Type ratings, teaching them

n57flyguy

n57flyguy

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have any information or any knowledge about teaching people in simulators for type ratings and recurrent training? I think it would be a cool thing to do, but Im not sure what the qualifications would be. I would imagine you need alot of experience to do this, but was wondering if anyone knew anything about it. Thanks.
 
The Flightsafety instructors that I have worked with all have lots of flight time and operational experience in various aspects of aviation (Former military, charter/corporate, airline, some or all of the above). Some of them don't have a lot of time in the specific type, but they all know the systems and the sim extremely well.
 
Looking4Lower said:
The Flightsafety instructors that I have worked with all have lots of flight time and operational experience in various aspects of aviation (Former military, charter/corporate, airline, some or all of the above). Some of them don't have a lot of time in the specific type, but they all know the systems and the sim extremely well.
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Same in my experience, although I know some who started teaching in the single engine program and worked their way up to turbine programs.
 
Oh, thanks guys. I think that would be an awsome job (I guess the job title is "check pilot"?) I know a guy who does it, but I don't talk to him much. Giving type ratings would be a very rewarding job IMO and you could meet the greatest people. I think Id like to do that some day....

Does anyone know about pay? (not that it matters all the time)
 
n57flyguy said:
Oh, thanks guys. I think that would be an awsome job (I guess the job title is "check pilot"?) I know a guy who does it, but I don't talk to him much. Giving type ratings would be a very rewarding job IMO and you could meet the greatest people. I think Id like to do that some day....

Does anyone know about pay? (not that it matters all the time)
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I've heard from a few sources that the Flight Safety instructors get paid comparable to pilots of the real aircraft. For instance, G200 instructors at Flight Safety DFW start out around 60-70k if my memory serves correct.
 
RynoB said:
I've heard from a few sources that the Flight Safety instructors get paid comparable to pilots of the real aircraft. For instance, G200 instructors at Flight Safety DFW start out around 60-70k if my memory serves correct.
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Cool, the guy I know teachs on the GIV/GV, again I havnt asked him yet because I don't talk to him much. Again, I think it would be an awsome career. When you said starting from the single engine program, what do you mean? Thanks.
 
n57flyguy said:
Cool, the guy I know teachs on the GIV/GV, again I havnt asked him yet because I don't talk to him much. Again, I think it would be an awsome career. When you said starting from the single engine program, what do you mean? Thanks.
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In Wichita and San Antonio they have Flight Training Devices for aircraft like the Cessna 210. I think they hire some fairly low time instructors for those positions. They also have FTDs or Simulators for Beech Barons and twin Cessnas. It might be a good place to start for those instructors without turbine time.
 
RynoB said:
In Wichita and San Antonio they have Flight Training Devices for aircraft like the Cessna 210. I think they hire some fairly low time instructors for those positions. They also have FTDs or Simulators for Beech Barons and twin Cessnas. It might be a good place to start for those instructors without turbine time.
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I think the official mins for the pistons is just an MEI. the starting pay (even for the pistons) is alot higher than most instructing jobs. probably the biggest downside is you don't get to fly much, if you can live with that or you like instructing you'll probably enjoy it.
 
I am not sure if that job is all it is all that and a bag of chips.
  1. Long hours
  2. Do the same thing day in and day out
  3. A ton of responsibility
  4. Fly the sim just enough to pass your checkride
  5. You are a sim instructor or TCE not a check airman.
It would be a descent job for guy who lost his medical or was over 60.
 
Bandit_Driver said:
It would be a descent job for guy who lost his medical or was over 60.
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Or for a guy who likes aviation but doesn't care for living out of a suitcase. :) By the way, I just made Senior Member. Does that mean I get all the good discounts. :sarcasm:
 
Bandit_Driver said:
I am not sure if that job is all it is all that and a bag of chips.
  1. Long hours
  2. Do the same thing day in and day out
  3. A ton of responsibility
  4. Fly the sim just enough to pass your checkride
  5. You are a sim instructor or TCE not a check airman.
It would be a descent job for guy who lost his medical or was over 60.
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1. Long Hours??? My day is never longer than 6 hours...maybe 8 hours if I'm teaching ground school. I have yet to work more than 16 days in a month. Lately it's been more like 12-13. In the month of Apr I think I put in a total of 72 working hours. May will be less than that because of the holiday. It's not uncommon for me to have 4 to 7 days off at a time.

