“Man must rise above the Earth—to the top of the atmosphere and beyond—for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives.”
– Socrates
Santa Monica Flyers offers training to help you become a certified flight instructor. Become the person who gives the flight classes and teaches the students. You’ll have a great time at the airport, meet some fantastic people and learn to build a new career – flying! The CFI certificate will make you more marketable and open to these new career opportunities. We can help you become a CFI in just seven weeks! Contact us, and let’s take you to the next level of your aviation learning!
A certified flight instructor (CFI) is an individual who teaches student aviators how to operate an aircraft. You can train other students as a CFI and provide flight reviews, proficiency checks, or insurance checks. This certificate enables you to become part of a more extensive network of aviators. It will help you expand your knowledge, flight, and abilities as an aviation professional while being paid for your services.
New commercial pilots pick this career to complete the flight hours needed to be full-fledged commercial airline pilots. This is a good career move, as you gain experience while you are getting paid at the same time.
Flight instructors are the source from which future pilots learn everything they need about different aspects of flight, such as taking care of an airplane and how instrumentation works. They do this by teaching others through a formal training process, and those who lead them do so while gaining valuable flight experience – which they can then use beyond just the classroom or their regular day-to-day flight.
A flight instructor certificate is needed to teach people how to fly an airplane. To get one, you must pass two required knowledge tests and have a commercial pilot’s license. The certificate lasts two years and can be renewed with Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC).
With a flight instructor certificate, you can get paid to teach people how to fly. It’s a rewarding career, but it’s not easy! You have to work long hours, and it’s not uncommon to be tired at the end of the day. It might be best for someone who is a hard worker and doesn’t mind staying late!
You must be at least 18 years old and able to read and write in English. Earn either a commercial pilot certificate with 250 flight hours or an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with an instrument rating. Get a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor on instructional fundamentals and obtain an FAA 3rd Class (or higher) Medical Certificate.
Becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) may be one of the best aviation-career decisions you ever have to make. Many pilots have chosen this path because they like teaching and being around aviation, so it’s only natural that some of them might decide to work as a CFI to gain experience teaching and build flight time. Gaining a certain amount of flight time is vital when looking for jobs in aviation. You must prove you are experienced enough to fly an aircraft on your own and manage a flight. Airline pilot jobs, for example, usually require at least 1,500 hours.
Flight instructors are an essential part of the aviation community. They guide students through every step of getting their wings. When you become an instructor, you can promote your love for the skies and what life has in store by sharing your knowledge and experience with up-and-coming pilots. When you’re looking for a career that can help you connect with others who share the same passion for flying or just teach those who wish to learn how to take flight, be sure to check out flight instructor program as a potential option.
CFIs are required to renew their Flight Instructor Certificate every 24 months. This can be done by either taking a Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC), a check ride with a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), or demonstration to a DPE of 5 successful student signoffs in the past 24 months.
As a Certified Flight Instructor, you may be compensated for instructing others. You are limited to the aircraft that you are rated with the exception of Multi Engine, which requires a separate certificate. You are allowed to instruct Private and Commercial students, but in order to instruct Instrument students you will require a Flight Instructor Instrument Certificate, which is an addition to your Certified Flight Instructor Certificate.
If you’re currently a pilot, you can expand your options for different careers under the umbrella of being a flight instructor. With each new certification, you’ll unlock new possibilities in this field and opportunities to open doors of ground school that aren’t available at the lower credentials.
There are three types of flight instructor certificates: certified flight instructor (CFI), certified flight instructor-instrument (CFII), and multi-engine instructor (MEI).
There is also an entirely different option to become a CFI, the CFI-S
Salary for flight instructors can vary from $20 to $40 per hour depending on the state in which you work and the company for which you work as a certificated flight instructor. The wage depends on your qualifications and experience, as there are not many certified flight instructors in the market who are approved. Hourly pay can be broken down into legal categories, such as a per-hour salary or an hourly wage for one’s type of instruction, for example, instructional time in the air, on the ground, or in a simulator (AATD). We do this to ensure that every instructor is fairly compensated.
