Flight instructor course?
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Flight instructor course?
Please could i get a 'grown up' answer to the benefits of doing an FIC course. I am 23 and have had my ATPL for about 1.5 years, currently working in ops for a flying club near London.
Once i have completed the FIC course i would be interested in instructing abroad.
Does anyone have experience as an instructor who has worked or is working in a nice sunny country where life isn't as dull on the salary of an instructor in the UK?
What are the chances of getting a job in say spain or portugal as an instructor with 230 hours total time?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Once i have completed the FIC course i would be interested in instructing abroad.
Does anyone have experience as an instructor who has worked or is working in a nice sunny country where life isn't as dull on the salary of an instructor in the UK?
What are the chances of getting a job in say spain or portugal as an instructor with 230 hours total time?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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I don't know about overseas, but there certainly seems to be a shortage of FIs in the UK at the moment so job prospects are pretty good. scotland seems to be especially rich pickings right now.
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Just wondering why Scotland is rich pickings for FI's?
Hot sunny and mediterranean it's not, but beautiful it is. Plan B if I ever get made redundant from this job is to go back to instructing, heading up there if poss.
Hot sunny and mediterranean it's not, but beautiful it is. Plan B if I ever get made redundant from this job is to go back to instructing, heading up there if poss.
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I can concur that there is indeed a desperate shortage of FIs in Scotland. At the school I worked for we have been totally unable to get any full time FIs to come this far north. This is in essence ludicrous as we have in my opinion some of the best flying available in the whole of the UK. There seems to be a trend for people not being prepared to relocate and this does not bode well for them if they intend to go on to airline work. Almost all candidates that did apply had Frozen ATPLs which makes it even more absurd as just about every single instructor that ever worked at my school has managed gainful employment with an airline, the last being here for just 3 months!! I myself have had one job offer and have an interview coming up. I just find it unbelievable that people turned down the job when they found out it was in the North.........why not put yourself in the minority at an international Airport?
Well for me there is nowhere quite like it, I am not a Scottish but have spent most of my working life here. Scotland has incredible scenery for flying and the weather up here will teach you an awful lot about flying.
Just wondering why Scotland is rich pickings for FI's?
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Duir
I was planning to return home to Scotland and phoned several Schools in April. There seemed little available at that time. Perhaps it was me as only FI(R).
Ideally I am looking for work Tues to Friday , between Carlisle and Perth but fairly flexible.
Any hints as to which Schools to contact?
Thanks
I was planning to return home to Scotland and phoned several Schools in April. There seemed little available at that time. Perhaps it was me as only FI(R).
Ideally I am looking for work Tues to Friday , between Carlisle and Perth but fairly flexible.
Any hints as to which Schools to contact?
Thanks
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Rather than start a separate topic, I hope you don't mind me butting in 
I have been looking at the possibility of doing a FIC, however, I have a rather large loan to pay off and have concerns as to whether a FI salary would be enough to meet the repayments. I would be going further into the red just to fund the course, however as much as it would improve my flying, I do not want to commit financial suicide.
Can anybody give me an idea of what an instructor would get (pay wise) from a good month? A friend of mine who works in Ops at a school, mentioned an £8000 retainer, but he was a bit vague beyond that.
Thanks for the help.
JAS
I have been looking at the possibility of doing a FIC, however, I have a rather large loan to pay off and have concerns as to whether a FI salary would be enough to meet the repayments. I would be going further into the red just to fund the course, however as much as it would improve my flying, I do not want to commit financial suicide.
Can anybody give me an idea of what an instructor would get (pay wise) from a good month? A friend of mine who works in Ops at a school, mentioned an £8000 retainer, but he was a bit vague beyond that.
Thanks for the help.
JAS
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Just Another Sutdent
It really depends where you go but based on my own experience at a busy school near London in the summer I would be doing about 22 to 30 hours per week at £15 per hour + £15 per day retainer giving about £420 to £540 per week pre tax. ( I only ever got above £500 four times)
Winter is the killer though, hours can be down to zero to 10 per week giving you £90 (retainer 6 days) to £240 per week
. Total over a 12 month period was £15,800 pre tax.
Plus you might want to check out some of the other posts on Flying instructor thread regarding pay & conditions.
Good luck.
Winter is the killer though, hours can be down to zero to 10 per week giving you £90 (retainer 6 days) to £240 per week
. Total over a 12 month period was £15,800 pre tax.Plus you might want to check out some of the other posts on Flying instructor thread regarding pay & conditions.
Good luck.
Last edited by IMC007; 17th May 2006 at 15:59.
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Originally Posted by IMC007
It really depends where you go but based on my own experience at a busy school near London in the summer I would be doing about 22 to 30 hours per week at £15 per hour + £15 per day retainer giving about £420 to £540 per month pre tax. ( I only ever got above £500 four times)
Otherwise you never get anywhere near £15k+!!!
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Originally Posted by Just another student
Rather than start a separate topic, I hope you don't mind me butting in
I have been looking at the possibility of doing a FIC, however, I have a rather large loan to pay off and have concerns as to whether a FI salary would be enough to meet the repayments. I would be going further into the red just to fund the course, however as much as it would improve my flying, I do not want to commit financial suicide.
