Instructor Rating Renewals

[pilot316]

Hi...I was just wondering if anybody has any tips/leads about how to go about instructor rating renewals. My Class-4 Instructor Rating expired 5 months ago and I am looking forward to renew it. I haven't flown an A/C over an year now cos I could not find a job. And now that I have finally found my FIRST JOB as an instructor, my rating has expired.

I am a little apprehensive and nervous about the whole thing now as its been quite some time that i have flown. Its obvious, that I'll b rusty after that long. Plus nervous in PGI's as well as I am out of practise from so long .Does anybody know how long does it take to get a renewal check done. I know that I don't need a letter or recommendation nor i need to attend a refresher course, I just need to appear for a flight test/check.

But My question is...How long will it take to get renewed?( cos I don't wanna take any chances). If by chance I book a Flight test with TC straight away without practising and flunk, then my whole Instructor Rating is screwed. I'll have to do the whole thing again! ...I actually gave up on being a pilot/instructor after trying for an year and was preparing myself mentally to look for some other jobs and make a living and then this thing happened! It gave me a glimpse of hope that I can still pursue my career in aviation and pursue my dreams.

Any leads about how to go about things from here? And wat sorta preparation is needed from here on? How long does it take for the renewal to get done? Any information about the TC inspectors that can help? Will it be like a flight test in my initial instructor rating?(that was tough...it took 25 hrs of flying time on instructor rating to get to that level of consistency) How hard is it gonna be? I am currently in Southern Ontario region.

[Colonel Sanders]

READ THIS THREAD:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=85153

It will teach you how to do a PGI. That gets you to the
airplane. What your aircraft handling skills are like, I have
no clue.

It used to be that if you could get into the airplane on a flight
instructor flight test, you had it made, but that isn't the case
any more.

You might want to hire an experienced class 1 instructor to
do a little ground work with you, and one flight.

PS Decades ago, for the higher instructor class ratings, it
was not unusual for the TC Inspector (no delegated pilot
examiners on those days - never!!!) to spend all day on
the ground with the candidate who wanted to upgrade
from 3 to 2, or (heaven help you) from 2 to 1. The
inspector would have to come back the next day for
the flight portion, after grilling the poor instructor all day
on (and into) the ground.

[mcrit]

See my reply to the identical thread in General Comments.

[Shiny Side Up]

PS Decades ago, for the higher instructor class ratings, it
was not unusual for the TC Inspector (no delegated pilot
examiners on those days - never!!!)

AFAIK its still a TC inspector who does all of the instructor rides, they've retained that level of control. At least I know that's the case for my region. Both of my class one and two rides were lengthy processes which took most of the day - except for the flight which were both less than an hour. I should say for the class 1 that my inspector asked me to demonstrate a slipping approach for a one wheel touch and go, which we did, followed by a precision 180 demo. Come to think of it I don't think we left the circuit. They were happy with both of those.

[Needtofly]

If you want to do the flight test to renew try Cornwall aviation there CFI mr. French can do them. And I have heard people are in and out fast. My be worth looking into.

[Colonel Sanders]

In Ontario region, there are plenty of Pilot
Examiners who can do Instructor Initial and
Renewal flight tests.

However their authorities are tightly scoped
in terms of class.

For example, I think if you're a class 3 or 4
you can do your initial/renewals with a delegate
but if you're a class 2 or 1 you have to do your
initial/renewal with a TC inspector.

I probably got the details wrong, but you get
the idea.

Both of my class one and two rides were lengthy
processes which took most of the day - except for
the flight which were both less than an hour

The ground portion is the hard part, especially
at the higher classes. Generally by the time you
are ready for an initial class 2 or class 1, actually
flying a light trainer should not pose a challenge.

IIRC I had an ATPL and 2,500TT by the time I did
my initial class 1 flight test. Anything he wanted
to see in a light trainer was fine by me.

[Shiny Side Up]

In Ontario region, there are plenty of Pilot
Examiners who can do Instructor Initial and
Renewal flight tests.

