Let’s take an in-depth look at the role of flight instructors and the inherent rewards of being a professional flight instructor in aviation.
Becoming a pilot is a gift that keeps on giving. Once a pilot achieves a high level of skill and experience, they have the option to become a flight instructor and teach the next generation of pilots to be the very best.
In order to become a flight instructor, you must have a track record of successful flights and a lot of experience. This is why only the very best pilots become capable flight instructors and many flight schools actively search for highly experienced flight instructors to teach at their school.
Being a flight instructor is not an easy task as it comes with a lot of responsibilities, but of course, there are tons of rewards and benefits of being a flight instructor too.
Let’s take an in-depth look at the role of flight instructors and the inherent rewards of being a professional flight instructor in aviation.
A History of Flight Instructors
Aviation is a relatively new industry that spawned after a series of successful flights around the 1900s – and being a pilot was seen as a highly complex job that only a handful of people could do.
Of course, if aviation had any chance of being mainstream, this had to change! This is why many private investors (and pilots) started to invest in dedicated flight schools to teach people about aviation. In the initial stages, instructors started with theoretical concepts to teach the principles of flight. Once a candidate’s theoretical knowledge was developed, they would then move on to practical concepts.
Earlier aircraft designs were primarily based on light aircraft. Light aircraft is any aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of around 3600 kg. These aircraft are built using lightweight materials with some of them even using fabric on their wings.
The quintessential light aircraft is called a fixed-wing aircraft. As the name implies, these aircraft have a rigid and fixed-wing system that does not flex in the air. These aircraft have set the standard for much larger aircraft too! They are the ideal choice for many flight instructors because of their versatility, reliability, and flight capabilities.
For example, the superior 3-axis control system on fixed-wing aircraft and their aerodynamic body allow them to be used for teaching complex and emergency manoeuvres that would be very difficult to imitate in any other type of aircraft. Fixed wings are also highly customisable, with some being modified to be used for professional use, such as crop dusting, and others even for sports like air racing!
A fixed-wing is an instructor's best friend and the best way to teach candidates about the basics and complexities of aviation.
On the other hand, there is another equally, if not more, famous type of light aircraft called the flex-wing. Flex-wing aircraft have one of the most iconic airplane designs in history and have been around in some form or other even before the age of aviation. They are regarded as one of the most important inventions of the 20th century and it is using this design that the Wright brothers were able to fly their first flight-capable aircraft affectionately called, Kitty Hawk.
The benefit of flying flex-wing aircraft is that these aircraft offer a unique flying experience. These aircraft usually don’t have an enclosed fuselage which means that the pilot and passenger are exposed to the outside world. This excellent view and the plane’s ability to fly long distances make flex-wings one of the best types of light aircraft to explore surroundings.
Flex-wings are similarly important for instructors because most people who don’t want to pursue a Commercial Pilot License will end up flying a light aircraft using a Private Pilot License.
Flex-wings play a huge role in aviation because they act as the bridge between aviation and the everyday Joe. For example, imagine you watch a movie about planes and jets and decide that you too want to be a pilot. Well, the road to becoming a pilot isn’t easy since it requires a considerable amount of training (and money) to achieve a license. However, there is a quicker way to get inside a cockpit – and this is exactly where light aircraft come in.
Light aircraft, particularly flex-wings offer a quick and easy way for people to enter into the world of aviation. Many flight schools offer experience flights that allow people to fly light aircraft with an instructor. If you were to take a survey regarding the sentiments of people after taking an experience flight, then you will find that the majority would be convinced on trying their hand at obtaining a license.
This is why light aircraft are not only crucial for teaching purposes, but they also play a huge role in marketing aviation to the general public too – and flight instructors are specifically tasked to not just teach, but to also inspire and motivate people to achieve their aviation-related ambitions.
Roles of a Flight Instructor
Flight instructors wear many hats. They juggle from managerial tasks to teaching tasks and may even fulfil the role of role models. Here are all the important roles of flight instructors:
Inspiring the Next Generation
Ask a pilot about how they got into aviation and chances are that they will list a few key people in aviation that inspired them to take on aviation as a career or profession. This is one of the biggest, albeit implicit, roles of flight instructors.
Most flight instructors are implicitly tasked with inspiring and mentoring people so that they can begin their journey in aviation – and the wonderful thing is that experienced flight instructors don’t have to actively do anything to fulfil this role. Simply being a flight instructor and having the required knowledge to teach aviation is usually enough for most people to become inspired.
Flight instructors conduct themselves in a certain way and are usually held to a high standard. Their demeanour is well-known, and they are automatically respected wherever they go. Inspiring the next generation to take on aviation is extremely important, and it is a task that most capable flight instructors automatically excel at!
Offering Experience
Flight instructors don’t just teach, they also impart their vast experience which is far more important. Teaching bookish terms can only take pilots so far, which is why most capable flight instructors rely on experienced-based teaching to provide their students with a comprehensive understanding of aviation.
For example, experienced pilots usually know how to avoid or get out of emergencies when in the air. Teaching valuable insights about how to deal with such situations is considered to be gold for pilots and can significantly help in reducing risk in the future.
