Poll: how long before you got bored of instructing?
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ...on the go-around...
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After 300 hours of instructing I got bored as hell.
I must admit that I still enjoy emergency procedures. Instructing turns you into a better pilot. All our instructors here do more than 1000 autos/year. At some point you just know how to do one
.
However, after more than 900 hours instructing I just cannot stand it any more
. After all I want to fly on my own once in a while 
.
Anyone who does not like to do it should quit though.
So let us read what you other poor instructors think about it
.
I must admit that I still enjoy emergency procedures. Instructing turns you into a better pilot. All our instructors here do more than 1000 autos/year. At some point you just know how to do one
.However, after more than 900 hours instructing I just cannot stand it any more
. After all I want to fly on my own once in a while .Anyone who does not like to do it should quit though.
So let us read what you other poor instructors think about it
.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Greenland
Age: 57
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Lucky me !!
Not bored yet, but been close sometimes.. Got 580 hrs of instruction, spread over 6 years, 4 countries, and for the moment just as a complement in between other jobs in the bush north of N65.00.00..
But remember; they all need us, to beat, shout and tell "it is all aerodynamics and physics and they don't change, you are the one screwin' up.."
Cheers, have a good one..
Not bored yet, but been close sometimes.. Got 580 hrs of instruction, spread over 6 years, 4 countries, and for the moment just as a complement in between other jobs in the bush north of N65.00.00..
But remember; they all need us, to beat, shout and tell "it is all aerodynamics and physics and they don't change, you are the one screwin' up.."
Cheers, have a good one..
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: palm beach florida
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i have a little over 600 hours since october when i got my cfi. about 200 dual given with about 100 commercial ops. completing my instrument rating and planning on moving on soon.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: uk
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Of all the jobs i've done instructing was the worst, the same stuff over and over You do however meet the occasional diamond who makes it all worthwhile and is a pleasure to teach, unfortunately there aren't that many of them.
You do however meet the occasional diamond who makes it all worthwhile and is a pleasure to teach, unfortunately there aren't that many of them.
Variety is the spice of life, as they say.
Doing the same sortie over and over gets stale, and you don't give your best unless there is some freshness in it for you.
I feel for young instructors who go straight from training to instructing - can't be good for your own sense of credibility to be telling people how to do 'it' when you don't have a reasonable depth of experience behind you.
Great thing to do for many people, though, (as long as you have a modicum of 'people skills' and a desire to see others grow), but if you're pining for the fjords while Bloggsie is poling you around the sky, get out of there! ... but perhaps come back to it (if you can) when you're a crusty old stager who wants to give a bit back.
Doing the same sortie over and over gets stale, and you don't give your best unless there is some freshness in it for you.
I feel for young instructors who go straight from training to instructing - can't be good for your own sense of credibility to be telling people how to do 'it' when you don't have a reasonable depth of experience behind you.
Great thing to do for many people, though, (as long as you have a modicum of 'people skills' and a desire to see others grow), but if you're pining for the fjords while Bloggsie is poling you around the sky, get out of there! ... but perhaps come back to it (if you can) when you're a crusty old stager who wants to give a bit back.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: highlife
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Today was the last straw. (Nearly a decade of instructing)
3000 HRS QFI teaching everything from Basic courses, Tactics, Maintenance test flying, sim and ground school.
The Nit Noy policies and BS have finally become unbearable.
Lasty.
3000 HRS QFI teaching everything from Basic courses, Tactics, Maintenance test flying, sim and ground school.
The Nit Noy policies and BS have finally become unbearable.
Lasty.
Funny how that boredom can disappear in a flash when some Nimrod makes a determined attempt at murder/suicide!
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 'bout 2nm Nth
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I've done about 1500hrs of instructing, …a long time ago.
The biggest problem was / is "Instructor Burnout".
If you’re silly enough to teach it, the school will work your ass off... until you burnout and leave. I remember working 6 days a week, 7am to 7pm for a pittance. Still briefing the next guy eating lunch. Same stuff, day in day out over and over and over....if all the helicopters weren’t flying the boss is busting your buns asking why. All driven by the mighty $. I remember one day we were fogged in. "Why aren’t you out instructing?...you can do hovering practice." !! He was deadly serious.
Man, we pumped through some pilots though. With that work load, it's inevitable what’s going to happen. Instructor Burnout. The $ clouds their view.
The biggest problem was / is "Instructor Burnout".
If you’re silly enough to teach it, the school will work your ass off... until you burnout and leave. I remember working 6 days a week, 7am to 7pm for a pittance. Still briefing the next guy eating lunch. Same stuff, day in day out over and over and over....if all the helicopters weren’t flying the boss is busting your buns asking why. All driven by the mighty $. I remember one day we were fogged in. "Why aren’t you out instructing?...you can do hovering practice." !! He was deadly serious.
