Certified flight instructor training.

certified flight instructor training

Whether you are a student pilot or a private pilot, you might be confused a great deal about certified flight instructor training.

I am here to answer the most common questions around CFI training, and pilots willing to become CFI in the future will get a clear understanding of the training process.

In this post, I explained:

  • What is certified flight instructor training?
  • Where can you do CFI training?;
  • How much is the cost of certified flight instructor training?;
  • What are the requirements to become a CFI?
  • Why do many pilots choose certified flight instructor training in their career path?

Most advanced pilots already know all the details. However, aspiring pilots require clarification before spending their money on a new license.

What is certified flight instructor training?

Trainee pilots always learn to fly from the left seat of the airplane. The flight instructor teaches a student from the right seat inside the cockpit. When you intend to become a CFI, you need to practice instructing student pilots from the aircraft’s right side.

Certified flight instructor training prepares pilots to become flight instructors. Therefore the certified flight instructor training emphasizes teaching aeronautical knowledge to student pilots and operating the aircraft from the right side.

Typically, pilots acquire a certified flight instructor license to build hours while teaching students. Likewise, it is a known fact that teaching is an excellent way to learn and memorize information.

A flight instructor gradually develops and improves aeronautical knowledge by regularly articulating information to student pilots.

Acquiring a CFI license is not as easy as it sounds, but your outcome will be rewarding after obtaining your CFI license.

Where can you do CFI training?

Almost all flight schools have CFI training available. So you can contact the flight school near you and ask them if they have flight instructor training available or not.

However, before you enroll in a flight school, research thoroughly and determine the quality of the education in that flight school.

If you do your flight in a shady institute, then you will likely be a shady flight instructor in the future. No one wants to fly with a flight instructor with poor instruction skills.

Pilots often enroll in flight schools for certified flight instructor training, from where they get their private pilot and commercial pilot licenses.

Also, inquire that you can work in the flight school as a flight instructor after getting your rating.

If this is the case, you don’t have to look for a CFI job elsewhere. Instead, you start working in the same flight school immediately and build hours teaching other student pilots.

If a flight school is well-known and has many students, there is likely an opportunity to build hours quickly.

How much is the cost of certified flight instructor training?

The cost of certified flight instructor training depends on the flight school and Civil Aviation Authority of the respective country.

I said flight school because different flight school has different airplane rental rates. Likewise, the cost of hiring a flight instructor varies from school to school.

Nevertheless, different flight schools may give you different rates; however, the difference won’t be huge.

I mentioned the cost is variable due to Civil Aviation regulation because the civil aviation regulation in countries like the Philippines requires pilots to fly at least 35 hours to obtain the rating. On the contrary, FAA requires pilots to have 50 hours of training to become certified flight instructors.

Now all these costs come after you complete your commercial pilot training. Many may get confused, thinking only 50 hours of training is adequate to become a flight instructor. The truth is a pilot has to fly around 200 hours to get a commercial pilot license and to be eligible for certified flight instructor training.

Thus, it is costly to become a flight instructor. If someone wants to become a flight instructor for a career change, I don’t recommend doing so. It is a career path for those who want to build hours quickly and inexpensively to move forward in their aviation career. Being a flight instructor is a stepping stone to becoming an airline pilot in the future.

What are the requirements to become a CFI?

To become a CFI, individuals must have a commercial pilot license with an instrument rating. Without a valid commercial pilot license and an instrument rating, a pilot is not eligible for CFI training.

A flight instructor trains students to become a pilot, and therefore flight instructors must have adequate experience to build safe, competent pilots for the future.

You may have 200 flying hours as a private pilot, but you don’t have an instrument rating, and you were lazy to get your commercial pilot license. You cannot apply for a CFI rating.

Why do many pilots choose certified flight instructor training in their career path?

Anyone who has been in the aviation industry for some time may know by now that becoming a flight instructor is an excellent way to build hours.

Most airlines in the United States and other parts of the world require pilots to have at least 500~1500 flying hours before accepting their job applications.

Building 1500 hours is expensive, and most intelligent pilots are unwilling to spend much money. So a great alternative to building these hours is by becoming a flight instructor.

Being a flight instructor is like hitting two birds with one stone. You can build hours slowly while the student pilot pays for the aircraft rental. Similarly, you get paid to become a flight instructor. So, instead of paying to build hours, you get paid and make hours simultaneously.

Another essential part of becoming an airline pilot is knowledge. As a certified flight instructor, you can gain a lot more understanding. As a flight instructor, you must be ready to answer any questions from your student pilots. Thus it would help if you were prepared by studying at home. If you fail to answer your student pilot’s question as a flight instructor, you will embarrass yourself. Thus certified flight instructors must check aeronautical subjects thoroughly to become better flight instructors.

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