Flight Instructor

What do flight instructors do?
 

Flight instructors train pilots for various aircrafts and helicopters in all aspects of practice and theory. Besides teaching, a flight instructor's tasks also include maintaining the training aircrafts.

 

Which requirements do flight instructors need to fulfill?

 
Training for flight instructors is uniformly regulated by law in Europe. The basic requirement for flight instructor training is a valid pilot's license. With further experience you can obtain training permission for the corresponding license category. Further requirements are:

•    Medical fitness
•    Background check by the Federal Aviation Authority.
•    Fluent German and English
•    Valid aeronautical radio certificate
•    Police clearance certificate
•    Check of records in the Central Traffic Register
•    Trained in First Aid

The license for flight instructors is temporary and needs to be renewed regularly with the relevant trainings.

 

How can I become a flight instructor?

 

The training for pilots to become flight instructors takes place in full-time courses and takes three to five months in total. The course content includes pedagogical skills, teaching documentation, as well as the legal and technical aspects of air traffic. Pilot instructor training is concluded with a theoretical and practical examination.

Flight instructor training is not remunerated. Prospective instructors need to bear the costs for training, course materials and examinations themselves.

 

What can flight instructors expect in professional life?

 

Flight instructors are active in the field of adult education. They train prospective pilots in theory and practice for various aircrafts and helicopter types. Usually, flight instructors work at commercial flight schools. However, the army also employs flight instructors.

 

Flight instructing is a very diverse occupation. Besides the practical know-how of flying an aircraft or helicopter, flight instructors need to constantly keep up-to-date on the latest developments in technology, navigation, meteorology and aviation laws. Their didactic, pedagogical and methodical skills enable them to pass on their knowledge to future pilots. A good sense and judgement for people is necessary to recognize the physical and psychological boundaries of prospective pilots.  

 

Proportionate to the strenuous training and high level of job responsibility, earning prospects for helicopter pilots are great. The salary varies from employer to employer, however they are generally comparable with the salaries of commercial- and air transport pilots.