Flying Instructor cost and qualifications

[Iceman1976]

Hello, Just wondering if any of you know what the cost is to become a flying instructer from Zero experience and what your chances are of getting suitable employment as an instructor thereafter.
I mean, do you need a PPL, and associated ratings etc. and what would the total cost be.

Do flying schools employ fresh graduates from pilot training or do they, like airlines, tend to go for employees with flying instructor hours under their belt?

Cheers. :cool:

[Charlie Zulu]

Hi Iceman,

To be able to instruct and to be paid for the privilage you will require a JAA CPL/FI(R) ratings at the minimum.

If you are only interested in instructing then the modular route is probably the route more suitable. This route sees you obtain a licence and extra bolt ons as and when you are able.

The "structure" is as follows (not set in stone or anything):

1) Obtain a PPL.
2) Fly as you require a minimum of 150 hours total time.
3) Study for and pass the JAA CPL Written Exams.
4) Undertake the JAA CPL Flight Course and Skills Test.
5) If you still haven't got 200 hours total time, obtain!
6) Undertake the JAA FI(R) Flight Course and Skills Test.

Step 3 can be done at the same time as Step 2.

However, personally I would change step 3 to read "Study for and pass the JAA ATPL Written Exams".

This is because although these exams are slightly more involved, the courses themselves are more widely available AND if you have any intentions at all of flying for the airlines or corporate aircraft then a JAA ATPL Knowledge is an absolute must.

The above would give you a JAA Commercial Pilots Licence with a Flight Instructor Rating which will be restricted. To remove the restriction then there are a few instructor requirements to be met, such as having signed out a certain number of student solos.

If you carried out the above including the ATPL knowldge instead of the CPL knowledge then to be eligble to fly for the airlines, corporate aviation or air taxi you will require the following courses added to your licence:

1) JAA Instrument Rating
2) Usually a MCC and CRM course.

This would then give you a JAA CPL/IR FI(R) (or FI if the restriction had been removed by then) and MCC courses. You will also have passed the JAA ATPL Exams.

I am changing this post to add rough guide on costs. PPL around £5-6K, 100 Hours will set you back at UK club prices around £10k, CPL or ATPL knowledge courses and exams another £3k, JAA CPL Flight Course around the £5-6k mark and the JAA FI(R) course about the same. So you're looking at about £23-25k to become an instructor.

Unless you are lucky enough to land a job with a big school, you will be on "per hour" flight pay of around £10-£15 an hour. As the weather can be quite bad in the UK it doesn't take a geniuse to work out that Instructors can be quite poor!!!

Hope this helps and all the best.

Charlie Zulu.

[quifflegend]

obviously charlie is giving you uk prices there though mate, if you do your hour building in the states its gonna be cheaper still, plus you might aswell do your ppl there too. The others you are probs best doing in the uk, so you can get a feel for the airspace etc if you are going to be teaching here.