Sport Pilot CFI or regular CFI???
- Thread starter jafra98
- Start date
subpilot
Squawking 7600
Easy. Do you want to only teach sport pilot students (a very small portion of the market) or do you want the ability to teach any student? This may not apply to you but i'm also not a big fan of a CFI not being required to have a commercial or instrument rating, but that's just me?
KSCessnaDriver
Well-Known Member
If you've got 150 hours and want to teach sport pilot students, in order to build time for the commercial, maybe. Otherwise, just get the CFI.
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
^ what he said.
And even then, haven't met many at 150 hours that would make very good teachers - still a lot to learn.
And even then, haven't met many at 150 hours that would make very good teachers - still a lot to learn.
rframe
pǝʇɹǝʌuı
It'd be very dependent upon local market conditions. In most locations I think it'd be a waste of time to get an LSA instructor certificate because there would be no way to apply it. However, there seem to be a handful of airports around the country that are LSA hubs. If the schools have LSA's available and you'd even be qualified to teach in them with just an LSA instructor's certificate (I have to imagine insurance companies aren't really fond on that, but just guessing?)... then hey why not.
Just because the LSA instructor requirements are lower, it doesn't mean every LSA instructor is going to be a green PPL with under 200 hours. Could just as easily be a PPL with a thousand hours who just enjoys flying and has never had a need or desire to pick up a Commercial ticket. So, if the market is there to use it and someone actually has the skills to teach (by getting some confirmation from other instructors beforehand), then go for it.
I'd be cautious thinking that someone with 150 hours is going to have the experience, especially in an emergency, to be an effective instructor... but honestly, how many 250 hour pilots really do either?
Just because the LSA instructor requirements are lower, it doesn't mean every LSA instructor is going to be a green PPL with under 200 hours. Could just as easily be a PPL with a thousand hours who just enjoys flying and has never had a need or desire to pick up a Commercial ticket. So, if the market is there to use it and someone actually has the skills to teach (by getting some confirmation from other instructors beforehand), then go for it.
I'd be cautious thinking that someone with 150 hours is going to have the experience, especially in an emergency, to be an effective instructor... but honestly, how many 250 hour pilots really do either?
jafra98
Well-Known Member
I have met pilots with thousands of hours and multiple type ratings that couldn't teach nothing........
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
True, but it is a considerable feat to teach something you don't know anything at all about.
KSCessnaDriver
Well-Known Member
Back when I was sitting at 125 hours and trying to figure out how to get more, I thought the CFI-S would be the way to go. I spent more time trying to find a place to do it, at which time I realize, if no one can do the CFI training, who is going to want a instructor to work for them?
That said, if you, for some reason, owned an S-LSA and needed flight time, I could see the CFI-S working out.
That said, if you, for some reason, owned an S-LSA and needed flight time, I could see the CFI-S working out.
Muff3n
Well-Known Member
I would go with the regular CFI as the others have said. That really opens up your market potential as well. Unless you know for sure you could get students with the sport pilot CFI, I would just go ahead and invest in getting the CFI. It never hurts to get more advanced ratings.
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rframe
pǝʇɹǝʌuı
They are good aircraft, but if your goal is to give dual instruction, just be sure you understand that you cannot give paid flight instruction in an Experimental that you are providing (except in certain cases where you get a waiver to provide type-specific transitional training, not general dual instruction). You would need to purchase a certified LSA aircraft if you're planning to charge others for instruction.
jafra98
Well-Known Member
I know that to give flight instruction the aircraft has to be an S-LSA. The Challenger II needs to be registered as E-LSA or E-AB. I'm not getting the flight instructor certificate for the money I'm doing just to get another rating in the pocket............
Just a side note on choosing CFI (61 Subpart H) vs. CFI (61 Subpart K):
If you do go with the CFI with Sport Pilot rating (61 Subpart K), and you train students through their sport pilot certificate, and those student(s) want to get higher-level certificates (ex. private pilot, comm. etc), none of the training you gave them will count towards satisfying the experience requirements of those higher-level pilot certificates.
Reference: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...nterpretations/data/interps/2009/Kern INK.pdf
Depending on the area/school/market as others have mentioned this might not be a big deal for you, but its a good thing to keep in mind.
If you do go with the CFI with Sport Pilot rating (61 Subpart K), and you train students through their sport pilot certificate, and those student(s) want to get higher-level certificates (ex. private pilot, comm. etc), none of the training you gave them will count towards satisfying the experience requirements of those higher-level pilot certificates.
Reference: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...nterpretations/data/interps/2009/Kern INK.pdf
Depending on the area/school/market as others have mentioned this might not be a big deal for you, but its a good thing to keep in mind.
Mo
Well-Known Member
Actually that is not true. Dual hours do not count but all solo hours do. There is actually an NPRM out that is attempting to change this. Also a sport rating can be achieved in 20 hours min so one would have to obtain another 20 hours anyway for an upgrade to private pilot. Current statistics state that the average completion rate for the private is in the 60-80 hour range, so this is a non-factor and with additional training needed for the upgrade from sport to private in the areas of basic instrument flying, cross countries, checkride prep, etc one loses nothing training with a CFI Sport. Lastly the latest info from AOPA state there is an 80% drop out rate for those training for the private with reasons such as cost, time needed for certification, etc. Private pilot ratings are ranging in the $8000-$10000 range where one can achieve a sport rating in the 3k-4k range.
Nihon_Ni
Well-Known Member
I suspect given your current certificate level, that you'll find more reward for a CFI-A than a CFI-S. Although I haven't done a detailed comparison, I suspect the training for both will be pretty similar, so the big difference comes down to the aeronautical experience requirements for each. If you meet the entry requirements for a CFI-A, I'd encourage you to seek it, even if you initially plan to teach in a LSA. I've had the chance to fly some very interesting airplanes (DHC-1. T-6, C-182, R2160, RV-9, etc) as a result of having a CFI-A, not to mention the hundreds of hours I taught in C-172s & my AA-1B. Plus, if you do decide to limit yourself to LSA, you'll be able to command a higher instructional fee because (as of today) instructional hours you provide as a CFI-A are much more valuable than those given by a CFI-S.
I recommend you do a cost comparison of the two ratings, then determine your return on investment for each rating, and let that be your guide. You probably won't meet people who have done both CFI-S and CFI-A, so everyone's opinion (mine included) is based on a limited sample size, and is therefore biased. Do your research and make up your own mind based on your circumstances.
rframe
pǝʇɹǝʌuı
Yes 10-15 hours should be plenty if you're a proficient pilot and know the airplane.
The CFI is more about explaining how/why you are doing what you are doing than it is about flying (the flying should be within Com PTS just by default at this point). So get back up to speed with flying the airplane you will use, doing everything from the right seat (which may take an hour or three to get a feel for), practice all your commercial SEL maneuvers in that airplane, and practice talking through what your are doing and explaining common errors. Then most of the prep time is ground work, lesson plan preparation, studying FOI concepts, preparing visual aids, memorizing endorsement requirements, etc.
