I instructed for about 1000 on singles, and 400 on twins in IFR back in the late 90's. I enjoyed it and recommend it. But don't do it any longer than you need to to get a job outside of the instructional world even if it means a pay cut. Some say any more than 1000-1500 instructing is wasting your time. I tend to agree.

Right now take any hours. After the 1000 mark, get into a commercial operation flying singles, twins, IFR or VFR asap.

And don't let any bush driver shit in your cup for being an instructor. Some are like that. Good luck.

Agree with the fact that after 1000 on C152's, you're just wasting your time if your objective is to join a 705er.

I have 500 hours total time which includes 90 hours on floats and 150 hours on twins most of it being PIC going cross country.
Talking to a pilot that works for a fractional company he sais that his company has hired guys flying single turbine aircraft at about 1200 hours total time.
Would you get an instructor rating like I am thinking of doing or flying this twin engine airplane cross country which I have access at half the cost of renting it from a local flying school and doing it on my own time while working as well.

any suggestions would be great

I personally think that this industry has a fundamental problem! 250 hour pilots teaching other people how to fly! I really don't get how transport gets away with this. I think that in order to instruct you should have an ATPL at least. I realize that this is not possible in the current industry without incurring mass cost to the students but still....

Some people wouldn't be able to afford to be pilots, some schools wouldn't be able to pay ATPL instructors and wouldn’t survive. There would be less pilots and our working conditions would be much better.

Amateur Turbines wrote:I personally think that this industry has a fundamental problem! 250 hour pilots teaching other people how to fly! I really don't get how transport gets away with this. I think that in order to instruct you should have an ATPL at least.

I disagree completely. No one is bettter suited to teaching people to fly the BASICS as is an instructor with 250-300+. The reason I think this is because they have just completed all their licences and ratings pertaining to that stage of flight.

I am a ATPL heavy jet pilot with an instructor background, but I am not so niave to think that i could jump into a 172 and teach effectively at this point. It has been too long. Could I instruct on jets, maybe. But not in a single. Its been 10 years. Nor could anyone expect a 300 hr pilot to teach effectively in a Boeing.

Lets remember, an instructor is only training the canidates to operate safely in mild VFR, MVFR. With more advanced training, more complicated aircraft and WX are brought into the mix. Very few accidents occur in the training environment. The sytem works thats why its in place.

A low time instructor still has patience .The low time instructor is highly motivated for flight time .The low time instructor will try and teach a lump of wood to fly for flight time.Some flight schools would close without they enthusiasm and energy for aviation .Some of the best instructors i have seen were low time instructors doing their best all day long .Not just on the flight test .

2R wrote:Some of the best instructors i have seen were low time instructors doing their best all day long .Not just on the flight test .

So after teaching 5 students they no longer become any good because they're not low time anymore?

Instructing time is good for getting your ATPL. Then move on to the next step (multi time). The industry has never been better and who knows how long it will last.
GB

I agree with greenbastard.

If your goal is to move on to the majors then I wouldn't stay instructing any longer than to get your ATPL. The only reasons why someone would stay beyond this is either 1) they're planning on being a career instructor, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that; or 2) the industry is not hiring and you should "hunker down" until things improve. The latter is certainly not true right now.

I did the instructor route and then the bush until my ATPL. Maybe if I stayed instructing until I got my ATPL, I would have done it sooner. Then again, I wouldn't have traded my bush time for anything.....I had a blast.

Been down the instructing route and now flying airliners...
Stick-Shaker is right on with this issue, great posts.

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