Assess and Evaluate
This is more of an administrative role, but it is extremely important for all flight instructors. When flight instructors take on a class of students, they are tasked with assessing and evaluating the progress of every student so that they can determine the best way to train them.
Flight instructors conduct check flights with students where they are tested in real-world scenarios. Flight instructors must also provide relevant feedback as well as recommendations to students so that they can improve their skills.
Being Role Models
Flight instructors are role models whether they are on or off duty. Since being a pilot is a revered profession, flight instructors are also seen as role models for everyday folks. This is an extremely important aspect of being a flight instructor because you get to market the aviation industry in a way that brings in more people.
In fact, flight schools often rely on the interpersonal skills of flight instructors to ignite the passion for aviation in young people. This is in and of itself a huge reward because flight instructors get to be the face of aviation and the bridge between flight schools and the general public.
Becoming a Flight Instructor – And Its Rewards
Here is a summary of how you can become a flight instructor and some of the rewards associated with the title:
Becoming Competent
The first step in becoming a flight instructor is to become a competent pilot. Most pilots with an outstanding record and an intuition for flight go on to become highly successful flight instructors that teach the next generation of pilots. All to-be flight instructors are required to hold a valid commercial license.
While we are focusing on flight instructors for light aircraft, it is important to note that the majority of flight instructors are typically also professional pilots that pursue aviation as more than just a hobby. Flight instructors are expected to have the required number of flight hours which can go up to 500 hours depending on the flight school and its requirements for instructors.
Acquiring a Valid Certificate
Once you have the prerequisites for becoming a flight instructor, you will have to apply for a valid Flight Instructor Certificate (FIC). Using this certificate, you will be able to teach the next-gen pilots and conduct all of the roles that we have discussed above.
To obtain this license, candidates are required to pass a series of theoretical and practical tests. Only the most successful candidates get to obtain a flight instructor license – and the difficulty of obtaining the license is exactly why it is such a big reward as well.
Flight instructors can enrol in training programmes that can help them in achieving their goals. That’s right, experienced pilots have to continue their training if they want to become flight instructors!
Getting a Flight Instructor Certificate is seen as a huge personal achievement because the Civil Aviation Authority has a lengthy screening process, and you also have to independently prove your skills to a training organisation as well!
Pick a Flight School
If you are a highly capable flight instructor, then chances are that you will be hired as soon as you get your FIC. Flight instructors can choose where they want to teach, and this type of freedom and independence is another reward of this profession!
Once associated with a training organisation, flight instructors can work with the school to come up with a customised curriculum that is geared toward developing the skills required to become effective pilots. As long as the curriculum is approved and is in line with the guidelines set by the Civil Aviation Authority, flight instructors can teach in the way they want to.
Since the goal of flight instructors is to prepare the next generation of pilots, they have some liberty over how to train the students and how to evaluate them for better results.
Gaining Experience and Networking
As mentioned above, flight instructors are also students that continually learn through their journey. Even highly experienced pilots would agree that they don’t know what they don’t know. In other words, there are so many things to explore and learn in aviation that one can’t simply be a master.
However, what you can do is become highly competent by amassing experience. Once you have enough experience, you will become adaptive. This way, even if there is a regulatory change in aviation, flight instructors can quickly adapt to it and teach their students in the most effective way possible.
Besides teaching, flight instructors also focus a lot on networking. Teaching isn’t done in silos which is why the flight instructors must connect with other instructors so that they can exchange notes and learn how to become even more effective instructors.
This profession is unique because it will allow you to meet and connect with a diverse range of individuals – and who knows, someday these students will progress and become teachers for the next generation too.
WHY CHOOSE SHERBURN AERO CLUB
Sherburn Aero Club, which has been operational since 1964, is the ideal place for most of your training and flying needs. It is one of the largest flying clubs in the North of England and also one of the largest in the country.
For those who wish to experience the thrill of a flight for fun or to help fuel their aviation dreams, Sherburn offers experience flights for the newbie, as well as the veteran in various types of light aircraft.
The flight experience option is also available for people who wish to take to the skies for special occasions, even if they aren’t into aviation in the long run.
If you wish to begin your career in aviation or wish to take to the skies as a hobby, Sherburn’s flight training school offers private and commercial licences, along with pilot medicals to ensure a smooth journey going forward.
With a large fleet of new aircraft and an airfield refurbishment with new runways, hangars, and an extended clubhouse, we cater to brand-new flyers who have just started their journey to the skies, as well as seasoned flyers who have been operating aircraft for decades.
Sherburn offers a dedicated day-long Flight Radiotelephony Operator’s Licence (FRTOL) course for those wishing to get the certification, running the first Sunday of every month.
In addition to that, if you are looking for a hangarage for your own aircraft, need servicing or repairs, want to buy a new aircraft or aviation equipment, or are just looking to enjoy and watch the aircraft, Sherburn Aero Club is the place to be.
Call us at 01977 682 674, email us at flightdesk@sherburnaeroclub.com, or message us via our online contact form for more information on light aircraft, training requirements, licencing procedures, and how to become a certified flight instructor!
Photo by Nancy Hughes on Unsplash
