Feb 13, 2022

Those who choose to pursue a pilot career must first pass through the ranks of Flight Instructors. First and foremost, everyone who wants to fly large jets must obtain their pilot’s license. The irony is that flight teaching is frequently the first employment a pilot would hold when launching their piloting profession.

Train for and test for the flight instructor certificate, which is one of the most demanding pilot licenses to get and one of the most gratifying tasks a professional pilot may undertake.

Steps in Becoming a Pilot instructor

Since flight instructing is frequently a career option for new pilots, prior flight experience is not as necessary while applying for positions. Candidates for the position of teacher will be required to receive the necessary licenses and ratings from the authorized authorities. For all but the most severe pilot employment markets, a college degree is not required for those who wish to pursue a career as an instructor, however, a college degree is typically seen as a wise investment.

Flight Training

For pilots to be able to operate as flight instructors, they must first have a commercial pilot license with an instrument rating. Pilots who desire to fly or instruct in multi-engine aircraft will need to get a multi-engine rating in addition to their standard rating. Aeronautical institutions, FAA-approved flight schools, and other local flight training alternatives are all options for obtaining this flight training certification.

Flight Instructor Licenses

Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)

The first license that must be obtained is a certified flight instructor license. This is the most difficult license to get. This course’s curriculum includes teaching elementary pupils, commercial students, and pilot flight reviews. Flight instructors are held to rigorous standards by the Federal Aviation Administration, making certificate of flight instruction (CFI) one of the most challenging certifications for professional pilots to earn.

Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII)

The Certified Flight Instructor Instrument rating is an add-on to the original Certified Flight Instructor certification. It enables instructors to train new instrument students and perform instrument proficiency assessments on pilots who are not already in possession of valid instrument ratings or certificates.

Multi-Engine Flight Instructors (MEI)

The Multi-Engine Instructor rating is an add-on to the original Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) rating. Instruction of new multi-engine pupils is made possible by this feature.

Is Flight Training Right for You?

This question, along with several others, determines whether or not flight instruction is a good fit for you. In the realm of flight instruction, your enthusiasm for what you do will be evident in the lessons you teach to flying students. If you love assisting others in pursuing and achieving their goals, becoming a flying teacher will be a rewarding career.

In addition to ensuring that students gain good stick and rudder skills, flight instructors must ensure that students grasp risk management and develop sound decision-making abilities. It is the flight instructors who lay the groundwork for pupils’ whole aviation careers. As a flight teacher, you must ask yourself if you are prepared to accept and embrace this duty.

Does having a diverse work environment appeal to you? Flight teaching is one of the most diverse types of pilot employment, and it pays well. The way you approach each student will need to alter depending on how they learn. The licenses, ratings, and endorsements that flight instructors teach vary depending on their level of flight instructor certification. In the course of their employment as an instructor at a local flight school, they may anticipate flying a variety of airplanes as they perform flight reviews, instrument proficiency tests, and other ongoing training for students.

Flight instructors must embrace the concept of ongoing education for their benefit. Teaching is one of the most effective methods of learning new concepts and abilities. Instructors must embrace their education as a method of keeping up with changes in the business and as a means of improving their ability to instruct students. In addition, to serve as role models for future pilots, instructors must teach students to recognize the need for continuing education and seek it themselves.

It’s Difficult to Watch Students Fail

One of the most effective methods to learn is to make mistakes (and learn from them). Students should be allowed to make mistakes throughout their flying training unless the safety of the aircraft is jeopardized. During their training, flight instructors learn to maintain defensive postures in the cockpit to rapidly question pupils when the situation calls for it – all while being invisible to the instructing students.

Flight Instructor Salary

Flight instructors are compensated on an hourly or salary basis, depending on their experience. For hourly flight teachers, starting pay ranges from $14 per hour to $30 per hour, and they collect paid hours in the same way that other occupations do (they do not use the complex procedures airlines use).

Flight instructors are paid between $20,000 and $60,000 per year, depending on their experience and qualifications. When it comes to flight instructors who are just starting, the higher end of the wage range is uncommon. Instructors at big simulator centers are among the best compensated in the industry, earning upwards of $75,000 per year on average.

Instructor roles at more extensive training facilities and colleges typically come with standard employment benefits, such as health insurance and retirement. Employer-sponsored benefits are available at some area flight schools, but they aren’t as widespread as they could be.

Something to Take With You

Flight instructing is considered an entry-level pilot profession; nevertheless, many people choose to make a career out of it, and high compensation is available when a pilot has gained some experience in the industry. Flight instructors have more flexibility in their schedules than most pilots, don’t travel much for their jobs, and are typically able to spend every evening at home with their families.

Flight instructing is one of the few pilot professions that allows a pilot to eventually work as a freelancer or establish their business without initially investing a lot of money.