Pilot Instructor Responsibilities

If you are aspiring to become a pilot instructor, you must have passion for flying and should have good teaching and instructing skills. If you have these qualities in you, handling the pilot instructor responsibilities will definitely be much easier. To become a pilot instructor, you should possess a professional flying certification along with some previous flying experience. Here are some guidelines that will provide you with the relevant details on how to become an instructor pilot, what are the responsibilities that need to be carried out, the educational qualifications, skills, salary details, work schedule, etc.

Key Responsibilities of a Pilot Instructor

The pilot instructor is responsible for evaluating the ability of the student pilots, supervising them, and preparing them for practical tests and recommending them to the higher authority. He/she assists in determining if any student needs additional training and provides them with much needed guidance; in case, if there are any issues, he/she resolves them and helps them to become successful pilots. This professional should be able to make the learning more enjoyable and motivate the students to explore and experiment new things and provide them with the best possible professional training. To better understand these responsibilities, mentioned below are a few points that will throw light on what exactly are the core responsibilities that need to be handled by a pilot trainer:

1. To give proper professional training by adhering to the outlined academic procedures by making efficient use of visual and practical aids
2. To serve as a subject matter expertise, to develop an academic instructor course and provide computer based training by analyzing and determining the training requirements of the students
3. To conduct the training by taking into account the varying skills of a diverse range of student population and to develop the training curriculum according to it, so that they will be able to understand the relevant subject in a better way
4. To evaluate the students' performance during flights and to ensure that they are following all the professional training procedures set forth and that they have had a good flying experience
5. To make sure that the all the students are well acquainted with the pre and post flight briefings
6. By the end of the training session, the students must have a thorough understanding of various flight policies, rules, regulations, and standards that need to be followed during the flight and must follow all the safety regulations

The pilot instructor should ensure that his/her students have good knowledge of the aircraft system, its limitations, capabilities and any other relevant aircraft procedures. He/she should continuously monitor and keep a track of the students' performance and provide them with a constructive feedback by explaining them the errors that have occurred and guiding them with the corrective measures that need to be taken. He/she should supervise the students and demonstrate all the fundamental maneuvers, change in winds, congested traffic patterns, etc. He/she is solely responsible for ensuring that the student has met all the required skill areas, has the best knowledge and ensures that he/she has met all the required regulations. He/she is responsible for any additional training and endorsements if there is a need. He/she guides the students on the care and precautions that need to be taken during night flying and how to handle the emergency situations and what safety precautions need to be taken. He/she is responsible for keeping the records of endorsements and encourages them to excel as pilots.

Essential Skills

Any individual can easily become a pilot instructor if he/she is professional, is interested in teaching and has good knowledge of the relevant field. He/she should be able to present himself/herself as a role model by following all the rules and regulations and abiding by the safety standards. He/she should be able to minimize the frustration of the students and provide them with the necessary assistance to resolve their problems. He/she should be alert, thoughtful, and calm with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. He/she should be able to criticize the students for the right things and motivate them to excel in their career.

Educational Background

To be a pilot instructor, you should have certification from Federal Aviation Administration along with some additional license or training. An individual should have completed a bachelor's degree, as it is the most basic educational criteria to be eligible to make an entry as an pilot instructor.

Salary Details

The minimum salary that is offered for instructor pilots who have just completed their education is in the range between $60,000 to $66,000. However, experienced pilot instructors can get a salary close in the range of $135,000 to 140,000.

Work Schedule

The pilot instructor may have a flexible work schedule, as his/her timing will depend on the timing of the training session. He/she normally does not work beyond thirty five to forty hours per week, but may sometimes need to extend his/her duty hours if he/she needs to conduct additional training sessions.

Career Prospects

There is tremendous scope for growth and development in the aviation industry. If you have the right combination of skills, academic background, and experience, there is no stopping for you to get promoted to higher positions.

Thus, an individual should demonstrate complete professionalism while carrying out his/her instructor pilot responsibilities, thereby helping the students to achieve their dream jobs.