RA-Aus Instructor Rating

[alexbrown2005]

I recently obtained my RA-Aus Pilot Certificate after a bit of a runaround, and I have ambitions of gaining my Nav endo and CASA PPL over the uni holidays in July.

 

The other day, at work, I stumbled upon the idea of getting an RA-Aus Instructor Rating in order to further my own knowledge of aviation, as well as pass on my passion (and, believe me, when I'm not at uni or work, I'm dreaming of being in the air) to other students, while also going for my CPL next year. The way I see it, if I have instructor hours of any type in my logbook, that can only be beneficial. It's important for me to mention that I'm NOT doing it simply for the hour building (namely because I've been reading and RA-Aus instructors don't fly that many hours).

 

I realise one has to have 100 hours command of RA-Aus aircraft, but what if I upgrade to a PPL and CPL over time? Does the number of command hours required increase, and if so, how many hours would I have to do in RA and how many hours in GA?

 

Cheers.

 

 

[barramundi]

sounds like some good goals you have set yourself... I wish you all the best.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Don't forget the more certificates and qualifications you have, the more testing you are required to undergo to maintain your qualifications.

 

 

[Jay_1984]

Hey,

 

All the info you need for an instructor rating is in the ops manual (Section 2.08-1), check it out on the RA-Aus website (Link is below).

 

The PIC hours reduce if you hold a PPL or higher.

 

https://www.raa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Operations-Manual-Issue-71.pdf

 

One thing to think about is where you want to head with your training. There is a lot of work and time required to get the rating and then you'd have to find the work.

 

I've looked into doing the rating myself while on the route to finishing my CPL, and I've had quotes of a few thousand to complete. Decided that the money could be better spent going towards CPL hour building. Plus, as some of the other guys have posted elsewhere in the forums, a good instructor is one who also has the experience behind them to reinforce the skills being taught, something that I know as a fresh PPL I don't have.

 

But if it's something you really want to do, then go for it!! You'll have to let us know what you end up doing.

 

 

[Geoff13]

I have also been giving some consideration to doing my instructor rating. Not because I wish to gain hours as to do that I would be far better off going flying but because I think I could learn a lot about myself and flying by doing the rating.

 

I currently have no desire to teach but I would like to become the best pilot that I can and I think that the instructor rating could help me do that.

 

 

[Happyflyer]

I have also been giving some consideration to doing my instructor rating. Not because I wish to gain hours as to do that I would be far better off going flying but because I think I could learn a lot about myself and flying by doing the rating.I currently have no desire to teach but I would like to become the best pilot that I can and I think that the instructor rating could help me do that.

In my opinion, while the instructor rating does improve your ability , it is actually the teaching that really gets you going as pilot. It's all well and good to know the theory and a bit of practical flying but a new instructor still has so much to learn. However you learn very quickly once you start teaching and I guarantee that after a couple of hundred hours of teaching under the guidance of a good CFI anyone would be a far better pilot. You learn by your mistakes and learn almost as much from your students' mistakes.

 

 

[coljones]

You could do an "Advanced Pilot Award". The pilot skill set is advanced. There are no additional privileges gained except the accolades of your instructors, fellow pilots and friends and the discipline and training of undertaking the award may well be very valuable.

 

I have a feeling that the skill set is closer to or better than that required for a PPL.

 

ADVANCED PILOT AWARD ENDORSEMENT (APA) 8. As this Endorsement does not allow the holder any operational privileges no further detail is provided here. However, the requirements for the endorsement are shown in Section 2.07, paragraph 13.

 

ADVANCED PILOT AWARD ENDORSEMENT (APA) 13. An applicant for the issue of an Advanced Pilot Award must: (a) have reached the competency standards required under Unit 1.07 of the RA-Aus Syllabus of Flight Training; and (b) be recommended by an RA-Aus Examiner to undergo the flight test for issue of the endorsement; and © pass a flight test conducted by a Pilot Examiner or a CFI.

 

 

[Geoff13]

In my opinion, while the instructor rating does improve your ability , it is actually the teaching that really gets you going as pilot. It's all well and good to know the theory and a bit of practical flying but a new instructor still has so much to learn. However you learn very quickly once you start teaching and I guarantee that after a couple of hundred hours of teaching under the guidance of a good CFI anyone would be a far better pilot. You learn by your mistakes and learn almost as much from your student's mistakes.

I do agree that by teaching you will learn far more. I have taught in the past in a couple of different areas and I certainly believe that there is no better way to learn any subject than to teach it. In my case however, I intend to retire from my second career at the end of April and I am certainly not looking for a third career nor am I intending to commit to a timetable. At least not in the short term, so the theory and small amount of practical experience that I may gain needs to be weighed up against the time and cost required to do it.

