View Poll Results: What kind of instructor are you?
Career Instructor - Love Instructing and do not intend to work for airlines (atleast not for the moment)
59
23.89%
Instructor - waiting to be hired by an airline
86
34.82%
Fly professionally for the money but still instruct for fun
54
21.86%
Instruct part time whilst earning another living not flying elsewhere
48
19.43%
Voters: 247. This poll is closed
What kind of instructor are you?
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Iceland
Age: 53
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I do my best to please every customer because that is a big part of my job.
Job satisfaction on the other hand is a big factor when it comes to talking about flight instruction. If the instructors can live on their salary from instructing then they are more likely to perform better on their job.
I cannot instruct just for the fun of it. I also have to get paid because pure fun doesn't fill my stomach at the end of the day. Though I have to admit that I do the same as every other low time pilot, that is I take every flight I can and think little about the pay. That is why I have another job, to pay the rent and all that boring stuff. My missus also wants to have something to eat every day.
Happy instructing,
Heli-Ice
Job satisfaction on the other hand is a big factor when it comes to talking about flight instruction. If the instructors can live on their salary from instructing then they are more likely to perform better on their job.
I cannot instruct just for the fun of it. I also have to get paid because pure fun doesn't fill my stomach at the end of the day. Though I have to admit that I do the same as every other low time pilot, that is I take every flight I can and think little about the pay. That is why I have another job, to pay the rent and all that boring stuff. My missus also wants to have something to eat every day.
Happy instructing,
Heli-Ice
The Original Whirly
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
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Since this poll has made it back to the top and I'm now a part time helicopter instructor (still new enough to enjoy saying that 
), I have voted accordingly. 
Having two jobs I enjoy is great, but exhausting - anyone learned to make eight day weeks?
), I have voted accordingly. Having two jobs I enjoy is great, but exhausting - anyone learned to make eight day weeks?
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Northern Wastes
Age: 45
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What Kind Of Instructor Am I?
Quiet easy to answer this one " A F@##ing poor one"
I'm earning less now then when I was 17 working in a pub kitchen. Netherless I have 1500hrs a fATPL and I can fly most light a/c with my eyes closed.
The thing is I've always been a flying nut from way back when I started Gliding when I was 15.
So in summary YES I love teaching people to fly who REALY want to learn, NO I hate the money and No I am not going to be a career instructor waiting for the carriage clock, But YES I will look back in years to come at the two years I spent scaring myself in light singles with some very fond memories. 
I'm earning less now then when I was 17 working in a pub kitchen. Netherless I have 1500hrs a fATPL and I can fly most light a/c with my eyes closed.
The thing is I've always been a flying nut from way back when I started Gliding when I was 15.
So in summary YES I love teaching people to fly who REALY want to learn, NO I hate the money and No I am not going to be a career instructor waiting for the carriage clock, But YES I will look back in years to come at the two years I spent scaring myself in light singles with some very fond memories.
Instructor for life
Voted looooong time ago but thread has come back to life.
Been a FI for 3.5 years now,time to move on I'd say.
But as nobody has pointed out yet flight instruction is one of the few things about flying that carries on all the way to the top.
When you get hired for your next job who's training you on the sim and in the plane?........a FI.
First jet-job.....training captain...is instructing you, according to the regs he doesn't have to be a FI( for company training) but I bet it helps.
People I know are now instructors on the 747-400 after flying the line for a couple of years.
Guess flight instruction never really stops.
I started out as a strictly "timebuilder" but have changed my mind now,once I'm proficient in whatever I'm flying next, I'd like to continue instructing on it and take it all the way to the top.
How many chief pilots of the majors have a long instructing career behind them?
I think flight instruction is one of the great ways to practice CRM, face it you have no influence over who's sitting next to you and you have to make it all work in the next 30 hrs or so.
A lot underestimate the "people-skills" required to make this job manageble.
Anyway, comments welcome...
Been a FI for 3.5 years now,time to move on I'd say.
But as nobody has pointed out yet flight instruction is one of the few things about flying that carries on all the way to the top.
When you get hired for your next job who's training you on the sim and in the plane?........a FI.
First jet-job.....training captain...is instructing you, according to the regs he doesn't have to be a FI( for company training) but I bet it helps.
People I know are now instructors on the 747-400 after flying the line for a couple of years.
Guess flight instruction never really stops.
I started out as a strictly "timebuilder" but have changed my mind now,once I'm proficient in whatever I'm flying next, I'd like to continue instructing on it and take it all the way to the top.
How many chief pilots of the majors have a long instructing career behind them?
I think flight instruction is one of the great ways to practice CRM, face it you have no influence over who's sitting next to you and you have to make it all work in the next 30 hrs or so.
A lot underestimate the "people-skills" required to make this job manageble.
Anyway, comments welcome...
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Canada/around
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That is my situation as well.
So far I've flown helicopters in the Canadian Military, civil flight schools, EMS, VFR charter and offshore IFR. In every role I've spent at least some time in the instructor's/training pilot's chair. I still enjoy it and wish there was a school close enough to my home to continue to ab-initio instruct. I'm considering making the leap to finish my plank instructor rating to get back into it regularly.
Training has taught me so much about flying, other people, myself, and theaviation business that I can't imagine ever leaving it behind.
The only caveat is to never, ever to do it for less than the guys/gals who are earning their keep by doing it. It is completely unfair to them and a disservice to the industry.
So far I've flown helicopters in the Canadian Military, civil flight schools, EMS, VFR charter and offshore IFR. In every role I've spent at least some time in the instructor's/training pilot's chair. I still enjoy it and wish there was a school close enough to my home to continue to ab-initio instruct. I'm considering making the leap to finish my plank instructor rating to get back into it regularly.
Training has taught me so much about flying, other people, myself, and theaviation business that I can't imagine ever leaving it behind.
The only caveat is to never, ever to do it for less than the guys/gals who are earning their keep by doing it. It is completely unfair to them and a disservice to the industry.
