How to become a Flying Instructor!
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How to become a Flying Instructor!
Good evening one and all,
My name is Nathan, I've been using this forum for some while and until recently I have been posting in the Military Aircrew/Rotorheads and Air Traffic Control forums.
My dream is to fly for a living, as I am sure it is for many of you on this forum.
So, as the title reads, I'm looking at trying to become a FI(A) within the next couple of years, and even though I work part-time at a Flying School, I am still not 100% sure on what I need to do.
Do you need a CPL - ATPL (A) to become a Flying Instructor or could you simply do your (N)PPL, do your IR and other ratings and then do a FI course?
I hope I don't sound ignorant in anyway, I'm just keen and it's something I have always wanted to do.
Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards.
My name is Nathan, I've been using this forum for some while and until recently I have been posting in the Military Aircrew/Rotorheads and Air Traffic Control forums.
My dream is to fly for a living, as I am sure it is for many of you on this forum.
So, as the title reads, I'm looking at trying to become a FI(A) within the next couple of years, and even though I work part-time at a Flying School, I am still not 100% sure on what I need to do.
Do you need a CPL - ATPL (A) to become a Flying Instructor or could you simply do your (N)PPL, do your IR and other ratings and then do a FI course?
I hope I don't sound ignorant in anyway, I'm just keen and it's something I have always wanted to do.
Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards.
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Nathan,
As an absolute minimum you'll require a "pass" from all of the CPL Aviation Knowledge Exams, and, an FI rating from a recognised training establishment. As a PPL holder you can then instruct... but not for remuneration! Should you wish to be "paid" for providing flying-instruction, you'll need to obtain a minimum standard of that of a CPL.
If you're serious about flying, the next logical step (from a PPL) would be a "distance learning course" for the issue of a (frozen) ATPL. You'd require a minimum of 150 (P1) hours to enter into such a scheme.
It's an expensive hobby isn't it?
LASORS will provide you with all of the neccessary details.
All the best
TCF
As an absolute minimum you'll require a "pass" from all of the CPL Aviation Knowledge Exams, and, an FI rating from a recognised training establishment. As a PPL holder you can then instruct... but not for remuneration! Should you wish to be "paid" for providing flying-instruction, you'll need to obtain a minimum standard of that of a CPL.
If you're serious about flying, the next logical step (from a PPL) would be a "distance learning course" for the issue of a (frozen) ATPL. You'd require a minimum of 150 (P1) hours to enter into such a scheme.
It's an expensive hobby isn't it?
LASORS will provide you with all of the neccessary details.
All the best
TCF
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If you only intend to instruct, you would not need to do the ATPL exams (14 in total) only the CPL exams (I think 9 in total, LASORS would give the answer)
You only need the ATPL exams if you one day wish to be an airline pilot, hence Airline Pilot Transport Licence. This actually requires a lot of multi crew time to get the full licence, which as an instructor you will never get.
The CPL exams can be done distance learning, and if you have the minumum hours you could then do the FI(A) course at a cost of around £7k. With this, you will be able to give ab-initio training, but not be paid.
If you do want to be paid you will need to do the full CPL(A) course, 25 hours in a complex aircraft at a cost of around £10k.
The other route would be a Class Rating Instructor (CRI) rating. You would not be able to give initial training, so no trial lessons or early lessons, but can give training to people who already have licences on things like Variable Pitch Props, retractable gear, tail wheel, single lever thrust and do people's bi-annual flights for revalidation.
If you have any thoughts of progressing to an airline job you would then need the ATPL exams and an IR, commonly called a "frozen ATPL", although you will not find this term in any legal document.
You only need the ATPL exams if you one day wish to be an airline pilot, hence Airline Pilot Transport Licence. This actually requires a lot of multi crew time to get the full licence, which as an instructor you will never get.
The CPL exams can be done distance learning, and if you have the minumum hours you could then do the FI(A) course at a cost of around £7k. With this, you will be able to give ab-initio training, but not be paid.
If you do want to be paid you will need to do the full CPL(A) course, 25 hours in a complex aircraft at a cost of around £10k.
The other route would be a Class Rating Instructor (CRI) rating. You would not be able to give initial training, so no trial lessons or early lessons, but can give training to people who already have licences on things like Variable Pitch Props, retractable gear, tail wheel, single lever thrust and do people's bi-annual flights for revalidation.
If you have any thoughts of progressing to an airline job you would then need the ATPL exams and an IR, commonly called a "frozen ATPL", although you will not find this term in any legal document.
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Thank you all for your replies, and it is very much appreciated.
To be honest, to be paid or not paid, it isn't something that would be the decider for me, its the flying.
It would most likely be a weekend thing, as I will hopefully be holding down a full-time job as of next week, and once things start to fit in place, I would like to do it as a hobby/spare-time.
I will seriously consider the CPL route, however the only drawback is the cost, but as time progresses I will see what my financial situation is like.
Once again, thanks very much for your replies and I will let you know what heppens.
Kind regards,
Nathan
To be honest, to be paid or not paid, it isn't something that would be the decider for me, its the flying
.It would most likely be a weekend thing, as I will hopefully be holding down a full-time job as of next week, and once things start to fit in place, I would like to do it as a hobby/spare-time.
I will seriously consider the CPL route, however the only drawback is the cost, but as time progresses I will see what my financial situation is like.
Once again, thanks very much for your replies and I will let you know what heppens.
Kind regards,
Nathan
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Either way, you will still need to do the CPL theory exams, so I would look into a course for that. There are some good distance learning courses where you will be supported through the exams, and should take around 12-18 months.
By the time Nathan gets to doing a FI rating it will be possible to be remunerated as a FI with a PPL under Part FCL. It will probably be legal as early as May of this year when it becomes EU Law!
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LASORS is the guide to licencing, but pretty much as soon as it's published it's out of date.
The ANO and AIP contain all the legal stuff, and they are the definitive documents, but can be very tricky to navigate.
The ANO and AIP contain all the legal stuff, and they are the definitive documents, but can be very tricky to navigate.
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Standards Document 10 is a worthwhile read.
By the time Nathan gets to doing a FI rating it will be possible to be remunerated as a FI with a PPL under Part FCL. It will probably be legal as early as May of this year when it becomes EU Law!
