handle getting back safely? I worried sending pilots solo if I had taught them enough. Once I hadn't, and they got it wrong. But it wasn't a solo flight, they took me too!
In respect of +TSRA saying:
I can see that differently. I give the applicant the credit that this was a true description of their piloting experience. It is what it is. If it's inflated, that's a different topic. If it's exuberant, well... I like an applicant who's enthusiastic! Personally, I would far rather talk to an applicant who has 400 hours in (we'll call it) six types, than twice the hours in the circuit all in a 172.
Mention all of your time, but while doing so, highlight the PIC time as "you" flying, and the time you were "in the cockpit" as just that. As an interviewer, I would rather hear that you did some right seat ride alongs (and probably learned a few things) than were sitting in front of your computer. If you have "been around" but not necessarily been flying the plane, i see in that that the person flying the plane was happy to have you there, (a positive thing) and you are meeting people.
For my early flying experience, a lot of it was simply being agreeable, at the airport, honest, and willing. I was given many opportunities, each I took gratefully. In my mid flying career, it mostly became apparent that people asking about my flying experience were just passing numbers along into a file for insurance in case someone ever asked. They certainly were not poking through the number themselves. You're not there yet, but you can get there. To even my surprise, in my now aged flying experience, I hardly get asked to provide a detailed description of my flying history, it's more, there's the plane, let us know when you're done with it.
+TSRA's advice is gold, take it to heart.
Be: honest, humble, agreeable, and know that the person who might hire you has done the grungy, cold fingers, unpleasant job [to get where they are now], so they want to know that you will too - show them that part of yourself. And, remember that they are looking at other things which indicate that you are careful and thorough, (which they will want to be very be with their customer/passengers/students, and their expensive plane): No "UR's" nor "Gr8's" in messages, or the way you present yourself - check spelling! These things get noticed!