According to online providers, certified flight instructor pay ranges from $28,000 to upwards of $65,000 yearly. With such a broad spectrum in which you could potentially operate within your local market, obtaining qualifications that are sought after in this line of work and maintaining a good pool of new and current customers for which you can offer instruction.
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
There are many different ways to use your skills as a pilot. Some pilots leverage the job’s flexibility to further their interests by becoming instructors. In contrast, others follow a more practical path, become professionals, and help others clear the practical pilot test. The most common idea of a career in flying is that of an Airline Pilot; however, many pilots, following their dreams and choosing instead to be flight instructors, decide also to obtain their instructor certificate.
We have listed ten reasons why becoming a flight instructor is worth it.
The most common reason people become flight instructors is to gain experience in flight, and if you want to gain experience, you must have some academy where you can take a practical test of your x-plane flight training. Working in this capacity can help pilots acquire the large number of flight hours needed to become commercial airline pilots, and they always want to search for certified flights. Commercial airlines require a lot of flight experience before even considering interviewing a pilot candidate. Many post-secondary students use their free time to build up their resumes while going to college.
As a flight instructor, there are several options for progress outside of working for an educational institution or opening up one’s own business. For those who enjoy independence and freedom in their careers and want perfect flight, this is an enticing choice of pursuit. It is almost your flight instructor’s instrument. You can also enhance your instrument pilot rating with this course. Please be advised that, like other flight instructors, you may have access to opportunities and resources that others might not be able to tap into because no one will know your profession better than you. With hope and skill, one’s business could become very successful.
Any experienced teacher or instructor knows what it feels like to see a student learn something they’ve been trying to teach. And this is no different for instructors with flight students. Knowing what you know has helped others achieve something gives flight instructors an indescribable sense of satisfaction and fulfillment because your goal as a licensed instructor is to see your students soar! When you’re asked what they love most about their job, the first answer that flight instructors give is the thrill of passing on their knowledge and skills to students who will, in turn, be able to take their passion for flying to even greater heights.
As a flight instructor, you are responsible for educating and training people on how to operate an aircraft safely. This is not meant to be an easy task. A lot goes into learning how to fly, from taking off and landing a flight to learning about weather patterns and instrumentation and airspace rules and regulations. As a flight instructor, you will find your days busy but also fun and social – all while gaining experience similar to being a pilot working towards your ratings.
Flight instructors are currently in great demand and are expected to stay that way for many years. This is due to legislation introduced by the US government about pilots needing to renew their licenses more often, and airlines have increased due to business aviation. One of these changes is expected to be a shortage of pilots which means that flight instructors are constantly being hired by airlines faster than they can be replaced.
Some may treat you differently, but it’s good to be in a position where you are looked up to. The critical question here is: why become a flight instructor? To answer that, consider the excitement and respect that being one entails! Telling others you’re a flight instructor will bring on an engaging conversation, and people will want to know more about the career and potentially become an ATP.
As a flight instructor, it’s important to remember that you’re not just teaching someone how to fly. You are inspiring them to go out into the world in a way that most people never experience a flight before. You will meet both local and international students, and based on your teaching, they will become pilots themselves, or they may start another business venture associated with aviation.
As with all businesses in today’s economy, aviation faces a lot of competition from new technologies and companies. Over the past few years, stability and compensation for full-time flight instructors have been relatively limited as flight instructor refresher. However, we’ve seen a shift this year. With the current shortage of certified flight instructors that can handle the increased number of requests for lessons and training across the country, pay for this position is rapidly rising. To survive in the industry, you must enhance your skills and complete your first flight instructor course. All you need to do is work appropriately as an instructor with adequate compensation and benefits of flight, and you will be pretty successful in this position.
The most important and rewarding reason to become a flight instructor is you get the opportunity to have an occupation doing what you love – which in this case, is flying! Many people wouldn’t even pursue a pilot’s license if they didn’t love flying, so the fact that you can make a living by doing something that brings you so much joy is something not many people are lucky enough to have.
