instructor rating or multi IFR?

[cessna 150]

Hi to everyone reading this topic, i have a small problem deciding on what to do.

I currently have my PPL and within a few weeks should have my CPL and the college program i am in has multi IFR training as well offered after the CPL, But i have heard that Multi training is really useless for me until maybe atleast 1000 hours total time and the job prospect dosent look to good either and neither does the cost of multi IFR training.

So on to the question: Should I just stop after I get my CPL and maybe go for an instructor rating or even a float rating which is cheaper and look for a job as an instructor or should i go ahead and do the multi IFR training?

Thankyou in advance for your advice.

[pilotman15]

Depends on your final career ambitions:

Airlines: Get the multi-ifr and find a ramp job if you don't have the funds for the instructor rating as well

Bush (Floats) - Get the float rating and get on a dock this summer and get your multi-ticket over the winter

Bush (chip runs) - Get your multi-ifr and find a ramp job.

Instructing - Get the instructor rating but make sure it is at a school that will help you out with the multi-ifr while working for them. (oh ya, also make sure you have a reasonable chance of employment after the instructor rating).

However, do not quit your college program until you graduate as it would be a huge waste of tuition fees payed and you will run into operators that prefer post-secondary education (aviation diplomas)

[iflyforpie]

You will get an ATPL faster with the instructor rating.

1) You are more hirable right off the bat and flying airplanes (or at least riding in them) instead of throwing bags.

2) You are logging PIC time. One hour in a 150 as an instructor equals two in a twin as an F/O.

3) You can still get night and night cross country when instructing.

You still have to get your Group 1 for your ATPL, but at least it will be fresh when you make the jump and not expired after two years on the ramp.


Of course, you could do like me and get both but use neither. Sure is going to suck if I ever have to dust off any of those ratings.

[loopa]

Basically,

One rating gets you one advantage that the others don't.
You have a lot of people out there saying that companies don't hire instructors because instructors are not exposed to operational decision making. As much as this is true, there are many companies out there that do.

Flyforpie hit it right on the nail about the advantages and disadvantages of going either way. I personally would recommend the instructor route, but remember that overly using it to gain your hours is looked down upon. Having 3000 hours of c172 time means nothing and reflects negatively on your resume. Having 1000 to 1500 hours is ideal, and then you have to move on. This is normally hard for many people because at 1500 hours, they are most likely sitting in a comfortable job at the flight training unit making a decent salary. It's hard for many to move on from this position to an F/O position and take a cut in pay. Although, the cut in pay and benefits depends on what kind of jump you do between companies.

I'm a class 4 instructor right now looking for work It's tougher than you would think, but like every other guy out there that has been there, and done that, I'm here, and am doing that.

Best of luck, and if you're in Vancouver give me a shout and I can discuss the more details of the benefits of the instructor rating and MIFR in person.


Cheers !

[gaamin]

An instructor rating is not something to do thinking only about your career.

The other ratings are more for yourself, building a specific skill.

Do an instructor rating if you like to share your passion of flying, if you want to pass on knowledge and skill. If not, do something else for yourself.

Jobwise, an instructor rating without the will to become a great instructor won't get you much, unless the school that trains you hires every instructor they train.

Bottom line : there is no easy way to build valuable experience. Think about what you want, and give it all you have.

[GTODD]

Well said Gaamin.

[SuperchargedRS]

Dont waste your money on a multi ANYTHING, no one is going to hire you into a multi for a while.

Take that money, get a instructor rating, or pound the pavement (or rather gravel looking for a job).

Take the multi money and put it in your gas tank and drive and find work!

[cessna 150]

Dont waste your money on a multi ANYTHING, no one is going to hire you into a multi for a while.

Take that money, get a instructor rating, or pound the pavement (or rather gravel looking for a job).

Take the multi money and put it in your gas tank and drive and find work!

yah i was thinking about the same thing. I will be 20 and have 200 hours when i finish this course and i am pretty sure no one wants to hire a 20 year old right out of college. By the time i do find a job (1-3 years) I will have to go over all that multi IFR stuff all over again. But if i take the instructor route I do believe it will be easier to find work and go for multi IFR later on in my career because there is no chance in hell someone will put me right seat on a twin.

