Glad you agree.
You make sure that G-String convinces you good and proper before you let him into the secret of how to become a commercial instructor and how to convince FTO’s that he is serious.
Well I'm not about to spend time and energy on someone who is actually only half hearted.
I mean, it’s bloody unfair how some unscrupulous instructors dupe poor old FTO’s into believing they are serious about instructing for more than a couple of months.
Or indeed the other way around when FTO's promise you'll be flying twins an teaching IMC's in 6 months when you won't.
For instance. I heard a story about this guy…Welsh bloke I believe. Talked his way in to a prime instructors job with a Commercial FTO somewhere in Spain, the sort of job that genuine career instructors would have given their eye teeth for. THEN… would-you- believe…within a couple of months he was up and off to the Airlines, like a rat up a drain pipe...or maybe it was a weasle up a drain pipie , I can't remember.
Yeah well that would be hypocrisy on his part IF he had EVER even HINTED that he might consider a career instructing. I recall in my job interview up in Prestwick that I spent a considerable time running through the rules of the training bond as I voiced my opinion that in 12 months time I might be able to skip the regional TP job and take a pot shot at getting sraight into a jet airline.
That’s just the sort of thing that in your position you are quite right to try and ensure doesn’t happen!! So you just hold back on your sage-like knowledge until this upstart convinces you.
No its no skin off my nose. I just am voicing a weary voice of scepticism about 'career instructing' as I hear it all the time but have never ever seen it happen myself. My sage like knowledge is limited but I do have some useful contacts.
Seriously G-sting you are right. Most clubs and FTO’s do get a bit pissed off when instructors say they are there for the long term and clearly aren’t.
If you are totally serious about instructing for a living and feel the need to show that that was the case. Then CPL theory exams as opposed to ATPL would prove that. Sadly you still can’t do them at the moment so that isn’t an option.
You'd be mad to do that. Its 95% of the ATPL work anyway and IF in 10 years someone is begging you to go fly their GulfstreamV for them you can't.
Also hold back on your MIR. You don’t need it to teach up to CPL and Instructor ratings. Now employers know that a CPL without an IR is useless to Airlines, so you are a safe bet without it. In addition you will save a fortune and not have to keep current. However, I would imagine that the major commercial FTO's would require an IR. But you could start with a smaller op and build up instructor ratings, which would prove your intentions.
Major FTO's require you to hold an IR but they also pay for the renewal. Well the non-shoddy ones do. I Beleive OATS limited that to single engine unless you were teaching on the multis - which was a bit of a cheek.
Instructing beyond PPL can pay pretty well. But you’ll need to get 500hrs of instruction time in on the breadline before you can look at any form of commercial instruction on a living wage.
Yep.
Clear prop! Who do you work for again - I've forgotten if I ever knew...?
Cheers,
WWW
[ 25 September 2001: Message edited by: Wee Weasley Welshman ]