Career Helicopter Instructor Pilot

[randalrowles]

Hello All,

 

How many out there would choose to be a Career Helicopter Instructor but can't because of ???

 

For the folks that have been around for a while, how many of you would like to return to teaching but can't because of ???

 

Thanks,

 

Randy Rowles

[joker]

I would; but can't because of money isn't enough for a career and I want to broaden my range of experience in the industry. It may very well be a job that I seek later on in my helo career.

 

Joker

[GottaFly]

I would too. I like teaching enthusiastic people and sharing my enthusiasm in general. I also understand the pay is low since all the newly certified pilots will work for less just to get the hours. I would also like to fly more advanced turbine helicopters than the 'little trainers'.

 

A buddy of mine is a fixed wing CFI and says he spends many lessons with people "trying to kill him". I can only imagine this problem is exacerbated in helicopters due to the increased complexity of flying them. Although I dont know the student accident statistics for either.

[Fly for food]

I would love to teach for a living. It has the stimulation the brain needs and the physical challenges to your flying skills. BUT when you open another school and offer a contract with the CFI with a salary (not hourly) of $60000, medical, 401K as a minimum I will take the offer. The problem is that the next generation of pilots that are needed so badly by the rest of the industry is being paid too little and in a few cases are training poorly for many reasons not the least of which is pay, conditions, hourbuilding reasons, etc etc. And where does that leave that newly branded CFI - possibly with a poorly taught set of skills he then passes to another - I don't see that improving.

 

The 'other people will do it for less" arguement only holds water for a while. Better to teach less students for more money than tons of students cheaper. You are not training burger makers here. The job prospects are good, the money in the commercial world improving all the time. Pass the cost of paying an instructor better money on to the student. Believe it or not people pay for quality. Stand out as a school that charges more for a better quality of training instead of competeing with everyone else - you may have less students but I'll bet it works out better in the long run, and more profitable. If a student will join a school becasue it is cheaper he will also move the moment he finds the next cheapest option - so what did you gain doing it at cost?

 

It is also true that many students follow good instructors, so by employing good quality you will get a good retention rate - instructors and students.

 

I have seen many really really good instructors leave instructing because it is not a vocation. You cannot survive on that sort of money in the long term and raise a family and do the other things you are going to want in the long term.

 

So go ahead Randy - make our day and open up that new school......

 

ps: windsurfing instruction: $100/hr plus kit rental.

pps: Guitar lessons - $40 per hour - bring your own guitar.

ppps: Good Flight Instructor - priceless.

[Grant B]

I'd like to go for it... Preferably in Schweizer 300's to start. I only have 165 hours in R22's. I would want the instructor job to also include turbines (206/500 or whatever).

 

I'm 37 and looking to get back into flying though. So, I'm happy at my age to just get established and stick with it. Being with a good team and getting established with a good school in a decent area would also help me stick around. Of course the busier the better - from a cash perspective.

 

It isn't a question of can't. Just still saving...

[Nat3hCFI]

I love teaching and would love to do it full-time. But as the hours go up employers think you will leave as soon as you can. I applied for a teaching job as i was approaching 1000 hours, and was asked why i wanted to teach, adn then never heard back from them.

[delorean]

I loved instructing, but I won't do it anymore unless it's inside of my company. Two reasons: money & liability.

 

Money - Yesterday, in one EMS shift, I earned DOUBLE what I ever did on my busiest CFI'n day.....and I didn't even fly yesterday. I sat around, played on the internet, ate filet mignon with my crew for lunch, slept a 3-4 hours, worked on my ATV, and capped it off with some Grand Theft Auto and a movie. (I'm not lazy, but we really aren't expected to do much except fly and keep the base clean.)

 

Liability - I can't risk losing my job or my house, so I'm not going to instruct primary students. If anything goes wrong with a solo flight, I'm responsible too and the FAA is going to go after me. If I lose my ticket for 90, 120, whatever days, I'm going to have to take a leave of absence from my job because they're not going to defend me on something I did off-duty (they'll fight to the end on everything else.)

 

For instance, my co-worker instructor had a student take his own little x-country one day. The guy was only endorsed for our airport and a nearby abandoned army facility. Well, he hauled off 20 miles north and was buzzing his parents house on Thanksgiving Day at tree tops. An off-duty cop spotted him and described him to the FAA down to his color of shirt and mustache. Long story, short.....the FAA went after my fellow instructor since he should have "told his student not to do that". No certificate action, but he had to take a 609 ride. I read a similar case in AOPA Pilot years back about a new PPL flying drunk and was killed--family sued the CFI and DPE since "they never told him not to fly drunk."

 

I don't need that constant fear of my student doing something stupid and costing me my job, home, retirement, .....LIFE.

 

Remove the liability factor and I still wouldn't instruct for less than $500/day. I can make almost as much on an overtime EMS shift and only have to work 1-2 hours on a 12-hr shift. I hate to say that--since I love instructing--but it's just not worth the money and risk.

[rotor91]

I have never been able to pursue my flying career, because it is sooo hard to give up my bread and butter job! Now that I've been at my job for the past 7 years, I can get the CFI ticket. I will only instruct on the weekends, and still keep the bread and butter job! I don't have expenses now that I did in my 20's...go figure...ya...I still rent though! So I can now finally go for the CFI, something I've always wanted, but could never really afford!

 

I want to instruct on the weekends, and also do tours in the 44(can't wait.....although don't know when that will happen!). I know it's something I'll be good at it(CFI), plus with the tours.....YEE HAW! It's my 2 days of "golf" from the wife!!!!!!!!!! LOL

 

I think I could do the weekend THANG, until I'm 80!! It's time to open another door for ME, and I'm ready for the journey!

 

Remember, it's not the destination, it's the journey to that destination!

 

Fly safe-

R91