Sim instructor

[145Captain]

Dumb question

So to be a sim instructor what does somebody like me, who has expired CFI, CFII, and CFIME certificates, have to do in order to legally teach in a full motion sim?

 

[jimpilot]

Don't need a CFI to be a sim IP. All you need is an ATP and type in the jet you're instructing in. All other training requirements are conducted by the company. In fact as a by product of the required training/testing you will be able to renew you CFI.

You have to love it, but if you do you'll make about the same as you would on the line, be home every night and know when your days off are for the whole year.

T-1 guy, did you work there? Why did you leave?

 

[T-1GUY]

I currently work there. I have always wanted to fly for the majors, but, I keep asking myself why. Currently what I am doing seems to fit. Several of my co-workers are furloughed from major airlines. These are people who are able to give me the straight poop on airline life and how poor it has been for them in the last few years. I try not to bite off on the "Grass is always greener".

I have been lucky enough to establish some good contract flying (All a result of working at Simuflite) and it just seems to work. My typical flying day is an Out and Back with a show to the airplane about 45 minutes prior to Takeoff.

I do worry about "camping out" at Simuflite and what it is doing for my "career".
I see people leave to go to a fractional for half the pay and twice the work day and thats fine for some, but, at this point in my career, I just don't think its worth it.

 

[jimpilot]

Is there any possibility of advancement there? Or are you stuck in the same sim forever. By advancement I don't mean new sim, but into management.

 

[AnimalMother]

Is it true that typically most higher-time guys that lose their medicals generally end up becoming sim instructors?

Also, what kind of training or requirements would FligthSafety or SimuFlite have to hire you as an instructor?

Alot of those guys that have gone off the end of the runway also qualify for siminstructor positions. Especially at Simuflight. Cheers!!!

 

[CorpLearDriver]

Is it true that typically most higher-time guys that lose their medicals generally end up becoming sim instructors?

Also, what kind of training or requirements would FligthSafety or SimuFlite have to hire you as an instructor?

If you have extensive background in a particular type, are generally good at teaching and get along well with people, then you'll find it is easier to get a postion with FSI. I started at FSI in 2000 and was laid off in 2002 because of the slump in the whole industry. Things were slowing down before 9/11 and the attacks just pushed it over the edge. FSI had never laid anyone off up to that point that I know of.

I liked working there. I was typed in a new airplane. I also know some instructors that had little time in type but were exceptional teachers. I was surrounded by a lot of ex-military types who came from a vastly different world than I and leared a great deal from just being in that enviornment. Pay depended on and was comparable or mostly comparable to a line pilot flying that equipment and time on the job.

Allas, even though I was laid off, I was feeling the bug to move on and get back into flying the real thing. I loved my experience there and would do it again on a part time basis if I were in a position to do so. It isn't for everyone, that's for sure.

 

[jimpilot]

Whoops

Alot of those guys that have gone off the end of the runway also qualify for siminstructor positions. Especially at Simuflight. Cheers!!!

I'm being told that the FAA will never qualify you as a sim IP/examineer if you've had an accident. So I guess the above is questionable.

 

[Bill Mostellar]

Alot of those guys that have gone off the end of the runway also qualify for siminstructor positions. Especially at Simuflight. Cheers!!!

Please quote your source for this.

 

[jimpilot]

I currently work there. I have always wanted to fly for the majors, but, I keep asking myself why. Currently what I am doing seems to fit. Several of my co-workers are furloughed from major airlines. These are people who are able to give me the straight poop on airline life and how poor it has been for them in the last few years. I try not to bite off on the "Grass is always greener".

I have been lucky enough to establish some good contract flying (All a result of working at Simuflite) and it just seems to work. My typical flying day is an Out and Back with a show to the airplane about 45 minutes prior to Takeoff.

I do worry about "camping out" at Simuflite and what it is doing for my "career".
I see people leave to go to a fractional for half the pay and twice the work day and thats fine for some, but, at this point in my career, I just don't think its worth it.

Does the schedule allow you to fly like that? I'm told the days off are pretty solid, is that true?

 

[T-1GUY]

Your schedule is known for one year out. You have hard days off. My schedule right now is six on, two off. Simuflite also closes down over the Christmas Holiday. They charge you three vacation days, but, in return you get approximately nine to ten days off over Christmas. There are alot of other ways to "work" your schedule, but, I am not going to go into that....