Strange since that I know there are no Pilot examiners to do instructor rides, even class 4 initials, in Prarie/Northern. In fact last I had spoke with the Regional Superintendent, they weren't even considering handing that responsibility over to the DFTEs. That said though I'm not sure what they are going to do since it seems that they are understaffed in said capacity. Currently I think there are only 2 inspectors in the region who can do the rides for class 1 and two since even within TC there is the heirarchy of how much experience you have doing rides to upgrade your capabilities. To become one of their inspectors for flight training to do the rides you needed to be a class 1 holder who had reccomended at least 10 instructor students for the class 4 ride, to be able to do class 2 rides you needed to have done at least 10 class 4 rides, and to examine class 1s you needed to do at least 10 class 2 rides. This was right off of their employment page at one time, but I can't find it now.

I think currently its about 2 to 3 weeks ahead that you have to book an inspector for an initial or renewal, worse in the summer. Not sure if there is something in the works to improve that.

[pilot316]

I am a Class 4 instuctor...and the renewal is for a Class-4 instructor rating(not 3,2 or 1)
I did a PGI yesterday which wasnt smooth(obviously since I had no practise at all)..no major errors but he asked me to make it short and simple and less time consuming(for him as well as for the student)
then I had a flight today with a Class-1 instructor...steep turns, attitude and movements(known to b the most imp exercise), yaw, climbs and descends(the teaching part up in the air) and a couple of circuits...
to my surprise..he was quite happy with my flying skills and aeroplane handling....although radio calls and navigation was done by him as it was an unfamiliar airport...even he thought initially before going for a flight dat i would b quite rusty since I've not flown for over an year..but it came out dat I did just fine up in the air! (had a sigh of relief )
according to him I am good to go for a flight test(he said dat to me today after the flight)...although he has asked to go up in the air once more and work on landings tomm(landing was ok but I drifted off the centreline)..so he has booked a flight for me tomm..and then get the flight test done by sunday(he knows some inspector from st catherines and spoke to him already, I forgot his name)
theres soo much to do , in soo less a time...the theory of flight part in the PGI's I still have to cover as I havnt even touched them yet
lets hope I get thru wid this!

[mcrit]

You do realize that "dat" is not a word and repeated use of it, along with other "textisms" makes you look very bad in the eyes of educated professionals, right?

[mcrit]

Pilot examiners to do instructor rides, even class 4 initials, in Prarie/Northern

Harv at Harv's air.

[pilot316]

sorry for my "textisms"... I'll keep a note of it from now onwards...I am new to the site
sorry!

[rob-air]

makes you look very bad in the eyes of educated professionals, right?

haha, is this a joke...give the guy a break.

[mcrit]

haha, is this a joke...give the guy a break

It's a free country. You have the right to hold whatever opinion of yourself that you would like.

[Colonel Sanders]

I truly detest "textisms" as well, but I fear
that by mentioning it, I appear to be a cranky
old man.

Imagine someone running up to you, clapping
their hands together and shouting "OHH EMM GEE!!!"
and then running off, and I think you understand.

Bandwidth really isn't that expensive any more,
and feature phones are so 90's.

Back on topic ...

Harv at Harv's air

Yes, Harv Penner (in PNR) is rather unusually
qualified. I believe he can do any instructor
or aerobatic instructor flight test, either initial or
renewal. I don't know any DPE in Ontario or Quebec
region with anywhere near that authority. He
keeps threatening to retire

[mcrit]

I truly detest "textisms"

Hedley and I are on the same page; must be chilly in hell right now.

[Shiny Side Up]

Yes, Harv Penner (in PNR) is rather unusually
qualified. I believe he can do any instructor
or aerobatic instructor flight test, either initial or
renewal. I don't know any DPE in Ontario or Quebec
region with anywhere near that authority. He
keeps threatening to retire

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/prairieandnorth ... ers-77.htm

Hmm it seems they've changed the listing page to reflect that, since I decided to check and found my links were broken again. I suppose I should be used to them feeding me misinformation by now. They do list that the Pilot examiners qualified can only do renewals though.

Oddly enough I can't find the same list for the other regions on their website, they seem to be non-existant.

edit: along with instructor rating renewals I see they also added a column so people can finally find the only two guys who do passenger carrying ratings...