You don’t have to have landed on the Moon as an astronaut for NASA to become a flight instructor. But you do need to obtain a commercial pilot license with 250 flight hours before becoming a flight instructor. Let’s talk about that for a moment.
To obtain your commercial pilot license, you must meet several associated sub-requirements, such as the written and flight test categories, consisting of 19 rated performance areas each. A pilot who plans to become a flight instructor is essentially preparing for the role from the moment he/she starts flight training.
A Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Rating will not only increase your aeronautical skills and knowledge but allow you to instruct and greatly improve a student’s safety and ability to fly in inclement weather.
There are many variables that affect how quickly one earns their Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Rating. For example, bad weather on a day you are scheduled to fly may cancel a flight. Generally, if a student studies the material and flies frequently, he or she will complete training in the shortest amount of time.
Working with an instructor, you will both make the determination as to when you are ready to take the required exams; approximately 10-15 hours.
A combination of simulator training and flight training under the hood will occur during your training. You will train to proficiency; approximately 15 hours of flight time.
If you already have a Certified Flight Instructor Certificate, obtaining the Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Rating will reset your expiration date for 24 more calendar months. If you are training prospective instrument pilots, you must remain instrument current if you are instructing an aircraft in actual instrument meteorological conditions.
If you love being up in the air, there’s no better way to show your love than to become a CFI-S.
Getting certified is easy when you do it with Santa Monica Flyers. We offer courses that get pilots ready for the world of flying. Our experienced instructors have the knowledge and skills needed for aspiring pilots and flight enthusiasts. Contact us today at 310-800-8050 and let’s get started!
What we like to call, “CFI-S,” or certified flight instructor-sport is any certified sport pilot or private pilot who has been trained and obtained a flight instructor certificate that the FAA calls, “flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating.” A CFI-S is someone who teaches aspiring sport pilots to fly Light Sport Aircraft. One can even become a CFI-S without becoming a commercial pilot, meaning you can obtain the certificate in about half the time required to become a traditional CFI or what we call, “CFI-A,” at SMF. The “A” stands for “airplane” instead of, “sport.” The FAA has a more wordy designation and refers to a CFI-A as, “flight instructors other than flight instructors with a sport pilot rating.”
Sport pilot and CFI-S certificates are both issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
An FAA Certified Flight Instructor with a Sport Pilot rating (CFI-S) has privileges similar to other FAA-certificated flight instructors (CFI-A). The only difference is the CFI-S only operates under Subpart K of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), which means they can only instruct in a light sport aircraft (LSA).
A CFI-S also holds an endorsement that allows him/her to not only teach new student pilots but also existing, certified sport pilots in a specific category and class of aircraft. In particular, at SMF, a CFI-S can perform training and/or proficiency checks for existing Sport Pilots who wish to add the airplane (category) or single-engine land (class) on their Sport Pilot Certificate. Our CFI-S’ can also offer transitional training for existing pilots of any certification level who have never flown the type of LSA we operate, the SportCruiser. This is usually referred to as a “checkout.”
All of our CFI-S’ are already certified for class B, C, and D airspace and have speed endorsements (Vh 87+ KCAS) meaning they can provide these types of endorsements to Sport Pilots who do not already have the endorsements and are looking to get them added to their own certificate.
To qualify for the Certified Flight Instructor-Sport (CFI-S) rating and pilot a light sport aircraft, you must hold a sport pilot certificate. or a private pilot certificate. You’re also required to have accumulated 150 hours of flight time, including at least 100 hours as PIC in a single-engine land airplane, and pass two FAA knowledge tests: the Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor (SIA). Alternatively, if you already hold a teaching certificate for at least the seventh-grade level, you may opt-out of taking the FOI knowledge test. The complete requirements are detailed in 14 CFR 61, Subpart K.
As specified in the above paragraph, a person who wishes to become a Certified Flight Instructor-Sport (CFI-S) requires the following flight experience:
The FAA Sport Pilot Certified Flight Instructor (CFI-S) candidate requirements. Here’s what you need to know:
“It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill.” — Wilbur Wright, inventor of modern flight.