I have been looking at the possibility of doing a FIC, however, I have a rather large loan to pay off and have concerns as to whether a FI salary would be enough to meet the repayments. I would be going further into the red just to fund the course, however as much as it would improve my flying, I do not want to commit financial suicide.
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scholarships
Just another student....richard too
I know exactly what you mean. Myself and a fellow instructor have had to leave instructing recently due very much to the financial issues. Banks breathing down our necks mainly!!!
However, that said, I do not want to put you off doing it. I wouldn't have been able to do the course at all if it wasn't for a scholarship last year thanks very much to GAPAN. Thats no good for you however because you just missed the closing date for this year. Sorry!
GAPAN are not the only people handing out scholarships though. Try others like the Air League. Maybe I should have researched this more before starting this but I'm sure there are others too. I'll PM you if I get a chance to find out.
Just do some research into how much you need to earn and how much you are likely to earn!!! You may discover a bit of a problem. I did, but your circumstances may be different.
The FI course will do wonders for your flying, I'm sure it helps when it comes to the big boys flying jobs and it is thoroughly enjoyable.
Good luck!
I know exactly what you mean. Myself and a fellow instructor have had to leave instructing recently due very much to the financial issues. Banks breathing down our necks mainly!!!
However, that said, I do not want to put you off doing it. I wouldn't have been able to do the course at all if it wasn't for a scholarship last year thanks very much to GAPAN. Thats no good for you however because you just missed the closing date for this year. Sorry!
GAPAN are not the only people handing out scholarships though. Try others like the Air League. Maybe I should have researched this more before starting this but I'm sure there are others too. I'll PM you if I get a chance to find out.
Just do some research into how much you need to earn and how much you are likely to earn!!! You may discover a bit of a problem. I did, but your circumstances may be different.
The FI course will do wonders for your flying, I'm sure it helps when it comes to the big boys flying jobs and it is thoroughly enjoyable.
Good luck!
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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Another financing avenue which occured to me last night whilst watching the Prince of Wales programme on ITV was to approach the Princes Trust for a grant! Do a great business plan detailing how you intend to use your FI skills to better your career (why not pop in some cobblers about helping out unprivilaged inner city kids with incentives for schools & flying vouchers type deal in collaboration with a local charity and flying club?) and see where it gets you....
The key in my experience is to think outside the loop these days and show commitment.
VFE.
The key in my experience is to think outside the loop these days and show commitment.
VFE.
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Another financing avenue which occured to me last night whilst watching the Prince of Wales programme on ITV was to approach the Princes Trust for a grant! Do a great business plan detailing how you intend to use your FI skills to better your career (why not pop in some cobblers about helping out unprivilaged inner city kids with incentives for schools & flying vouchers type deal in collaboration with a local charity and flying club?) and see where it gets you....
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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Haha! Fortunately my finances for the FIC are secured through the wonderful pilots bank (again!) but if I was genuinely screwed for ways of furthering my flying career due to lack of finances then something along the lines of the above idea would definately be gamboling through my brain!
VFE.
VFE.
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Thanks for the advice people. I wouldn't like to go committing myself to a FIC without a job guaranteed at the end of it. First of all I will see if I can secure the funds then go from there I guess 
I could really only manage to move and pay the loan if I was pulling in around £14,000 min. But at the minute, my dream airline job isn't answering my calls, I can't get a job as a flight dispatcher (doh), so the only way to build hours and experience is ...................
Winning the Lottery
I could really only manage to move and pay the loan if I was pulling in around £14,000 min. But at the minute, my dream airline job isn't answering my calls, I can't get a job as a flight dispatcher (doh), so the only way to build hours and experience is ...................
Winning the Lottery
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What sort of money do ME CPL / IR instructors receive and how much experience is required?
I would imagine the jobs are fewer but the money better than SE primary instruction.
I would imagine the jobs are fewer but the money better than SE primary instruction.
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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JAS,
Have you canvassed the local flying clubs yet to gauge their requirements for FI's? I think you'll be pleasantly suprised by the outcome if you do.... so you probably wouldn't need to move away for a FI job anyway.
VFE.
Have you canvassed the local flying clubs yet to gauge their requirements for FI's? I think you'll be pleasantly suprised by the outcome if you do.... so you probably wouldn't need to move away for a FI job anyway.
VFE.
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VFE, I have just popped into my local school. Turns out they have just taken a new guy on, but I did gleam some interesting information and had a good chat with the Chief flying instructor.
Now to give the pilot's bank a quick call
Now to give the pilot's bank a quick call
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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The turn around at the moment for instructors at flying clubs is quite high given the employment opportunities opening up in the airlines so don't take that as a knock back for more than one week - another job may become available tomorrow at that very same place!
VFE.
VFE.
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instructing in US
Hi all
I'm also trying to decide whether to do the FI course. VFR, duir, moggie, what about instructing the US for a few months and then converting to JAA? Would the hours be less valuable with regards to airline employment, or just the same? Should one take up a definite job offer out there, or take a chance on getting an FI job in the UK?
Thanks
I'm also trying to decide whether to do the FI course. VFR, duir, moggie, what about instructing the US for a few months and then converting to JAA? Would the hours be less valuable with regards to airline employment, or just the same? Should one take up a definite job offer out there, or take a chance on getting an FI job in the UK?
Thanks