Career Instructors
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Career Instructors
Just wanted to hear from pilots who have made instructing their career. Do they find it rewarding and would they recommend it. What do you see as the benefits from such career path.
Java
Java
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IMHO a career instructor has to be a teacher first and a pilot second.
It's very rewarding, never a dull moment, and you get to go home each night and have a family life, if that is what you want. But you have to WANT to be a teacher, which is a vocation as well as a job, and not just see it as a temporary thing until something "better" comes along, or you won't enjoy it, and not will your students.
As for the $$, I believe once you get up to the top positions in the schools that train airline cadets it's not bad.
But how much $$ do you need to be satisfied? $$ doesn't make you happy. It's all relative. Some people have very high expectations, others are happy to have "enough" whatever their "enough" is.
It's very rewarding, never a dull moment, and you get to go home each night and have a family life, if that is what you want. But you have to WANT to be a teacher, which is a vocation as well as a job, and not just see it as a temporary thing until something "better" comes along, or you won't enjoy it, and not will your students.
As for the $$, I believe once you get up to the top positions in the schools that train airline cadets it's not bad.
But how much $$ do you need to be satisfied? $$ doesn't make you happy. It's all relative. Some people have very high expectations, others are happy to have "enough" whatever their "enough" is.
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CFI, hi again.
I began instructing as a "career instructor". I had every intention of living the family life with the flexible hours that a life of instructing has to offer. I have always loved teaching. I have been in the teaching game in another field since I was 15 years of age. The transition to aviation was a smooth one. I can quite honestly say that teaching is a passion of mine. I was told early on that even if I don't mind instructing I will find it frustrating and boring within 12 months. I have been instructing now for 18 months, I am 5 hours off a grade II, and I have loved every minute of instructing. I've found it very rewarding and satisfying. And when you say that money ($$$) doesn't make you happy, that's true. Very true. However, it does pay the bills. The bills that are totally obscuring my fridge door!!! LOL
I'd love to find employment with one of these flying schools that have airline training contracts. Can you please post/e-mail me any info you may have on them? And can you confirm that they only usually take on as instructors the pilots that they train themselves, because that's what i've heard. Also, are the instructors at these places on a wage, or do they lose out when we have crappy weather? (As has happened to me in the last few months.)
Cheers..........................H.
[ 14 December 2001: Message edited by: Highbypass ]
I began instructing as a "career instructor". I had every intention of living the family life with the flexible hours that a life of instructing has to offer. I have always loved teaching. I have been in the teaching game in another field since I was 15 years of age. The transition to aviation was a smooth one. I can quite honestly say that teaching is a passion of mine. I was told early on that even if I don't mind instructing I will find it frustrating and boring within 12 months. I have been instructing now for 18 months, I am 5 hours off a grade II, and I have loved every minute of instructing. I've found it very rewarding and satisfying. And when you say that money ($$$) doesn't make you happy, that's true. Very true. However, it does pay the bills. The bills that are totally obscuring my fridge door!!! LOL
I'd love to find employment with one of these flying schools that have airline training contracts. Can you please post/e-mail me any info you may have on them? And can you confirm that they only usually take on as instructors the pilots that they train themselves, because that's what i've heard. Also, are the instructors at these places on a wage, or do they lose out when we have crappy weather? (As has happened to me in the last few months.)
Cheers..........................H.
[ 14 December 2001: Message edited by: Highbypass ]
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For me "career instructor" didn't happen because I needed to move on to other things. Working as an instructor was firstly very rewarding personally and secondly didn't hurt the bank balance too much with the company I worked for. Hybypass if you want some information on those "flying schools that have airline training contracts" then email me.
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Java,
I am a career instructor, and have seen both ends of the scale, I have worked for those that have paid little, and those that have paid a salary. (and those that are in between!!)I have also done my fair share of charter work in remote QLD, as well as exposure to turbine RPT - my logbook benefited from this!
Thruought my instructing time, the money has varied but at the end of the day all the jobs that I have had have all been extreemly rewarding and personally satisfying - this is a priceless feeling of achievement.
As for the good instructing jobs, I have one now, one of those that have the airline contracts, and yes, its a case of good money, good aircraft, good boss's, and a good life style. BUT, it didnt come to me on a silver plater - and this I am also thankfull for!!
My advice if it means much to you is - if its what you want to do.... do it! ride through the hard times, and live the good times.
If its big $$$ you want - get a airline job. the instructing industry unfortunatly in some ways has been plagued by people using instructing as a stepping stone, and as a result there are some good examples of POOR instruction, these frequently can be seen in the CRASH COMICS as STATISTICS. If you want to be a career instructor, Make it a mission in life not to just fly, But to TEACH!!
Thats all I have to say, Best of luck in your travels.
I am a career instructor, and have seen both ends of the scale, I have worked for those that have paid little, and those that have paid a salary. (and those that are in between!!)I have also done my fair share of charter work in remote QLD, as well as exposure to turbine RPT - my logbook benefited from this!
Thruought my instructing time, the money has varied but at the end of the day all the jobs that I have had have all been extreemly rewarding and personally satisfying - this is a priceless feeling of achievement.
As for the good instructing jobs, I have one now, one of those that have the airline contracts, and yes, its a case of good money, good aircraft, good boss's, and a good life style. BUT, it didnt come to me on a silver plater - and this I am also thankfull for!!
My advice if it means much to you is - if its what you want to do.... do it! ride through the hard times, and live the good times.
If its big $$$ you want - get a airline job. the instructing industry unfortunatly in some ways has been plagued by people using instructing as a stepping stone, and as a result there are some good examples of POOR instruction, these frequently can be seen in the CRASH COMICS as STATISTICS. If you want to be a career instructor, Make it a mission in life not to just fly, But to TEACH!!
Thats all I have to say, Best of luck in your travels.
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Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I appreciate your response. I am standing out of the industry for the moment, but have had some experience in charter work. I am seriously considering going back into the industry in instructing. I am not so interested in the $$$, but have a real interest in teaching and also the lifestyle that goes with instructing. I seem to be at the cross roads, do I stay out of the industry and stay in a safe job that I am in now, or risk it and do what I really want and instruct. I just fear the security job thing.
Java
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I appreciate your response. I am standing out of the industry for the moment, but have had some experience in charter work. I am seriously considering going back into the industry in instructing. I am not so interested in the $$$, but have a real interest in teaching and also the lifestyle that goes with instructing. I seem to be at the cross roads, do I stay out of the industry and stay in a safe job that I am in now, or risk it and do what I really want and instruct. I just fear the security job thing.
Java
