Flight Instructor Rating

[SimoFly]

Just wanted to ask for advice regarding the FI rating,
I am currently considering to do the FI rating in August (hopefully this COVID-19 crisis will be over by then) and I am writing a list of good quality places in mainland Europe where to complete the training.

Is there anyone who can recommend flight schools to do the rating?
Is there any advice that you could give me in terms of prior-preparation/reading material?

Any advice is highly appreciated!
Thanks in advance

[Whopity]

You need to consider where you want to instruct. The training given varies considerably between different States and many employers will only want an FI who has been trained the way they want them to teach. Work out where you are going to instruct and maybe ask a few schools where they like to get there instructos from. Nothing worse than spending a lot of money and then can't get a job at the end of it.

[Biffsticksuperhero]

Any recommendation for flying instructor manuals./handbooks?

[TheOddOne]

R. D. Campbell FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS MANUAL.
Peter Phillips and Robert Cole THE FLYING INSTRUCTOR'S PATTER MANUAL.

Additionally, the school you attend for your instructor course will issue you with a set of notes and naturally you'll be taking your own comprehensive notes during the course, The school notes will serve as a basis for instructor standardisation if you go and work for them post-course.

I made up a series of A5 laminated cards with the air exercises on as an aide memoire for the first few times I delivered each flight exercise.

Good luck. The FI course remains the hardest flying I've ever done. I had 500 hours over 20 years SEP flying when I started the course and had all my flying completely deconstructed and put back together again.

TOO

[Whopity]

Probably the most up to date manual https://www.ontrackaviation.com/shop.html

[Airgus]

ONTRACK, as mentioned by Whopity, I would add initially PART1, PART2 and PART4 (once you grow as FI you can invest in the other ones).
The school I did my FIC had those books and your school may provide you with their own standardized material.

I bought

The Patter Manual

The Patter Manual

before the FIC, it was a nice way to calm the curiosity of what to say and how to say it during the first hours as FI(R).
Flight Instructors Manual from FAA and others CAAs like CASA and NZ (careful with the difference on EASA lessons, it is a nice reading in regards to the teaching part).

The PPL Volume1 course books like POOLEYS or AFE, containing all the exercises for the PPL it was very helpful for me to keep refreshing my memory (my PPL was done in 1997!).
POOLEYS PPL Exercises
AFE PPL Exercises

Once you are in the course or once you finish, do your own Presentation *PPT or PDF to keep them handy for your future lessons or briefings, why your own presentation? because when you build them you are also reinforcing your knowledge and self confident in it.
Once you finish the FIC you will keep learning from the instructing until well above 1000 hours!

As a personal point of view, it is a very rewarding activity to share what you like and to see your student growing and progressing in Aviation.

Good luck.

[Black Jake]

And if you're considering doing your Fi certificate in the UK, or with a CAA authorised examiner - try downloading CAA Standards Document 10(A) plus the theoretical knowledge appendix (question bank) that goes with it.

[Biffsticksuperhero]

Thanks guys

[n.dave]

I did mine back in 2014 at LPL and offered a job later. Was £20 per hour (off chocks to On chocks). No flying, no paying. Additionally, worked at other school in BPL roughly same conditions. And additionally, worked at other jobs to make a living. Delivering yellow pages (phonebooks), being a picker at a warehouse and takeaway delivery driver.
Not to scare you, but it's the reality when starting out unless you are on a retainer or some sort.
On the plus side, it's a bloody good job and satisfaction achievement. Teaching the unknowns and make them to be a better pilot than you. Share the fun and share the pain.
Typical day:
Check wx, notams, a/c, fuel, student records
Briefing
Flying
Debrief

You will be restricted FI until you have 30 solo sign offs (I think). Basically, you can't send students their first solo such as circuits and cross country.

I use flight instructor manual by R D Campbell as well as school's notes.
After about 2 years time was flying twins for survey work. Now flying turboprop.

FI is definitely worth to get it but make sure you know the job market. Miss flying the pA38.
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[Duchess_Driver]

You will be restricted FI until you have 30 solo sign offs (I think). Basically, you can't send students their first solo such as circuits and cross country.

The restriction is that you cannot send someone first solo by day or night either in the circuit or for their first navigation exercise.

To lift the restriction you must supervise 25 solo student flights and have a minimum of 100hours experience instructing. whilst restricted you must be appropriately supervised.

Depending on where you work and what they’ve got you doing will determine what comes first. Very rare to see the solo sign-offs done before the 100hour experience requirement and if you get to do “intro” flights it could be a while before you get the solo sign offs.