Man, we pumped through some pilots though. With that work load, it's inevitable what’s going to happen. Instructor Burnout. The $ clouds their view.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Aus
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Try to work somewhere that does other ops as well; charter & airwork etc. I know, easier said than done.
But, if you can score it and there is at least one or two other instructors then you can work the roster so your not instructing everyday.
This at least will delay the onset of instructor boredom/burnout.
But, if you can score it and there is at least one or two other instructors then you can work the roster so your not instructing everyday.
This at least will delay the onset of instructor boredom/burnout.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: uk
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Is it me...?
How many other proffesions are there where it is the most inexperienced that teach the beginners. All the others i can think of you have experience and wisdom to use, in the aviation world you have nothing but desire to move on to a better paying job with better street cred.
How many other proffesions are there where it is the most inexperienced that teach the beginners. All the others i can think of you have experience and wisdom to use, in the aviation world you have nothing but desire to move on to a better paying job with better street cred.
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Norfolk
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How long before you get bored instructing?
After 45 years and 7500 instructing, I'm not bored yet but I think I'm getting the hang of it. Seriously, it's a job like any other, and ok I know the pay is usually lousy but now I do it without pay and I still enjoy it. The psychology of instructing is interesting and no matter how long you do it, someone will find a way of surprising you. I think instructing is a bit like acting. There's no way after the first few students that you can be genuinely with the enthusiasm bit, so you give a performance. I'm sure actors get bored as well but they don't sound it (usually).
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Denver, CO and the GOM
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Originally Posted by WSPS
However, after more than 900 hours instructing I just cannot stand it any more . After all I want to fly on my own once in a while .
Anyone who does not like to do it should quit though.
. After all I want to fly on my own once in a while .Anyone who does not like to do it should quit though.
At 750 dual given, broken up into about 640 VFR and 110 IFR, and teaching everything from ab inito to ATP and doing BFRs for folks who have more time starting helicopters than I have flying helicopters, it is as interesting as the day I started (which is to say, it remains fun and challenging). It helps that I get to fly 300C/CB/CBi, R44, B206, (and no more R22! thank yew) and that I am involved in most aspects of our FBO/school. There's also more than instructing - my other flight time is ENG, photo, survey, rides and tours and even some secret stuff (I could tell you but...). We also have a pretty friendly community of helo pilots up here in the frozen lands of Minnesota.
I understand how the industry works, but I feel a combination of sadness and annoyance whenever I hear folks talking about how they dislike instruction, or are burned out after a year. What a disservice to their students and the industry as a whole. Guess what. You will (most likely) never have a job where you are allowed to have as much fun in a helicopter, nor enjoy as much autonomy as PIC. I just hope you realize that BEFORE you step into that tour or EMS job, lest you end up like so many other of those folks filling up the NTSB reports.
Last edited by Flingwing207; 4th Feb 2006 at 18:38.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: UK
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Instructed for 3 years, like any flying job, they can all be a bit tedious sometimes, but, best fun I ever had compared to offshore, Charter, EMS..
Shame the pay isn't great....if it was better, would not have left!!!
Shame the pay isn't great....if it was better, would not have left!!!
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: England
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Bored with instructing? How can you possibly get bored? Every student is different, every lesson an adventure (will this one try to kill me today?) Where else can you get paid to strap a heli to your backside and throw it at the ground a dozen times and hour (sometimes with the engine doing the work - sometimes with only gravity!)
I started my career instructing - and by the way, you teach from a position of competence (21"MP at 75kts is the same however many hours you have under your wallet), I flew 6 (sometimes 7) days a weeks. I lived by my chief pilots creed "Fill your block (i.e don't waste your or the students time), Wear your uniform with pride, and NEVER turn down a flight (assuming it's legal, decent, honest etc etc) (my thanks to you Neil Jones)
I taught lazy students, beautiful women, rich owners, non-english speaking Japanese (try doing an auto using hand signals!!!), gifted youngsters, an ex Vietnam snake pilot, airline pilots (rip Neil Stamp), firemen, engineers, policemen, nurses, playboys and some very dedicated, hard working, give-up-everything to be a helicopter pilot guys that made me grateful that I had the opportunity to share a front seat with them.
bored? you are in the wrong job!
I started my career instructing - and by the way, you teach from a position of competence (21"MP at 75kts is the same however many hours you have under your wallet), I flew 6 (sometimes 7) days a weeks. I lived by my chief pilots creed "Fill your block (i.e don't waste your or the students time), Wear your uniform with pride, and NEVER turn down a flight (assuming it's legal, decent, honest etc etc) (my thanks to you Neil Jones)
I taught lazy students, beautiful women, rich owners, non-english speaking Japanese (try doing an auto using hand signals!!!), gifted youngsters, an ex Vietnam snake pilot, airline pilots (rip Neil Stamp), firemen, engineers, policemen, nurses, playboys and some very dedicated, hard working, give-up-everything to be a helicopter pilot guys that made me grateful that I had the opportunity to share a front seat with them.
bored? you are in the wrong job!