The United States, and the world overall, has a shortage of pilots at an alarming rate. Many experienced pilots have taken an early retirement and now is the time for upcoming pilots to take the bull by the horns. The profession lures most people because of the quality of work life. Therefore, if the times are such at that more youth are considering becoming a pilot, the more will the demand be for certified flights trainers to come up.
Requirements
Here are some of the pre-requisite requirements you must have to become a certified flight instructor:
- To become a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), you must make sure that you have a good understanding and knack for aerodynamics before you take up pilot training courses. A good grasp of Aerodynamics is a must for a professional pilot. These principles can help pilots understand what affects aircraft performance and how to fly a plane.
- You must have a current and valid FAA 3rd Class Medical Certificate and a Commercial Pilot with an Instrument rating or Airline Transport Pilot Certificate for Airplane Single-Engine Land.
- You must have a CFI rating to train prospective pilots. A CFI training course will provide you with the administrative skills you require regulating ground training and the technical flight training skills, enabling you to provide well-rounded instruction to your students.
Reasons To Consider
If you enjoy flying regularly, here are your reasons for becoming a CFI:
- Work as a teacher – If you enjoy impart knowledge and want to experience the thrill of the students “getting” a complicated topic after you have explained it to them, a flight trainer allows you that opportunity. Once a student becomes successful, the pride you feel as a teacher for the student’s strong conceptual knowledge is unmatched. You have the choice to work independently as a flight trainer. You can either have a custom-designed flight program of your own or you can work for an educational firm.
- Salary – In the past, there were limitations in the salary of a full-time flight instructors. However, given the shortage of pilots and flight instructors at present, the demand, pay, and perks for flight instructors are being raised. Not only do you get to fly as a flight instructor, but you also get paid well for flying. If you are good at your job and if you charge right, you can make a good living as a full-time instructor.
- Challenging – The job of a flight instructor is one of the most difficult ones in the aviation domain. If you are joining the aviation industry looking out for a challenging role, this is one job where you will continually have to be on your toes and never get bored.
- Respect – By saying that you are a flight instructor, you will claim a lot of respect. People are curious about how flight trainings are like. So expect plentiful questions.
- Meeting People – You will get to meet different people all around the world from various walks of life. You will play an instrumental part in having them realize their dreams and thus become an inspiration who influences the aviation career of the future pilots.
Conclusion
Any job that provides a learning experience attracts a person who has a hunger for knowledge. As a CFI, you get to learn administrative skills and technical aspects. Therefore, if you are a former pilot who does not know when can you get to take controls of the engine again; or if you have what it takes to become a successful CFI, this is one of the best career options to go for.