At some schools, the restriction is financially neutral but others you may find a small increase either in retainer or hourly rate - so many differences it all boils down to your employer.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Out of interest DD, do you know if instructing as a CRI, prior to the FI course, counts to the 100hrs?

G

[Whopity]

In order to remove the Restriction you need 100 hours as a FI(Restricted) there is no credit for being a CRI or IR or any other instructor. The purpose is to have gained 100 hours experience in abinitio instruction including supervising student solo flights other than the first.

[Duchess_Driver]

@GTE

Unfortunately, what Whopity says.

There is so much wrong with chaps and chapesses like yourself having to do the full course and meet the restriction removals. TheOddOne had to over come the same hurdles way way back... intransigence at its best!

Hope your safe and well.

[rarelyathome]

Originally Posted by Duchess_Driver

@GTE

Unfortunately, what Whopity says.

There is so much wrong with chaps and chapesses like yourself having to do the full course and meet the restriction removals. TheOddOne had to over come the same hurdles way way back... intransigence at its best!

Not sure I agree. There will always be exceptions but the CRI and FI are very different things. Hence the CRI flying element is only 3 hrs.

[Duchess_Driver]

I accept that there are exceptions to every rule - however, in the case of GTE and TOO, two gentlemen I know, there is/was/would be a case for a reduced course and consideration of experience already gained.

In the case of GTE when he did his CRI he had, IIRC, significantly more varied experience as a pilot across different disciplines than I did and, as you can guess from his contributions to these pages, vast knowledge across those same subject areas. Certainly in my opinion, no need for him to do the “full course”. I believe he now holds a FAA CFI cert now so that point may be moot.

[rarelyathome]

Originally Posted by Duchess_Driver

I accept that there are exceptions to every rule - however, in the case of GTE and TOO, two gentlemen I know, there is/was/would be a case for a reduced course and consideration of experience already gained.

In the case of GTE when he did his CRI he had, IIRC, significantly more varied experience as a pilot across different disciplines than I did and, as you can guess from his contributions to these pages, vast knowledge across those same subject areas. Certainly in my opinion, no need for him to do the “full course”. I believe he now holds a FAA CFI cert now so that point may be moot.

But you are talking about the exceptions. I, too have had the pleasure of flying with GtE and can vouch for his professionalism. The problem with making exceptions is who is to judge and how can it be kept objective? Does experience as a pilot across different disciplines make for a good instructor without going through the full course? For the exception perhaps but not the norm. My experience as an FIC is that even the most experienced pilots find the FI course challenging in parts because it is about being a good instructor; being a good pilot should go without saying.

What about other fast tracks - should experienced instructors automatically become examiners? Should the 2000 hrs PPL with an IR or IR(R) be given a CPL? I'm sure we can all name some for whom that would be perfectly reasonable but others where it would be a disater

[Duchess_Driver]

In my opinion it should be an assessed point by the FIC instructor undertaking the training with a recommendation of the actual training requirements. Examiners, obviously, have the ultimate sanction and I am in no way suggesting any reduction in the AoC standards and tolerances.

I am very much in favour of a competency based assessment - if you can demonstrate a skill to those tolerances/standards why, when safety is not compromised, should a student/instructor team have to then sit there for a required amount of time just because “those are the requirements”.

Same for all ratings - if a 2000 hour pilot can meet the standards, requirements and tolerances to operate to a commercial level without undergoing the full course then provided they operate to the level required on test where is the problem? Conversely, if your 2000 hour pilot can’t hold altitude/ heading then obviously the instructor has a duty to continue training until that standard is reached. As instructors we mandate more training where it is required - why not less when it is not required?

[Perseas]

Hello everyone, I want to apply for an FI course however my ME/IR will expire in a couple of months and I don't think I will revalidate them since there is no possibility for any airline job in the next years.. I have checked the requirements that I must meet to apply for an FI course however I am not sure whether I can apply with ME/IR expired. Does anyone know?

[Whopity]

The only currency requirement to commence the FI course is to have a valid SEP rating with at least 5 hours in the 6 months preceeding the pre-entry flight test.

[Aviationtrader]

Originally Posted by Perseas

Hello everyone, I want to apply for an FI course however my ME/IR will expire in a couple of months and I don't think I will revalidate them since there is no possibility for any airline job in the next years.. I have checked the requirements that I must meet to apply for an FI course however I am not sure whether I can apply with ME/IR expired. Does anyone know?

You're fine to commence without a valid MEP/IR