Catch 22

[sam white]

I have gate crashed your forum looing for advice (please)..........


Like many of us out there i am in the old Catch 22, need Hours for a job, and a job for hours.
I am thinking about going the instructor route.

A few questions which have probably been asked before, but please bear with me.

FI-rating..... does it pay, will i ever see a return on the £££££'s i pay out for the ticket. (that is instructing for hours and not as a career),

Is there any jobs in instructing (Right Now, not when the industry picks up, cos hopefully then i will have a comercial job).

In the opinion of those knowledgeable, would it be a better use of money, spending it on an FAA Cpl conversion, or hours or CTC, or....(you get the gist).

Right choice of career.........wrong timing though.!!

[Mister Geezer]

You might be able to get you money back, once you instruct but I would have the attitude that you don't expect to, so if you do then that is a bonus! There are some jobs going around so pop down to your local flying club and catch the latest info - BTW instructing is regarded as a 'commercial job'! I have put ideas like CTC on the backburner since I have decided to do the FI rating. Forking out for hours is pointless since with an FI rating you will get paid to fly so I see that avenue as being counter productive! My own view is that it is not all that healthy to have the one and only view of 'building hours' because your PPL students will suffer since you won't be motivated in teaching them and you will be flying for the sake of flying and not keeping your student's interests as your top priority. Some desire to teach is needed IMHO. Others might disagree but I have seen instructors who are hacked off with G/A and are simply waiting to run to join the airlines and flying with them, as a student is not an enjoyable experience. When the chap beside you is paying £90 per hour for the privilege then I regard that to be a raw deal for the customer!

Just something to bear in mind!