200 vs 300 Hours to Teach

[Whirlwind]

Even though SFAR 73 only requires 200 hours to teach in the R22, I've been reading that schools with Pathfinder insurance are requiring their CFI's to have 300 hours.

 

I've been planning to start my training (as soon as my house sells - if ever) and had been looking at the cost to get to 200 hours. Now I'm wondering if I should factor in the cost and time of an additional 100 hours before I'm able to start earning income as an instructor.

 

My questions are:

1) How common is the 300 hour requirement vs 200 hours?

2) Is the 300 hours all rotary-wing time, or can some fixed-wing time count as well for Pathfinder's requirements?

[Goldy]

Even though SFAR 73 only requires 200 hours to teach in the R22, I've been reading that schools with Pathfinder insurance are requiring their CFI's to have 300 hours.

 

I've been planning to start my training (as soon as my house sells - if ever) and had been looking at the cost to get to 200 hours. Now I'm wondering if I should factor in the cost and time of an additional 100 hours before I'm able to start earning income as an instructor.

 

My questions are:

1) How common is the 300 hour requirement vs 200 hours?

2) Is the 300 hours all rotary-wing time, or can some fixed-wing time count as well for Pathfinder's requirements?

 

 

Just jump up to the "Jobs" tab at the top of the page and scroll thru a few openings. Only 2 allow for 200 hour pilots as a minimum, all the others require 300 plus.

[Wanna-be]

Just jump up to the "Jobs" tab at the top of the page and scroll thru a few openings. Only 2 allow for 200 hour pilots as a minimum, all the others require 300 plus.

 

well she obvious knew this allready. But I think that is shouldnt be such a big problem. CFI machines like HAI produces many instructors per year and allmost everyone is able to find that first instructing job. Dont think that they all have 300 hours, maybe a few, but certainely not all.

 

Wanna-be

[flingwing206]

I've been planning to start my training (as soon as my house sells - if ever)

Please tell me you have a back-up plan! Well, you can crash on my couch for a few days.... Actually, good on you for ensuring that you will have the money to do the whole thing at once. If you can budget $60k for the training and $20K for the living while you train (and maybe another $10K to help you through that tough first year as a CFI), you'll do fine.

...and had been looking at the cost to get to 200 hours. Now I'm wondering if I should factor in the cost and time of an additional 100 hours before I'm able to start earning income as an instructor.

Better yet, plan to train in both the R22 and 300CBi - make sure your mix has you doing advanced maneuvers in both aircraft - for instance, PPL/CPL in the R22, IFR & CFI in the 300CBi, CFII in the R22, or any variation thereof. In my case, I did my IFR and part of the COM training in the R22, all the rest in Schweizer, so I ended up with just over 50 R22 hours (and the safety course). I got a job at a school that used both R22 and 300CB (and didn't use Pathfinder).

 

There are a few R22 schools that will hire you and give you other commercial work - photos, rides, etc, but it might take awhile to get to the 300-hour mark.

My questions are:

1) How common is the 300 hour requirement vs 200 hours?

Quite common in R22-only schools, but some have written exceptions - i.e. no autorotation training, no night and so on, until the CFI reaches "X" hours dual given.

2) Is the 300 hours all rotary-wing time?

Yes, helicopter time.

[Whirlwind]

Fling - Thanks for the insight and clarification.

Oh yeah, and thanks for the invite - we'll be moving in next weekend!

 

I've got some savings and I'm truly blessed with an incredibly supportive wife who is also a traveling nurse.

She can get a job with paid housing almost anywhere I end up for training or a job. Her income, my savings, and the house sale money should allow us to get by until I've paid the dues and started making a better salary again.

 

And the fall-back plan is to go back and be an engineer in cubicle-land once again if need be.

 

Fly safe.

WW