Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

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BIGPAPI
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Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by BIGPAPI »

Just finished my CPL with just over 200 hours. Looking for advice on what next to do to further my professional career as a pilot. 32 years old and looking to get a job as soon as possible. I would love to instruct but dishing out 10k to make 20-30k for a couple years sounds horrible, especially in todays economic climate. Tossing bags on a ramp for 6 months in the middle of nowhere doesn't sound great either, but It would be a steady income and manageable once I get flying. The goal is to get to an airline, and I understand that becoming a flight instructor you would knock off a lot of the ATPL requirements. I have the funds left for either or but not both. I'd have to create some debt if I were to do both. I came here for some guidance and hopefully some of you experienced folk would point out the pro's and cons and give me some insight on what I should do in todays current industry. Thanks.
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Pilotdaddy
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by Pilotdaddy »

I don't think there's a clear cut answer between instructing and tossing bags with the hopes of getting right seat, if your goal is getting hours. Some people enjoy teaching, and some don't. That's really what you should ask yourself. I've come across instructors who are just in it for hours.... They are miserable, and I bet their students are too. Both paths will be a challenge financially, so you may as well choose the path that is more enjoyable for you.
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mmm..bacon
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by mmm..bacon »

I had the money to do both; I enjoyed instructing, and (more pertinent to your question) I found it a damn sight easier to do my first IFR renewal after I had a few hundred more hours under my belt...
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PostmasterGeneral
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by PostmasterGeneral »

You’re not really employable without a Multi IFR. Do that.

Throw bags or whatever gets you into a twin turbine the quickest. Go up north for a year or two. Plenty of instructors who wish they’d have gone that route.
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Roarjo
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by Roarjo »

I was trying to make the same decision as you in 2018. I ended up doing my Instructor rating first. Got a job as an instructor there when i was finished. Was able to do my multi ifr cheaper as all my colleagues helped me out, got discount on the planes and we were allowed to use the sim for free. And your instructing expeirence will make getting the rating easier, i had about 700hrs instructing when i did my initial group 1 and got my multi after about 6 hours in the plane.
I also made more money than what you say as an instructor. I was in my 30's when i made the decison also.
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canadiens26
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by canadiens26 »

I will go in the same direction as Pilotdaddy, pick the one you will enjoy the most. There is good and bad in each options. I think the instructor way is a great way, and your multi IFR will be easier to get once you have a few hundred hours of experience teaching.
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Float_lover
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by Float_lover »

I took the instructor path, I was looking to fly first and didn't want to do ramp for 6 months - 1 year.

As said before, your multi will be cheaper by doing it while doing instruction. It's also building your PIC time that is useful later for your ATPL and some Compagnies (depending what is your target).
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Turboprops
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by Turboprops »

The way I look at it: let’s say instructor rating takes 3-4 months, and throw bags takes 6-7 months for a right seat job at 703/4.
You’re only 3 months behind to start your career, not that big of a deal really.
Once you get to 1000 hrs instructing, you’ll probably still be applying to the same 703/4… so why spend 10k+ for a rating you’ll only use for a year or less?
If you can get a multi turbine job in 6 months I honestly don’t see why you want to instruct, just get your PIC time on a king air or whatever, way more valuable experience anyway. Instructing hours are not very valuable, not trying to insult anyone but it’s just the way it is.
My company’s putting a bunch of rampies to flight line every month to fly multi turbine, while my 1000 hr instructor friends can’t find a multi job…
Now if encore/porter starts hiring people with 1000 single piston hours again like 2019 then it’s a different story
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scdriver
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by scdriver »

I'd do the multi ifr given that your goal is to fly at an airline. As you said, working as an instructor will pay peanuts and you will likely be in the same financial situation as you are now when you inevitably have to go get the multi ifr anyway, so why not do it now. Unless as a couple others mentioned instructing would significantly reduce the costs of that rating, but that's not a guarantee and probably not a good enough reason alone to go that route. If i were you, I'd do the multi ifr and also look to see what jobs you could get seasonally on a 180 or similar this summer. Might be able to build some pic time anyway without having to shell out for the instructor rating, and any experience would be far better.
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Adam Oke
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by Adam Oke »

In this climate and your goals, I would say dive into the MIFR. You're bound to get scooped up if you're a good person with a positive attitude.

That being said, a guy above said you're not employable. BS. I went over a decade as a plain Jane CPL and made a decent livable wage in my latter years. There is nothing wrong with being a 702/703 single engine VFR dirtbag. There is money to be had and stories to be told.
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scdriver
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by scdriver »

Adam Oke wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 8:20 pm In this climate and your goals, I would say dive into the MIFR. You're bound to get scooped up if you're a good person with a positive attitude.

That being said, a guy above said you're not employable. BS. I went over a decade as a plain Jane CPL and made a decent livable wage in my latter years. There is nothing wrong with being a 702/703 single engine VFR dirtbag. There is money to be had and stories to be told.
Agreed. I have buddies making into the 6 figures as a single engine vfr pilot. It’s not for everyone, but a guy can have a good life in that world
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flyingcanuck
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by flyingcanuck »

Also instructing first gets you your PIC time for your A's down the road
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khedrei
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Re: Instructor Rating Or Multi+IFR

Post by khedrei »

Clearly there are valid points here for both sides so it really depends on your age, financial situation, and lifestyle desires.

I did it in my 30s, and already had a career out in the boonies staying in hotels not knowing when I would be home working crappy shifts. So, I did the instructor rating first. I had enough money to do both but wasn't rushing to the airlines so that was part of the reason. Benefits of being an instructor first for me were that I got 700+ hours pic under my belt and upgraded to a class 3 before doing my Multi and Multi IFR. INRAT was super easy given the additional knowledge, the flight tests were easier as well (or so I felt). Multi in about 6 hours, multi IFR with an aditional 7-8 (and I was higher than average I think). The instructors flew with me for free, and I worked out a deal with the school to do contracting work around the building in exchange for the cost of the airplane. We also got to use our SIM for free as instrcutors. So both the ratings cost me 0 and I did the contracting work on bad weather days when there was no flying. Obvioulsy this option isn't available to everyone, but I think at most schools that the instructors will work for free for other instructors and there should be an airplane discount for employees.

Part of me wishes I got to experience the craziness of backcountry or northern flying, but I have a feeling if I did it, I wouldn't be overly impressed. Novelties like that wear off pretty quickly, at least for me. I was at a point in my life where that didn't really interest me anymore.

It's really up to you but I will say one more thing in regards to instructing. I thought I was a pretty good pilot when I finished my CPL, and even though I didn't feel as good as I could have been, the class 1 that did my Instructor Rating told me I did really well. Then, after 400 or so hours of instructing, I felt 100x better. And then after 1000 hours of instructing it only got better still. Before I started, I didn't realize that my skills would sharpen so much when I didn't have control of the airplane most of the time, but they did. Being an instructor FORCES you to REALLY understand EVERYTHING. I don't know if thats the case sitting right seat on an Otter up north. That being said, there would also be valueable experience there, that you wouldn't get instructing. Didn't fly the twin for almost 2 years and when it came time for my IPC I did 2 practice flights and then the exam. And I probably didn't even need both of them. The skills were just there.

To each their own.
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