little help please!!!!
little help please!!!!
I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Here and there
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ohboy,
If you haven't already done so, perhaps posting the same question on the Instructors Forum might yield some worthwhile advice.
As an employer of instructors, although not one myself, I can tell you it is one hell of a hard slog. You need to ask yourself why do you want to be an instructor? If it is because you have a nice crisp new CPL with the ink drying and you think instructing is going to be the best way to get hours before moving onto something like charter then you are doing neither yourself nor your students a favour.
The sad fact is, very few schools can afford to pay full time salaries and at best you will be offered casual rates. Some operators insist that their casual instructors are on the premises all the time, even though they are not being paid. I personally feel this is very unfair and if our casuals are not flying, it is up to them whether or not they remain. Problem is though, if you aren't there, you run the risk of missing out on the possible 'walk-ins' who you get to take on a TIF and just might become a regular student for you. It's a tough call in that regard.
Once you crack your first couple of students and hopefully do a good job with them then the reputation of the school but more importantly you as an instructor will get around and perhaps lead to more referrals from their friends etc.
I know a lot of instructors who have stuck it out and in the long run it has paid dividends to the point that their take home wages are more than the salaried staff. But this will not happen for you as a new grade 3 instructor, at the outset anyway.
My advice:
If you want to become an instructor then do so.
Have another source of income to fall back on when things don't go well straight away.
Look after your students and keep their (not your) best interests at the forefront.
DO NOT under any circumstances offer to instruct for free! It only p1sses everyone else off. and
Don't do an instructors course because the school doing your training says you will get a job with them at the end of it. That may be the case for some but for the majority, once you have done your rating you are on your own.
If you haven't already done so, perhaps posting the same question on the Instructors Forum might yield some worthwhile advice.
As an employer of instructors, although not one myself, I can tell you it is one hell of a hard slog. You need to ask yourself why do you want to be an instructor? If it is because you have a nice crisp new CPL with the ink drying and you think instructing is going to be the best way to get hours before moving onto something like charter then you are doing neither yourself nor your students a favour.
The sad fact is, very few schools can afford to pay full time salaries and at best you will be offered casual rates. Some operators insist that their casual instructors are on the premises all the time, even though they are not being paid. I personally feel this is very unfair and if our casuals are not flying, it is up to them whether or not they remain. Problem is though, if you aren't there, you run the risk of missing out on the possible 'walk-ins' who you get to take on a TIF and just might become a regular student for you. It's a tough call in that regard.
Once you crack your first couple of students and hopefully do a good job with them then the reputation of the school but more importantly you as an instructor will get around and perhaps lead to more referrals from their friends etc.
I know a lot of instructors who have stuck it out and in the long run it has paid dividends to the point that their take home wages are more than the salaried staff. But this will not happen for you as a new grade 3 instructor, at the outset anyway.
My advice:
If you want to become an instructor then do so.
Have another source of income to fall back on when things don't go well straight away.
Look after your students and keep their (not your) best interests at the forefront.
DO NOT under any circumstances offer to instruct for free! It only p1sses everyone else off. and
Don't do an instructors course because the school doing your training says you will get a job with them at the end of it. That may be the case for some but for the majority, once you have done your rating you are on your own.
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Instructor rating
It will make you a better pilot
Cost you a lot of money
Never make you any money
Only do it if you really like people (you get all types) and have people skills (read - personality).
There are already enough disheartened instructors out there longing to be somewhere else flying something else.
Cost you a lot of money
Never make you any money
Only do it if you really like people (you get all types) and have people skills (read - personality).
There are already enough disheartened instructors out there longing to be somewhere else flying something else.
