Poll for current flight instructors

[zed]

Hello,

I am looking for a general idea of what sort of people are doing flight instructing, with relation to their careers.

I understand that many flight training operations are also involved in charter and may confuse the question, but I will leave it to you to determine if the primary focus is instruction or charter work.

If you don't fit into the options I've provided, please just drop a quick message on the board or PM to let me know.

Many thanks.
Z.

[burninggoats]

I selected the option "I am building hours to move to other aviation pursuits" as it was the closest to my own opinion, however I never liked the "building hours" terminology.

My final goal in aviation is not instructing, but I hardly see the oppourtunity as just hour building, and I get quite irked at the many people who seem to think all anyone in aviation wants is to fly "commercially". During my commercial training I thought long and hard about the path to best take, and decided that I would probably enjoy instructing, and not solely as a starting point. Turns out I do.

While my career aspirations do take me to a job in the airlines, I'm trying to enjoy the ride there. Once I feel i'm finished with this part of my career, I haven't yet counted out the other types of jobs many would consider to be "entry level".

I supposed in short, I could just say that i'm not hour building, but yes, I do plan to move on.

[Hedley]

Note that it is sometimes difficult to continue instructing after you get a turbine flying job.

The hours you instruct count against your allowable calendar totals, which the company may not appreciate you burning up on your own time.

And then, there are liability issues.

[zed]

burninggoats,

Apologies to you and anyone else who feel slighted by the 'building hours' terminology. It was the shortest, clearest way I could express the question.

I fully understand that there are those who view their aviation careers as a journey, and those who view it as a means to a destination, and anything short of their desired goal matters less. While I recognize that there are instructors who fit into both these categories, they are both as you say passing through instruction. However, in this instance I am not concerned with their attitudes, but with the fact that instructing is not their final career goal.

Cheers, fly safe and enjoy your journey.

[zed]

Hedley,

Roger that. I always got the feeling in the US those who flew the bigger metal were really not interested in providing your entry level type of instruction for fear of accidently incurring a violation. Whereas up here that feeling didn't exist to the same extent. Not sure exactly why, less restrictive, less aircraft flying, and larger airspace all combined to create less of a chance of violations?

But yes, once on a turbine no real interest in continuing to instruct. May also have to do with the entry level pay for a F/O on a turbine. I think its at least as good as your average instructor and probably better in many cases. The new turbine driver may also recognize that its not fair to a student to have them work around your schedule.

[Hedley]

fear of accidently incurring a violation

That's one big advantage I have, as a lifetime, part-time instructor. Even if Transport takes yet another multi-year regulatory run at me and my family again, they can't take away my income (default on mortgage, etc) with another hefty licence suspension because my day job is non-aviation (shrug).

Food for thought: a contravention of the CARs (regardless of the fine or licence suspension assessed by Enforcement) is a lifetime penalty.

For the rest of your life, on every job application and insurance form you fill out which asks if you have EVER been convicted of a CAR contravention, you will have to explain.

If you do not disclose the CAR contravention, expect to get fired from your job (or your insurance to be invalid) if they ever find out the truth. And anyone who can use google can find out.

[hairdo]

I agree with burninggoats in that, while I am not intending on staying as a career flight instructor, I do not view flight instruction as a way to "build hours." (though I do understand the use of it for the purpose of the poll)

And, ahem (spelling police alert), option three has instruction spelt as "instruciton." Sorry, couldn't help myself.

[Nark]

I'm and American CFI, but thought I'd chime in.
I fly part 135 (equivalent to 703/704), I only instructed a few short months between military and part 135, however I think I have some value in teaching that others (I didn't say all) don't; in that I have real world experience. As my schedule slows down from high temp summer flights, I plan on keeping my ticket valid. Although not retired, I plan on teaching for the "fun" involved.

The FAR's are tricky, but I could teach under part 61 and 91, and not have it count against my quarter or annual totals.

[McJagger]

And, ahem (spelling police alert), option three has instruction spelt as "instruciton." Sorry, couldn't help myself.

lol spelt

–noun
a wheat, Triticum aestivum spelta, native to southern Europe and western Asia, used chiefly for livestock feed.

[Bede]

I fly for an airline and do a bit of instructing on the side because it's fun. I'd like to do more tailwheel, flot and ski stuff because it's more fun than doing an IFR.

Hedley,
Can't a violation be expunged? Is an expunged violation not similar legally to a pardon?

[hairdo]

And, ahem (spelling police alert), option three has instruction spelt as "instruciton." Sorry, couldn't help myself.

lol spelt

–noun
a wheat, Triticum aestivum spelta, native to southern Europe and western Asia, used chiefly for livestock feed.

Ah, but if you consult a Brit, you would find that is actually a correctly used word. Now, to all of us North Americans, is sounds odd, and when you type it in Google, you get your definition. But, that is normal using UK style spelling. Yes, I've been watching too much Top Gear.

[Hedley]

Can't a violation be expunged?

Sure, but on the application, when it asks,

"Have you EVER been convicted ..."

Getting the conviction expunged DOES NOT re-write history or change the answer to the above question.

A CARs conviction is a lifetime penalty. That's just the way it is.

You can try to lie about it on an insurance or job application, but you're playing with fire.