Becoming a flight instructor is a challenging but rewarding way to further your flying career. As an instructor you will experience a diverse range of students from a variety of backgrounds and a good instructor can adapt his or her teaching methods accordingly.
Below is an extract from the BMAA FI(R)C Syllabus:
“Before taking this major step forward it is essential to understand the very great commitment you are making. In your hands will be the lives of future pilots and everyone they will carry as passengers.
There are no short cuts to competence. The course is demanding in terms of both time and effort. As a FI(R) you will have the responsibility of inspiring trust and confidence in your students. That trust demands both a moral and legal obligation you must meet on each and every occasion.”
Guidance on becoming an instructor can be found on the BMAA web site.
The Flying Instructor (Restricted)
The CAA Flying Instructor (Restricted) Certificate allows you to instruct students for the NPPL (A) Microlight Class Rating under the supervision of a Flying Instructor. When you have sufficient experience (100 hours instruction, 250 hours PIC and have held the FI(R) rating for 10 months) you can apply to upgrade, by test, to a full Flying Instructor Certificate.
A FI(R) certificate is valid for 36 months and is type restricted to Three Axis, Flex wing or Powered Parachute control types.
Minimum Course Requirements
- A PPL or NPPL with a Microlight Class Rating without operational limitations. You must have held a licence for 8 months or more.
- A minimum flying experience of 100 hours as PIC, minimum 5 hours of which must be on Microlight Aircraft.
- Pass two pre-entry tests – a multiple-choice exam and a flight test. The multiple-choice exam consists of 50 questions on all subjects in the BMAA NPPL (A) M syllabus. The flight test is to assess that your flying is of the necessary standard to start learning how to teach. The flight can be conducted with the candidate in the PIC seat (left seat 3-axis or front seat weight-shift).
- Both pre-entry tests must be passed, and an FI(R) course must start within 6 months of these tests.
It is important that the student instructor is reasonably competent flying the aircraft from the instructor seat before starting the course.
The Flight Instructor (Restricted) Course Syllabus
The FI(R) course consists of a minimum of 15 hours flight time and 40 hours ground school. The ground school covers not only the theory subjects and pre-flight briefings but also teaching methods and techniques.
It should be noted that a realistic average is approximately 20 hours flying and 50 hours ground school.
Full details of the FI(R) course and requirements are contained in CAA CAP 804, the BMAA FI(R) Course Syllabus and the BMAA ‘Instructor and Examiner Guide’.
Duration
The length of the course will vary depending on the student’s availability, ability and of course the weather. As an approximate guide you should expect the course to take between 22 and 25 days of flying and ground school (self-study will be required as well). Courses can be tailored to suit the student although continuity is a bonus.
Costs
Pre-entry multiple-choice exam: £45.00
Pre-entry flight test: £100.00 Examiner Fee + £145.00 per hour.
FI(R) Course (15 hours flying and 40 hours ground school): £5150.00.
Additional flying hours: £175.00 per hour.
Additional ground school: £50.00 per hour.
Own aircraft POA.
Additional costs
- Flight and Ground School training books.
- BMAA FI(R) course and NPPL (A) M syllabus.
- BMAA Microlight Instructor & Examiner Guide.
- FI(R) Certificate Flight Test by Examiner at conclusion of course, a CAA Fee for issue of the certificate and a BMAA fee for administration.
All fees on BMAA web site at https://www.bmaa.org/files/liac_guide_app_a_fees.pdf