A CFI-S is allowed to instruct in light sport aircraft. Being certified in this area of aviation goes beyond just being able to fly a plane. A certified sport pilot instructor must keep up with the latest technology, flight rules, and laws. Many pilots who become certified sport pilot instructors find that the sport pilot certification leads to other opportunities within the aviation industry.
The certificate required to become a certified sport pilot instructor was created to bridge the gap between sport and commercial pilot certifications.The ability to fly light sport aircraft gives a certified sport pilot instructor freedom to travel and fly in a way many other certified flight instructors cannot. The certification is not only for professional pilots, although many certified instructors are professionals. Any pilot can do the training to become a certified sport pilot instructor.
One of the most important aspects of any instructional product is its ability to prepare you for what you could encounter on the job. Training courses must cover everything one may be asked to teach, while also preparing individuals to teach effectively with minimal guidance.
We’ve found that it’s usually best for all sport pilot flight instructor applicants to start with our sport pilot certification course before diving into any other specifics of educating students. This is because it provides you with a solid foundation for eventually teaching others about flying as a sport pilot.
Using the Fundamentals of Instruction techniques, we advise you to concentrate mainly on dual instruction – flight training and ground school.
It may not be easy at first, but do not take shortcuts in your explanations – take the time to honestly explain how something would affect the student during a lesson. Ultimately, as an instructor, we are giving our students confidence in their abilities so that they can go out into the world knowing that they did everything they could to bring themselves up to speed so they can fly safely!
As a student pilot, you go through the training syllabus page by page and learn each lesson to become fully licensed. We teach our instructors how to teach logically in the order you did when training for your license, so there are no surprises there. After combing through the syllabus, we move on to teaching techniques for dealing with student “mistakes,” which is where you will get extra practice! As a Part 61 school, we are open to a customizable, individually-tailored lesson/syllabus structure.
The first topics you will be tutoring will include how to conduct a pre-flight inspection, starting the plane’s engine, and eventually leading it through all the way from takeoff to landing from the right-hand seat.
Ground school includes all aeronautical-related knowledge and unique endorsements. We will also work on teaching you how to replicate CFI procedures so you see first-hand how it’s done.
“There is no such thing as a natural-born pilot. Whatever my aptitudes or talents, becoming a proficient pilot was hard work, really a lifetime’s learning experience.” — Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier.
First, if you’re starting as a pilot, you must understand the flight training and certification process. CFI training is not the same as an initial pilot certification.
Like a doctor or lawyer, flight instructors must be highly qualified, subject matter experts. Becoming a CFI-S requires you to take your abilities as a pilot and bring them many levels higher so that you can teach them to others. They say the best way to learn something for real is to teach it! But just having great skills at flying is not going to cut it. A CFI-S has to have deep understanding on the fundamentals of instructing on top of holding up the many responsibilities being an instructor comes with — safety always being number one.
How long the training takes depends on how much knowledge or subject matter expertise you have, your preparation for lessons, and the frequency you apply yourself into the material. The speed you learn at will also affect the time. Most pilots will tend to take at least a year or two to go from no experience to being a CFI-S.
It is the same when we talk about the costs. If your ground and flight training knowledge is sufficient, you won’t need to spend as much to become a sport pilot CFI. However, if you need to train again and again due to poor preparation and progress, expect the expenses to be as high as getting a sport pilot certificate all over again.
Once you become a certified sport pilot instructor, you gain authorization to provide training and endorsements within your certificate and rating limits. Note that you can only provide flight training in a light sport aircraft.
As an instructor, you can teach student pilots and endorse them for a sport pilot certificate. You can also recommend practical and knowledge tests for both sport pilot and flight instructor certificates with a sport pilot rating. Additionally, you can conduct flight reviews for sport pilots and proficiency checks for additional category or class privileges.
Furthermore, you can accept student pilot certificate applications, verify applicants’ identities, and ensure they meet the eligibility requirements to receive their certificate from the FAA.
No as long as you have a valid U.S. drivers license and comply with any limitations issued thereon such as the use of corrective lenses. At any time, it is your option to obtain a valid FAA medical certificate if you do not have a U.S. drivers license.
