Questions for FI/ex FI's

[Mach44]

Hello,
Next year I'm hoping to start training modular then obtain an FI rating. (class 1 medical permitting, so fingers crossed )

I enjoy teaching and training our staff in my current job and would like to take that to the next step and become a flight instructor.
I don't want to rule a job with an jet airline/turbo-prop out all together, but certainly want to instruct for a good while first.

So my question's for current and previous flight instructor's are:
- What flight experience did you have before you got your job? were you straight out of training with minimum hours and a FI rating...?
- Whats the average pay you get working as a FI?

- How long did you spend instructing before being successful in securing a job with an airline?


Thanks,
Mach44

[P.Pilcher]

Well, if it's any help, Mach 44, In the days of yore, all I needed to start my FIC course was a PPL, IMC and 150 hours in command! For all sorts of reasons I wanted to instruct and the main reason I wanted to do it was not that I eventually wanted an airline position, but that I had been taught to fly for virtually nothing by a small enthusiastic flying group. I wanted to put something back to return the favour, so I did for the next 25 years! It was a great hobby, I made a lot of friends and the fact that the pay was virtually negligible didn't worry me as I was teaching enthusiastic people to fly. Eventually I did get my professional licences and did end up in the airlines, but that was not my original intention and I didn't even think about my CPL writtens until I had over 1000 hours.
In the end I gave up because I got a bit fed up of teaching a load of people to fly merely because thay thought that they could make a shed load of money at it, and daddy was happy to subsidise them. As, by that time I had gone through the pain of acquiring my ATPL and was by this time in the LHS, I got a bit fed up of teaching these individuals to fly. "I would like my cut" I used to think and eventually lost enthusiasm.
Of course these days, things are different and a CPL is needed before you can get a FI rating, however my example should indicate that an enthusiastic person with a good standard of PPL knowledge can most certainly qualify as an instructor and be successful.

P.P.

[Mach44]

Thanks for your input P.Pilcher

For me, its just the enjoyment of teaching and If I can continue that from my current role to something I'm really interested in that would be great, and just to reiterate what I said before, I would eventually like to end up flying a jet or turbo-prop, so would you advise doing the full thing at once instead of trying to go back to it and juggle a full time instructors job with studying and training? (i.e ab-initio f/ATPL - PPL, ATPL's, ME, IR, CPL and FI)

Any advice welcome

[smnbly]

I'll add my bit for what it's worth! I've been instructing on and off for 15 years or so and never had any interest in the airlines so have spent my time finding areas of instructing that I personally find fun, ie vintage and aerobatic flying. This helps to add a bit of excitement amongst the conventional instructing! I only mention this as I do think many people who contemplate going into instructing fail to see beyond circuit bashing, but with a bit of effort it can be quite varied. As for hours on getting the first job I do think the most important thing to consider is the demand for instructors. When I first started it didn't matter how many hours you had there were few jobs around. Now however it's a very different market and from what I can gather if you're willing to be flexible there are plenty of jobs out there. Not sure on full time pay at the moment but freelance work £25/hour shouldn't be a problem at all especially if slightly more advanced stuff such as tail wheel instructing etc. Hope some of this helps.

[SA120]

Mach44

It is nice to hear that you are keen to become a flying instructor because you wish to be involved in the teaching process. Like Pilcher say you did used to be able to become an instructor with only some experience and a PPL. Currently this is not the case and you require at least the 9 CPL written exams passed before doing the FI course.
At this moment and time Flying Instructors are very much in demand and you should have no problem finding work, Instructors are becoming fairly scarce because of the upturn in commercial aviation and most guys have a lot of debt from completing there licenses. Instructor pay is not great but is a lot better than it was. There is a thread on FI pay scales which makes for interesting reading. Most schools are looking for full and part time instructors and a good tip is to try and get in to a busy school where the work will be plentyful and constant. This will help you when you start.
Instructing is great fun and as Pilcher says be prepared to meet all types some great and some not so great to teach.
Good Luck

[Mach44]

Oh dear,
It seems it may of ended before it even started.

Phoned the CAA today after seeking advice from an approved class 1 Doc.
My eyes 'astigmatism' is .50 over in the right, and .75 over the limits in the left which is a no go for the initial class 1 medical.
I questioned about it as theres no renewal limit on it and they have been stable for the past two prescriptions but got pretty much the same reply from them.


Mach 44

[P.Pilcher]

Oh dear: it may possibly have changed since we entered the strictures of JAR, but again, in the old days, I knew of a number of colleagues who were below these arbitrary limits, they were already flying with their class 3 medicals and after pressure the C.A.A. relented and permitted the issue of a class 1 medical. In the most extreme cases, they insisted that the candidate undergo a flight test with a FIC examiner. If he could find no evidence that the candidate's flying was affected by his below standard eyesight, then the C.A.A. did the necessary. Such people are still about, flying airliners! However, as I said, JAR may have closed this route.

P.P.

[In bed dead CB]

I think you can be a PPL instructor and hold a class 2 medical. I am fairly confident that you need to pass the CPL exams and then have more than 150 hours (best check this out in lasors 07) and then sit a FI course. You will hold a PPL, FI only thing is you cant be remunerated so you would have to really want to do it!!