 

 

[Happyflyer]

I do agree that by teaching you will learn far more. I have taught in the past in a couple of different areas and I certainly believe that there is no better way to learn any subject than to teach it. In my case however, I intend to retire from my second career at the end of April and I am certainly not looking for a third career nor am I intending to commit to a timetable. At least not in the short term, so the theory and small amount of practical experience that I may gain needs to be weighed up against the time and cost required to do it.

Just the fact that you want to be the best you can be as a pilot will make you improve. There are so many pilot out there that have not moved on very far from the day they had their test flight.

 

Always try to make the plane do what you want it to, do not just accept what you end up with. You should always be flying at the altitude you have set yourself at the airspeed you have planned. When climbing, work on keeping you airspeed close to your target, when descending target your airspeed and rate of decent, when levelling off work hard at maintaining the new level and develop the ability to remain on heading and in balance. Keep your radio calls to a minimum, use your eyes and ears and situational awareness to fly safely. The occasional flight with an instructor you trust and get on with is a small cost and will also help a lot. And I do believe that the less time you have between flights the better you will become.

 

 

[recflyer]

I recently obtained my RA-Aus Pilot Certificate after a bit of a runaround, and I have ambitions of gaining my Nav endo and CASA PPL over the uni holidays in July.The other day, at work, I stumbled upon the idea of getting an RA-Aus Instructor Rating in order to further my own knowledge of aviation, as well as pass on my passion (and, believe me, when I'm not at uni or work, I'm dreaming of being in the air) to other students, while also going for my CPL next year. The way I see it, if I have instructor hours of any type in my logbook, that can only be beneficial. It's important for me to mention that I'm NOT doing it simply for the hour building (namely because I've been reading and RA-Aus instructors don't fly that many hours).

 

I realise one has to have 100 hours command of RA-Aus aircraft, but what if I upgrade to a PPL and CPL over time? Does the number of command hours required increase, and if so, how many hours would I have to do in RA and how many hours in GA?

 

Cheers.

Best of luck!

 

 

[alexbrown2005]

Cheers folks. I'm definitely going to do it now :D

 

 

[DWF]

You should be able to fly at the Advanced Pilot Award level of competency BEFORE you try instructing.

 

IMHO 100 hours experience is insufficient (in almost all cases) to get you to the level of skill and experience required to make a good instructor.

 

An instructor course is primarily to teach you HOW TO TEACH flying, NOT to improve your flying skills (although the practice required during the course does/should help).

 

A good instructor should fly well (but does not need to be a Top Gun) but must be able to relate well to student pilots, communicate well, know and understand what they are teaching and be able to facilitate the student's learning.

 

You actually get less "hands on" time as an instructor than if just went flying yourself as most of the time you are/should be letting the student fly.

 

You probably log more hours (because you fly more often/regularly) but they are mostly not doing anything to improve YOUR skills.

 

That said, the best way to find out if you know a subject is to try to teach it.

 

So, if you want flying experience/competence go for the APA, PPL, CPL; if you want teaching experience go for the Instructor rating.

 

 

 

DWF

 

 

[Teckair]

when descending target your airspeed and rate of decent,

Excellent advice there, I get very annoyed with people just poke the nose down and let the airspeed wind up when descending.

 

 

[ben87r]

IMHO 100 hours experience is insufficient (in almost all cases) to get you to the level of skill and experience required to make a good instructor.

I couldn't agree more! The idea that the first 40od hours of my GA training was spent with guys with 300TT or under now scares me! I think on the GA side there should be a X amount (I believe X should be 500PIC but ive never had anything to do with instructing apart from being a student) command requirement as I believe there is with choppers? I dont believe that the current set up does justice to the students as most instructors are "teaching how to be a commercial pilot" something that most haven't done and that no 300TT instructor has done.

 

A good mate of mine rang me the other day all excited because he had "cracked the 300mark", all well and good for him but, be has 60 hours instructing to make up that 300, just scares me a little.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Its funny how this subject pops up every few months, and the same points of view get put across. The big points are always " low time pilots arent experienced enough" and " should we build hours instructing"

 

A good instructor is a good teacher, first and formost. If you relate well to people, have a genuine interest in them, and are passionate about seeing other's succeed, then things are looking ok for you.

 

The second part is the flying ability and experience. Sure, at 100 hours you still have a lot to learn, but the same can be said for any of us, with thousands of hours. Dont ever think that experience= skill. In my (short) experience its often the reverse. A fresh new pilot with shiny wings is IMHO often a lot safer then old mate whos got 2ooo hours, and did his training in the 50's. Ive seen some very very experienced pilots, do some bloody stupid sh!t.

 

If you are genuinely passionate about 'other people' getting into aviation, and you have a dedicated attitude towards airmenship and safety, then get into it mate!!!

 

 

[pmccarthy]

I am inclined to agree. i think I was at my best as a pilot in my early twenties and after about 100 hours. All downhill from there!