Requirements to become an FI (A)

[nakbin]

Firstly, I did search (under ‘any date’) and didn’t find anything. Maybe I chose the wrong search words!?

I haven’t started any training yet, but have a question about instructing.

For someone aiming to eventually be an airline pilot and planning on trying to get a job as an instructor to build some hours, does it matter if you just have a CPL and FI rating rather than also having the MEP and ME/IR ratings too. Do most people get all the ratings then instruct or just get what’s necessary first, build the hours and then get the additional ratings and MCC – to lower loan repayments while they have low hours? I'd like to hear any views/advice about this!


Is a flight school more likely to employ someone with an ME/IR and FI rating over someone with just a CPL and FI rating – or does it just come down to number of hours (I’m assuming that people with an ME/IR will often have more hours).

For someone who has got a CPL (and maybe an ME/IR) with about 200 hours TT and has just finished an FI rating, how hard is it to get an FI job in the UK?

How about somewhere in Europe or the US? Can someone with licenses issued by the CAA work as an FI in Europe where licences are issued by those countries’ authorities?

Thanks for any replies!

[Han 1st Solo]

Hi a-wing.

You don't need an IR or MEP to be considered by most PPL flying schools, in fact many will see this as a good reason to hire you as they know you won't be clearing off to the airlines for a while. Our school will be hiring someone with just a CPL and FI in the next month or so, providing he passes the FI rating. By leaving the IR, MEP and MCC it will allow you to gain valuable experience and improve your piloting skills massively, making the IR and MEP easier to cope with.

Instructing is a great way to build hours and gain experience but as many will probably say if you do go the instructor route then make sure you don't do it just to build hours. Try your upmost to attain the best standards of instruction you can, and not just coast through until the airline job eventually comes along. I'm so glad that I went down the instructor route, i'm sure you'll have a great time.

Hope this helps,

Han. :ok:

[nakbin]

Thanks for the advice! I hadn't really considered this option until very recently, but I prefer the idea of doing the FI course straight after the CPL - it seems to make sense!

Cheers

[VFE]

a-wing,

Your plan sounds like a good one to me. I have a CPL/IR fATPL & MCC and shall shortly be commencing the FI course. When asking around you'll find that some schools are loathe to employ instructors who are looking to move onto the airlines ASAP because, rightly or wrongly, they assume the instructor will not be interested in teaching. Personally I see their attitude as rather ludicrious and arrogant really as I don't know any qualified pilot who would take such a cavalier attitude towards something so rewarding, however I guess some do otherwise this attitude would not exist!

Other schools are cool with aspiring airline pilots using them to gain experience and will actively encourage them towards achieving their ambition. As someone in this postition my attitude is that I'll put everything into instructing until the airline job comes along - no point in slacking when there is so much for me to gain in terms of job satisfaction! It is all about attitude and that's a two way thing in my view - if a school takes the attitude that an aspiring airline pilot is going to take a slack approach towards instructing without even judging each individual on their own merits then it points towards a prejudice which then poses the question: would you wish to work for a company who may view you with such contempt? Something to think about!

The only small downside to your plan, as I see it, is that you won't have the extra instrument experience which the IR provides to fall back on should you get caught out one day with poor visibility - but seeing as the majority of PPL aeroplanes are not certificated for more than PPL IMC conditions this is a very small issue in reality, and we all know a PPL should not find themselves in this position anyway but the experience and hours part may be a factor when they look at the overall picture. At the end of the day there are no hard and fast rules to getting a job in aviation - if you are qualified to instruct and they have bookings and not enough instructors on hand you'll get the gig unless someone more experienced is available. Worth doing all the training before the FI for this reason alone? My answer would be 'no'.

As Han 1st Solo said, most schools will be more welcoming towards someone who is not simply looking at instructor work purely as a stepping stone towards a career in the airlines so my last peice of advice would be to exercise caution in how you approach any potential employers!

Good luck,

VFE.