Flight Simulator instructor

J777Fly

Well-Known Member
What ratings do you need to be able to teach in a flight sim at somewhere like Flight safety, (like a B737 or Citation simulator for example)

I presume obviously a type rating and a CFI cert, but would you require to have an ATP as well?
 
Well, FSI requires CFI and Type rating if its a typeable aircraft... They wanted me to have 1500 and ATP + type to teach in the SIM, but no type is required or ATP for the ground school.
 
Last time I went to FS they had an ad on the bulletin board looking for instructors. They wanted CFI, 500 given, and pretty low PIC times if I remember correctly - 500 in type or something of that nature. I talked to some of the staff about working there and they told me that the CFI certs were a bonus, but not a requirement. They told me you didn't even need a IGI or AGI to work there, although I thought that one of them would be required.
 
Is it a true that if you have a CFII, you can teach just instrument training and procedures in any full flight or fix base sim without a type rating?
 
Check out the 142 regs in the FARs.

But I say again, FSI will want you to be typed if teaching in the simulator requiring a type.
 
Check out the 142 regs in the FARs.

But I say again, FSI will want you to be typed if teaching in the simulator requiring a type.
Not sure about FSI, but Bombardier has instructors who have never even preflighted the airplane. Maybe that gives you a clue to the extra $5-10k for a course...
 
A CFI isn't a requirement of Part 142 and FSI doesn't require it...... it is a preferred qualification but not a requirement. This is just a guess but I'm going to say that probably 75% of the instructors at our center DON'T have a CFI.

A type rating is required to instruct in the sim under Part 142 if the aircraft requires a type rating but it is not a hiring requirement to already be typed in the airplane -- we'll put you thru the type rating if you need it. As a matter of fact, in some cases, even if you are already typed you must attend a whole initial. If you come to an interview and you are already typed in the airplane then it's a bonus for you and would give you a leg up over another candidate but it's not a requirement to get hired.

Some FSI centers require you to have a type rating of any kind or the required time to be able to do the full type ride in the sim. If you don't, we have to rent a jet for you fly for the airplane portion of the check and most center managers aren't willing to do that.
 
So what is the typical experience profile FSI require for a new hirer?
And what are the chances of freelance or part time work?
 
I remember the mins being listed at 2000tt last I checked, but its all on a case by case basis. Depends on the demand.
 
So what is the typical experience profile FSI require for a new hirer?

Varies wildy.... depends on the market - right now we could draw 10,000 hour guys with 5,000 time in type if we were hiring. Two years ago, we couldn't get resumes in the door so the experience level was pretty low. ATP mins are the lowest you'll see with the possible exception of the prop guys that do alot of training in the actual airplane.


And what are the chances of freelance or part time work?

Zero right now since we have so many guys furloughed. There are still a few part-timers getting some work around the system but it's the part-timers that have been around for years and they aren't getting near the amount of work they have done in the past. We just don't have enough training demand right now to need part-timers but we do use part-time guys when the demand justifies it.
 
Check places like Wichita and Dothan that train in the airplanes alot (King Air, Cessna's etc.)

They will generally take lower time guys but its a crap shoot at this stage in the game.

Can never hurt to try.
 
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