instructing?
 

Is instructing the best way to find work and build up hours for low time pilots fresh out of flight school?

Ive seen people write "only become an instructor if you want to instruct".
which is fair enough, BUT
after doing the integrated course, having a basic CPL with NVFR and just over 180hours, the job prospects seem fairly limited, if any.

I noticed at the school i was at that there was a fairly constant turn over of instructors as they left for new jobs. leading me to believe that instructing is, for most, an hours building exercise that leads to quicker gigs in the future.

Im not particularly keen on instructing. but if it gets me the hours and fine tunes the knowledge, it seems like the better step to take.

Anyone, Bueller? OK, I'll bite.
The fact you are not "particularly keen on instructing" will quickly become obvious to those you are trying to "instruct".
The last thing this industry needs is another "instructor" who's only motivation is building hours to go somewhere else.

Where's the 'LIKE' button for Captain Sand Dune's post?

"2 people like this"

If other flight schools are like the one i went to. And you took all the hour building flight instructors out of schools. Would you have many schools left?

I'd still give it my fullest. and i know what not to do, thanks to a few of my instructors. (Theory lessons were spent reading from the text book) :zzz:

What other options are there for low time pilots?
flying for free to get the hours up? (known a few people to do that)

Jumping on the pilot trail to the top end and WA with all the other wanabe pilots that dont want to be instructors, filling up each town waiting to get a start?

Instructing seems like a better option

make that 3 likes for Captain Sand Dune.

I've always wondered why there are such high requirements for Chief pilots, C&T pilots and ATO's who do allot of check/testing flights, however when people what to learn to fly and they are young and most impressionable they can get in an aircraft and be stuck with a 200 hour Grade 3 instructor who is only there on an hour building mission. Surely there should be a higher requirements for instructors.

Don't go down the instructing road unless you REALLY want to do it. Your cash may be better off put towards a ME-CIR or other rating.

I'll get the popcorn!

It depends what you mean by 'not too keen on instructing'. Are you looking forward to spending 100s of hours in the circuit? No one does. Are you enthusiastic about imparting knowledge and experience and want to see your students improve? Then do it.

Instructing is no easier to crack than going up north but it can mean you stay in the city or at least regional centres closer to home. Most instructors I've seen will still head north eventually though.

Don't work for free.

haha wishiwasupthere, thought i'd stir it up a bit more with the flying for free comment.

Don't instruct unless you want to. It is unfair to your students, unfair to the reputation of instructors, and unfair to yourself because you'll hate it.

Why are you worrying about GA anyway? Just go straight to Jetstar...the new "up north"

I got into instructing because there were no real jobs around.

I have thoroughly enjoyed it, and have been an A-category instructor (similar to Grade 1) for seven going on eight years.

But that said, people who knew me well (parents), said that I would make a good teacher before I ever went into it.

So I think motivation is less important than many here have said, as a professional will do the job carefully regardless of preference.

Character and natural inclination are very important.

Good luck either way.
O8

You rather fly for free n piss a few people of in Pprune than be a flight instructor when you don't really want to be one .. The worst thing you could do is be one of those sitting right hand seat n stare at the VDO n airswitch and wait for it to tick over.... And instructing is not the easy way to built hours ... As a junior grade 3 an effects of control lesson should take 45-50 mins long brief then 10 mins preflight demonstration then n hour flight followed by a de brief going through training record with student and providing him with study notes for next lesson. So you should be doing only 40 odd hours in a month ..... Or you could head to kunns wait a few months drinking beer and pump out 80 hrs a month Insted .... Ps you can't really say you are not keen on instructing and expect people to say go for it !

with 180hrs he may be overqualified for the right hand seat of a 320!:E

If...
you wouldn't have pilots offering...

allowing...

who really wanted to teach people to fly and therefore offer an improved career path for instructors.

Danger, from the sound of this thread and the other you've started it seems you're pretty scared of the realities of finding that first job. There is no shame in that, I went through the same thing at the start of my career. You need to get out there and make it work for you, now, and not sit at home sending emails to Chief Pilots hoping for that big break. I don't know your background so I can't offer recommendations, but throwing $15K extra at an instructor rating doesn't sound like the right thing for you.

What ever path you take, it won't be easy. Finding work as a junior Grade 3 can be harder than finding that break up north, and almost impossible unless the school that provided your instructor rating hires you. About 25% of your work involves flying, how do you feel about spending the other 75% completing student paperwork and briefings?

Once you get that break and after a while become a Grade 2, the next challenge comes along. How does one build their multi-engine hours? I'll leave that discussion to another day, but I've seen instructors stuck for years unable to get that break into a twin.

Been there, done that, got the teeshirt...lost the teeshirt off my back.:O

There are jobs up north, just get some command time in something with more power than a 172 before you go.

FAW53

I got my CPL one month ago and did my MECIR which I finished 2 weeks ago.. although i came out of it all with 100 hours more than you as i did quiet a lot of mucking around and a few ferry flights for the company i learnt at..but i left for darwin 3 days later after mecir.. and now in NT and starting a job monday. Right place, Right time.(really luck tbh). Staying in a hostel with a heap of cool guys and im enjoying the NT experience at the moment haha.. Get out there!!

There are some very good instructors out there who started off instructing.

But they are the people with a passion for teaching - people who really enjoy what they are doing. For the most part, doing an instructor rating and teaching when you have little experience flying yourself, is a disservice to your students. I learned to be quite picky about who I paid to teach me to fly, and instructors who "weren't that keen on instructing" never got any of my money or hours.

In the helicopter world, you must have 400 hours flight time in a helicopter before being able to get an instructor rating. It is possible to be issued an aeroplane instructor rating with 200 hours flight time - or 250 hours flight time with only 150 hours in aeroplanes. I cannot see a reason why aeroplane students are not afforded the same minimium instructor requirements as helicopter students.


If you are not that keen on instructing, don't instruct. You'll hate it, and your students will be wasting their money.

Go north, go to Broome or Kununurra or Jabiru or Horn Island.

If the idea of leaving the big city scares you too, then either deal with it and go anyway, or perhaps re-consider aviation as a career path.

scared and lazy
 

Thanks for all the posts, most were very helpful.

Thepaperboy , you were spot on with being scared, just spent 55 grand on a piece of paper. Never see any jobs with my sort of hours advertised except for grade 3 instructors.

But also just being lazy, as I was thinking that instructing would be the easy option.

So! The plan is to get my financial situation looking somewhat healthy. Then pack the van and hit the pilot trail.

Thanks again,
Danger

KGH:ok:

Can't agree more. Most training outfits have guys/girls that have barely got the training wheels off, teaching you.

kind of like a chefs apprentice teaching another apprentice how to cook.

Knox.

Reality
 

While it is a nice idea that all Flight Instructors are only Instructors because that has always been their first aviation career choice , the reality is the complete opposite , the vast majority are Instructing in order to gain experience whilst doing ATPLs , M/E CIRs then applying to either Charter , Regional or Domestic RPT companies.

Which is not to say they are necessarily poor instructors , you will find the normal variation as per any group in any occupation .

But most do move on within two or three years and that depends entirely on airline hiring , and of those who remain instructing in the long term.... well they usually wish they had moved !

I reckon it's a very good thing if your instructor has actually worked outside the training environment for a period , be it Charter , airline RPT or any other commercial operation and can bring that valuable experience back into the flying school however it is a rarity .