Flight instructor training prepares pilots to offer education to people learning to fly or earning advanced certifications. Aviation authorities regulate the hours of training and other requirements involved to ensure consistency between flight instructors, for safety reasons. Typically people need to hold advanced pilot’s licenses, complete some formal education, and take examinations to be authorized to provide flight instruction. Information about regional regulations is typically available through government agencies and flight schools.
To enter flight instructor training, students may need to hold commercial pilot’s licenses or airline transport certificates. They may also need to meet minimum age requirements in addition to being in good physical condition. If they want to be able to teach advanced students, an instrument rating is generally required, and it must be appropriate for the class of aircraft the instructor wants to work with in class.
The classroom component includes lessons about pedagogy, communicating with students, and required coursework for pilots. People in flight instructor training can go over the examinations used to test pilots before granting them their licenses to learn more about the kinds of subjects they need to cover. Schools may provide recommendations for texts and workbooks to use in ground school. Instructors need to know the material well so they can teach it in a variety of settings to students who may exhibit a variety of learning styles.
In the air, flight instructors learn how to work with aircraft designed for flight training, and how to communicate effectively and clearly with students. Flight instructor training also covers required coursework, including the number of hours students need to log before they can apply for their licenses, and the types of maneuvers they should be familiar with before receiving an endorsement from their instructors. Discussion of how to handle emergencies and unexpected situations is also part of the training, so instructors can keep their students safe.
After completing a required number of hours, graduates of a flight instructor training may be eligible to take an examination. The test covers subjects they need to know, requirements, and safety topics. Some certifications also require a practical demonstration in an aircraft to show an examiner that the instructor is capable of providing competent direction to students in the air. This is more common with advanced certifications like instrument ratings, where flight instructors need to be able to educate people about complex topics in a clear and accessible way.