2. Yes doing the same thing day after day does get old.

3. Not sure what you mean by this...I guess it's a little more responsibility than being a GA instructor but not much. Guess it depends on how you look at it but it's definatley not 'burdensome'

4. The bad part of the job is you don't get to fly the real airplane. We can fly the sim as much as we want however most of us don't - we come to work then leave and enjoy our lives at home.

5. That's correct....check airman is more of an airline term. TCE (Training Center Evaluator) is how the FAA refers to people that give checkrides at training centers such as Flight Safety or Simuflite.

It's a great job. Not that it doesn't have it's downsides(every job does) but it's by FAR the best aviation job I've ever had(and I've had 1 flight instructing job, 1 charter, 1 corporate, and 3 airline jobs). Flight Safety starts out at $60K for the lght jets and has a tiered pay scale up from there. The people are great, I come to work and everyone is happy and smiling and not pissed off about concessions or what section of the cba management just voilated, etc. etc..

It's a great job - if you want to know more just ask!

Jason
 
Jason said:
I come to work and everyone is happy and smiling and not pissed off about concessions or what section of the cba management just voilated, etc. etc..
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I've always noticed that all the Flighsafety instructors in my program seem happy and enthusiastic about what they do, and VERY customer-service oriented. If they don't like the job, they're hiding those feelings pretty well.

Depending on the training center, some Instructors probably pick up regular contract flying on the side since I hear about that on a regular basis at the center I normally use.
 
Looking4Lower said:
I've always noticed that all the Flighsafety instructors in my program seem happy and enthusiastic about what they do, and VERY customer-service oriented. If they don't like the job, they're hiding those feelings pretty well.
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Well of course there are exceptions to the rule and everyone has a bad day here and there but yes, overall we genuinely enjoy what we do and are very happy with the company. When the founder of FSI was still at the helm the company was 100% "profit oriented" so the employees didn't necessarily rank very high on the list....over the past 8 years or so FSI has gone thru a major 'make over' and while the company is still very much about making money, the new guard has placed a very high importance on employee happiness which has resulted in an exceptional work enviornment. When I first came here after being at a regional I simply couldn't believe how well employees are treated. You could pay me twice what I make now and I wouldn't go back to Pinnacle! It used to be a job for retired guys and guys that lost their medical but that isn't the case anymore...the instructor corps is getting younger and younger. At my center (one of the larger ones) I think I'm probably the youngest at 30 and I would say the average age is maybe 42 or so.


Depending on the training center, some Instructors probably pick up regular contract flying on the side since I hear about that on a regular basis at the center I normally use.
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It does vary by center. We do very little flying but I'm at a somewhat unique center that caters primarily to one customer. There are alot of rules regarding contract flying due to possible legal liabilities on FSI's part so it's kind of a 'don't ask don't tell' operation unless the contract flying is arranged by FSI.
 
I know that the guys in San Antonio go on frequent trips with customers. Especially when the customers are headed for Europe in a single pilot aircraft and want an extra brain in the cockpit.
 
RynoB said:
I know that the guys in San Antonio go on frequent trips with customers. Especially when the customers are headed for Europe in a single pilot aircraft and want an extra brain in the cockpit.
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Yeah I think the guys in ICT do a fair amount of 'customer support' flying as well. They have alot of owner operators coming thru on the smaller planes that want (or are required by insurance) to have somebody with them for the first 25 hours or whatever it may be.
 
Thanks Jason!!!

The attitude at these places seems very good (ive been at Flight Safety in ILG) Everyone is joking around, very casual, and cool. When I got out of a sim a guy asked me " your first time in that thing?" I said yeah. "well youll be disappointed when you get in a Piper!!!" I love that line. Anyway, sounds like a good job if you have/are starting a family. Pay seams Decent, I dont think I would be complaning too much if I worked as a sim instructor.

***Like your avatar Ryno***
 
Look into simuflite's right seat program. The use "less experienced" pilots to fill the right seat when someone is taking a ride or re current alone. Great way to get your foot in the door. Some even earn a "free" type in the aircraft they are right seating for.
 
DA-2000guy said:
Look into simuflite's right seat program. The use "less experienced" pilots to fill the right seat when someone is taking a ride or re current alone. Great way to get your foot in the door. Some even earn a "free" type in the aircraft they are right seating for.
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Yeah, I think it would be a good job. I have a connection to a Sim instructor at FSI, so later in life I think I could make it happen if I want to, but right now I'm young and have a lot of options ahead of me. Thanks for your suggestion.
 
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