PPRuNe Forums - Career instructor

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Career instructor - wannabe question

Hi

After much deliberation I have decided not to pursure a career in the airlines. (Mainly due to family commitments)

I wondered however is it possible to become a ppl instructor and move into simulator instruction without having worked as an airline pilot?

What kind of typical path would one follow to achieve this?

Many thanks

Chris

As in, simulator instructor with an airline? Then no, all airline instructors are employees of the company and are either current or semi-retired pilots. Some without medical, but all with a seniority number.

If you mean you wish to become an instructor with, say, FlightSafety, CAE, et al., then yes that is possible. However, they also like to see previous commercial experience and typically value time on type, although it’s not a hard and fast rule.

Of the guys I know at FlightSafety, most are ex-airline pilots who lost their medical or lost their desire, so that is the typical path. However, one or two are ex-flight school instructors who taught multi-IFR and then applied to the Sim centre. The best instructors at those centres are the ones with previous experience and who understand the difference between “nice to know” and “need to know,” but even without operational experience, you can still get the job done. You would be best to contact one of those companies directly to express an interest and they can tell you what you need to do outside of an airline job.

But, two things. One; this info is for TC/FAA rules, and CAA or JAA may have a different outlook on things.

Two; if you think simulator instructing is “family friendly,” you had better talk to a Sim instructor. I think I probably see my kids just as much now as I did when teaching in the sim. A lot of late nights, early mornings, and long days. Often the kids were still asleep when I left and in bed when I got home. At least on the road I’ve got FaceTime or Skype to talk to them - never had time as a sim instructor.

SYNTHETIC FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR

From Part-FCL

Quote:

FCL.915.SFI SFI — Prerequisites
An applicant for an SFI certificate shall:
(a) hold or have held a CPL, MPL or ATPL in the appropriate aircraft category;
(b) have completed the proficiency check for the issue of the specific aircraft type rating in an FFS representing the applicable type, within the 12 months preceding the application; and
(c) additionally, for an SFI(A) for multi-pilot aeroplanes or SFI(PL), have:

(1) at least 1 500 hours flight time as a pilot on multi-pilot aeroplanes or powered-lift, as applicable;
(2) completed, as a pilot or as an observer, within the 12 months preceding the application, at least:

(i) 3 route sectors on the flight deck of the applicable aircraft type; or
(ii) 2 line-orientated flight training-based simulator sessions conducted by qualified flight crew on the flight deck of the applicable type. These simulator sessions shall include 2 flights of at least 2 hours each between 2 different aerodromes, and the associated pre-flight planning and de-briefing;

Quote:

I wondered however is it possible to become a ppl instructor and move into simulator instruction without having worked as an airline pilot?

There is now no natural route to progress from PPL instruction to Comercial instruction without considerable expense. You need ME time; IFR time and to go into the Sim phase of an Integrated MPL Course at least 1500 hours MPA time. As has been said elsewhere, there is more opportunity to make money by teaching Microlight. For a simulator to be cost effective it needs to run at least 20 hours a day.

Whopity - when you say opportunity to earn more on microlights, is that flex wing or fixed wing or both?

ta

You might be able to get a job at one of the simulator 'experience' places which use non-certified simulators for fear of flying courses etc - Virtual Aerospace being one example.

Better career instructing opportunities via Microlights?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parson (Post 9945093)

Whopity - when you say opportunity to earn more on microlights, is that flex wing or fixed wing or both?

ta

Hi,

That's a question I'd also be interested in to hear the latest on, having seen previous threads highlight this.....

- What are the realistic prospects on graduating such an FI course?
- Presume there are also regional differences in employability?

Many thanks!
I&L

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrispike7 (Post 9935565)

Depends what sort of simulator you are talking about.

If you mean multi crew aircraft, not really.

In principle you could do 'sim experience for Joe public' but the options are poor because there are plenty of retirees and other experience people to choose from.

Or, as was mentioned above, ad hoc stuff on cheap training devices masquerading as airline simulators. Terrible money, dead end career path. Don't do it. And do not get suckered into some of the currently advertised scams ('become a commercial jet instructor').

But if you are serious about career instructing, reasonable money can be earned without airline experience but it takes time and probably investment. I say probably - but there is a lot of airline recruitment going on and I know quite a few relatively long serving instructors have been siphoned off to the airlines. Supply and demand might favour you in the near future.

Become helicopter instructor, they always seem to be in the money.
I know back in 1990 when i was on £8 hour fixed wing our heli instructors on £40 hour.