Flight Instructor Careers

Have you ever thought about becoming a Flight Instructor? Teaching future Pilots how to fly can be a fantastic profession at any point in your Pilot career. GOOSE Recruitment has put together a guide into why becoming a Flight Instructor could be a great career path for you to follow.

Why should you become a Flight Instructor?

1. Achieve work/life balance

Unlike a regular airline Pilot job that comes with an unpredictable roster, Instructors will typically work regular and consistent daytime hours. Additionally, as Instructors tend to be based out of one flying school this provides the luxury of being close to home. This means you won’t be flying between countries each month or spending lots of time away from your family and friends.

If work-life balance is a top priority for you then a career as a Flight Instructor could be perfect for you.

2. Increase your flying hours

If your long-term career goal is to become a commercial airline Pilot then you will already know that airlines are making huge demands on minimum flying hour requirements for you to be considered.

For newly qualified Pilots, the top reason for becoming a Flight Instructor is it will quickly build up your flying hours experience. Instructing is one of the most proactive ways to accumulate flying hours and build up the required experience that airlines are demanding from candidates.

3. Expand your flying skills

Working as an Instructor means you will be spending a great deal of time in the cockpit with inexperienced and new Pilots. Not only will you be spending more time in an aircraft but you will also be continuously testing your flying skills as teaching someone to fly is no mean feat.

Instructing can be challenging and requires high levels of technical and practical flying skills. You will also need to ensure you are teaching your students best practices.

If you are looking to become a better Pilot, Instructing will quickly improve and test your “stick and rudder skills.”

4. Say goodbye to jet lag

If your current Pilot job is demanding that you fly into different time zones on a regular basis you will probably have suffered from jetlag. One of the hardest parts of being an airline Pilot is sleep deprivation and the impact it has on the body.

Due to the working hours of a Flight Instructor, you will be working regular hours in one time zone. This means no jetlag and the opportunity to maintain great health.

5. Improve your soft skills

Teaching students to fly will quickly improve your soft skills. Many airlines and Aviation businesses are now looking for different attitudes and behaviours in Pilots. Experience and knowledge have become a given and they are now seeking Pilots who have more developed soft skills. Examples of desirable soft skills include empathy, patience, the ability to listen and high levels of communication. These can all be improved by working as a Flight Instructor.

6. Obtain job satisfaction

The rewards of becoming a teacher to new Pilots can be highly rewarding. Not only are you delivering your knowledge and experience, but you are also helping others to pursue their passion for flying.

There is no doubt that as an Instructor you will feel proud of your students but also yourself. You’ll also have the satisfaction of building strong, lasting relationships in the Pilot community.

7. Competitive remuneration packages

Over the last few years, the average salary of an Instructor has increased greatly. Instructors are in high demand and they can command a higher salary than ever before. In fact, many flight schools are now even paying for Pilots to complete their instructor rating.

Instructing is not only a rewarding career but also a great way to make a good salary with some fantastic benefits.

8. Future proof your career

After graduating from flight school many Pilots assume the best route in their career is to apply directly to airlines. Instructing is often overlooked but with the competition for airline Pilot jobs greater than ever before, instructing can be a great alternative way to kick start your Pilot career.

Instructing is one of the most highly regarded jobs in the aviation industry and can, therefore, open up a lot more career opportunities. In fact, once you are a Pilot for an airline you may be presented with the opportunity to become a Check and Training Captain, which you can only do if you have an Instructor Rating.

Airlines are looking to hire experienced Pilots with a proven track record of experience in the cockpit. Therefore, if this is your long-term goal, Instructing is definitely a route to consider.

9. Stay up to date with flying theory and practical knowledge

Teaching is the best way to learn and as an Instructor, you will learn new things on a daily basis. You’ll constantly be refreshing your theory and practical knowledge and you’ll even learn things from your students that could help you later on in your Pilot career.

The top Flight Instructors ensure they are staying on top of the latest best practices ensuring they are teaching future Pilots to be the best that they can be.

10. Develop your cultural and generational awareness

People learn to fly from many different walks of life. So many different individuals have a passion to take to the sky and this means as a Flight Instructor that you must build your awareness of cultural and generational differences. Not everyone can be taught the same and as you gain more experience with different students you will develop a greater understanding of how different people learn and prosper.

If you think Instructing could suit you as an individual and your lifestyle, we could have a role for you. GOOSE Recruitment is currently working on a number of Flight Instructor vacancies, so please get in touch with Charlotte Charman to find out more.