Should I renew my instructor rating??

[Poontang Luva]

G'Day,

I'm hoping some of you can offer me some advice.

I'm heading off to the UK next year to try and score some airline work and a change of scenery.

Anyway my instructor rating expires in April and thats when I plan to leave my current position and move.

Is there any point in renewing it? I've asked a couple of senior instructors and they say without a doubt, but i've been givin no valid reason as to why. The only reason i've been givin is that it shows an airline that I like to keep things current. But would they honestly give a rats if it has no bearing on them?

I can't see the point. It's not recognised in the UK so I can't instruct there. And more importantly I have no intention of ever instructing again (well SE pistons anyway). I've done it for 2 years and although i've enjoyed the experience its time to move on to bigger and better things.


Cheers
:)

PS - Even though its only a few hundred bucks to renew, the cost to move there, convert licences + ATPL, and pay for an OZ IR as well on a very limited instructor wage - well you can see I need to keep every penny that I can get. I need a real good reason to renew. And if one of you can give me one i'll do it.

[Hugh Jarse]

PL if you're sure you're not going to need it for a while, save your money. You can always renew it if you do...
The only reason i've been givin is that it shows an airline that I like to keep things current. But would they honestly give a rats if it has no bearing on them?
No they wouldn't give a rat's. It's not a required qualification.

Save your money, put it to better use. You can always get it back with little difficulty later on.

Food on the table, son. Food on the table ;)

[Tinstaafl]

If you're not going to use it while away, I wouldn't bother. If, however, there's likely to be any change in the instructor rating system/levels of authority etc etc then it may be worthwhile to keep yours ticking over.

Usually when there's a change to a qualification to some new system there will be a grandfather/equivalent automatic exchange of the old for the new. It can transpire that without the old rating current under a new system you will lose your hard earned privileges and have to re-qualify.

[redsnail]

Poontang Luva (great name)
I hate to rain on your parade but I don't know if you have any turbine time. If you don't I would strongly suggest you look at the UK very very carefully.
I know a couple of guys here now that have no turbine time but a fair bit of piston time and the turbine operators aren't looking at them.
To limit your exposure, I would do the ATPL distance learning and work in Oz. They have made one concession recently and that is a min of 15 hours is required to convert the IR over.

The mythical or fabled recruiting boom hasn't happened here yet.

If you have 500 + hours on a 737 ignore the above.

[Icarus2001]

Poontang, for my money I would renew it. There are big changes coming with the CASRs and a current rating will ensure you pick up any grandfathering. Also I believe that airlines do look at the overall person, someone who believs that their hard won instructor rating is worth keeping current shows a level of maturity and commitment.

You really do not know what is around the corner so I say renew it. After the tax deduction what will it really cost?

[Poontang Luva]

Cheers for all the replies ;) Much appreciated! :D

Sounds like it might be worth the effort before the new CASR's kick in. If the poo hits the fan over there at least I know I can come back and score some work relatively quickly........ (maybe!)

Reddo, we must think alike because i'm already studying hard, using the course notes from Bristol. Heading over there in mid-Jan for the Feb sitting then head back home to work and study for module 2.

I don't plan to make the permanent move to the UK until i've exhausted the Qantas option. And if the ban at CX lifts i'll try them too (not holding my breath). A move to the UK is my (expensive) back up plan.

I've done quite a bit of research on this since I first considered it back in 2000. But as they say no guts no glory! A BIG risk I know but so long as Gulf War 2 doesn't begin things should be on the up.... I fall quite comfortably in Easy's new type rating recruitment scheme and with 120 A319's on the way I might have a chance. If that doesn't work out i'll try CTC's AQC.

Honestly I just want to fly something with more than one engine (make that one piston engine) and i'd be more than happy with with an air taxi job. Or dropping parachutists out of a Caravan or whatever. I've reached the point where anymore instructional hours is just a waste of time.

I also want to fly somewhere where there's a bit of scenery out the window!! :cool: Outback WA just doesn't cut it!!

Thanks again for the advice ppl :)

-PL

PS - if anyone else has any opinons on the matter please share them. Thanks.

[Hap Hazard]

:cool: PL, cant vouch for the instructor bit, but the UK plan....
The UK can offer some fantastic oportunities to those who are willing to take a gamble.
It is a lot of money to outlay, but you do it to increase your chances of getting to where you want to get.
Job opportunities here at the moment are both bleak and encouraging, depending on which sector of the industry you work for.
Easy, Ryan, bmi baby etc, are hiring at the moment, however they are drawing upon a lot of jet experianced guys, both out of work and from other operators in the full class airlines who seem to be quite happy to consolidate...ie not replace them unless it is totally necessary.
Some of the cheap operators have been hiring a number of less experianced guys and hats off to them, but I think you will find a majority of them will be +1000hr jet.
Dont let me paint you a picture of doom and gloom, at least there is employment going on here, many of our guys are getting interviews with Virgin Blue and we have lost several to VB in the last 10 months, so it worked for them.(and frees up jobs)
As I said, the UK can be a fantastic career oportunity, I started out here at the age of 32, got a PPL and got my CPL 4 years later, 5 months later got a RHS job on a modern Turbo-prop with 300 hrs TT.
1 1/2 years later got onto jets and still there.....yes I was lucky, but if you dont buy a ticket you cant win the lottery!
By the by, did my navs with Bristol Ground School, they are first class and got me through all the subjects in one sitting, Alex Whittingham is the best...thanks Alex!
Just to keep it all in perspective, suggest you take a close look at PPRUNES wannabes site, it will give you a good indication of the job front here for guys looking for their first RHS job.