I agree with other posters on this thread, but feel that they may have missed an important caveat. Instructing experience is excellent, *but* it doesn't compete very well with charter time when it comes to applying to airlines or other charter operators. I've had quite a number of potential employers ask me quite directly how much of my time was instructing, clearly hoping for the answer to be "very little, but here's all the night frieght I've done". As it happens, I have quite a bit of instructing time, and there seems to be a prejudice against that in the Australian industry. I guess all I'm saying is that you may find it harder than you'd think to pick up a charter of an airline job if most of your experience is instructing.
That said, do I wish I hadn't done the instructing I have? Not at all - I'm certain I'm a better pilot for it, and it was very rewarding work. It would just be nice if there were a way to persuade potential employers that a high proportion of instructing time needn't be a liability.
If you think you will be a good and responsible instructor, go for it. If you think you'll hate teaching, or won't likely be much good at it, and will just be doing it for the hours, head for Kununurra or PNG instead. Whatever you choose, good luck! It's a tough job market out there, but hey - we wouldn't be doing it if we didn't love it, right?