I live in Ontario right now but i would love to travel so location is not a problem for me.

Oh and just one more thing: I keep hearing that "give it a few years alot of the airline pilots will be retiring and so there will be many job opening in the next few years" is it believable and does anyone see it happening???

Thanks once again to everyone who posted so far and I really do think taking the instructor route will be better even if i have to drop out of the program

[mattedfred]

how about neither of them?

spend the money you would have spent on either an instructor rating or multi-IFR and get a float rating and as many hours as you can on floats

then get either your instructor rating or multi in the off season after your first or second season on floats

[cessna 150]

how about neither of them?

spend the money you would have spent on either an instructor rating or multi-IFR and get a float rating and as many hours as you can on floats

then get either your instructor rating or multi in the off season after your first or second season on floats

yah that is a really good idea aswell, do you mean spend the money on float rating and find a job or get my float rating and spend the money I would have spent on the multi or instructor and rent a plane for as many hours as I can with that money and just fly? But I like that idea as well and I am pretty sure I will not go ahead to the multi IFR training, it just seems like a huge waste of money at this time.

Thanks I will consider that possibility as well.

[mattedfred]

i have no idea how much an instructor or multi rating are these days

i would spend my money on a float rating then spend more money on additional instruction and PIC time on floats

then i would try and get a job flying floats this summer

if i got a job flying this summer then i would spend next winter doing my multi-ifr

[SuperchargedRS]

mmmk, the multi thing... don't waste the money, you cant use it for at least a few years into your career, so wait until you have a return on your investment until you buy that rating.

Now on the floats vs instructor thing. It is a helllll of alot easier getting a gig out the bat as a instructor. As someone that got their float rating a week after my private I cant knock that route however lol

Just keep this in mind

Instructor + CPL = job flying (after the customary road trips to find said job)
Float + CPL = job digging holes in promise of a flying job after you "prove youself"

Your mileage may vary, this is just the norm, hey you could always get your Instructor & float rating!

[Adanac]

Having done all of the above in my career, the best recommendation I have seen and agree with is the CPL then Float then get a job. Not just your endorsement, but a full on float course where you have some time that a company could insure you with. Or at least enough time where you could build enough time within the start of the summer to get you on an aircraft by the end of the season. I would hold off getting the instructor or the Multi-IFR until you know where you stand in the industry. Are you working for a float company that has twins? Or are you going to be laid off in the fall? I had the opportunity to so I went and got my Multi-IFR and came back and flew their twins! All depends on what you want and what you are willing to do to get it.

Good luck in your endeavors!

[cessna 150]

mmmk, the multi thing... don't waste the money, you cant use it for at least a few years into your career, so wait until you have a return on your investment until you buy that rating.

Now on the floats vs instructor thing. It is a helllll of alot easier getting a gig out the bat as a instructor. As someone that got their float rating a week after my private I cant knock that route however lol

Just keep this in mind

Instructor + CPL = job flying (after the customary road trips to find said job)
Float + CPL = job digging holes in promise of a flying job after you "prove youself"

Your mileage may vary, this is just the norm, hey you could always get your Instructor & float rating!

yah I will not move to the multi IFR phase but i am a bit dissapointed that i will not get the diploma but hopefully not every operator requires a full diploma or degree

I think it will be better off that I get my CPL then get float rating and try to find a job first if not then get my instructor rating.

Thanks

[Speedbirddog]

Get your CPL and then hit the streets to feel it out. Look for pipeline patrol, parachute schools, anything aerial work. If you have no luck there (be persistent, no one hires on just one meeting) do your instructor rating. Having worked in the industry forever, companies hire the guys they know and have the min hours to satisfy their insurance companies and don't really care how you got them. You'll read a ton of stuff online about first and second jobs but look at who gets hired. Instructing will give you a ton of hours fast and get you in a bigger plane once you have your multi-ifr. If you go the reverse route you'll do the aerial work and still have to get the ifr renewal.