Instructor Training
When IASCO Flight Training hires an instructor, they first complete an initial training program, which takes approximately 3 weeks. At the end of training, an instructor must pass a Part 141 proficiency check flight in order to continue employment.
We offer advancement opportunities for instructors, including Part 141 qualification training to teach additional courses and management-type positions, such as lead flight instructor.
Job Perks
Additional instructor ratings – Instructors who do not have their CFII or MEII will have the opportunity to obtain those certificates through IFT-sponsored programs which cover most or all of the training costs. Instructors must pay the DPE fee and rental cost of an IFT aircraft for the FAA practical test, and the knowledge test fee.
Airline-oriented training – All student and instructor training uses airline-oriented standards, flows, callouts, and checklists. Our instructors who have been hired by Part 121 and Part 135 operations say this has been invaluable during their interviews and initial training (click here for testimonials).
Pay – CFI hourly positions start at $45,800/year plus OT, and instructors are paid while they are in initial training (at an introductory pay rate). IFT also offers a great benefits package (see below for information on benefits).
Job materials – IFT provides instructors with uniforms, sectional charts, checklists and reference books.
Timebuilding – Instructors can expect to build time quickly. Our instructors average 80-100 hobbs time per month. This is in addition to providing instruction in the FTDs.
Students
Our international students are all airline-sponsored; currently, our training contracts are with airlines in China. Students arrive in classes of 20-35 students and are in Redding for 12-14 months for their training.. All students speak English and their ages range from 20 to 27 years old. Most are either 4th year-university students or post-graduate students in China.
An instructor is typically assigned four students in the Private Pilot Course. As the students progress through their Instrument/Commercial and the Commercial Multi-engine courses, IFT trains and qualifies the instructors under Part 141 so they can continue training the same students. This builds a good working relationship between the students and instructors and provides students a psychological boost by having one instructor for most of their training.
Typical Work Week
A typical instructor day consists of 4 activities – one each with the students. These could be flights, FTD sessions, or oral review sessions, depending on the student’s course progress. An instructor can expect to be scheduled for 7-9 hours per day; start and end times of an instructor’s work day will vary. Over the course of a week, instructors typically work 30-40 hours, including pre- and post-flight briefing times and flight times. Hours can exceed this, especially during hours of longer daylight and summertime.
IFT conducts operations nearly year-round.
IASCO Flight Training offers an excellent benefits package. Employees have available to them:
- Medical coverage plan
- Dental coverage plan
- Vision coverage plan
- Life and AD&D insurance
- Short Term and Long Term Disability coverage
- Employee Assistance Plan
- Paid Holidays
Employees are eligible for these benefits after completing 60 days of employment.
The Life insurance, disability coverage and Employee Assistance plans are provided by IFT free of charge to eligible employees (active employees working a minimum of 30 hours per week).
The medical coverage plan is a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plan provided by Blue Cross of California. It has calendar year deductibles, copayments and semi-monthly employee contributions. Employees can select individual or family coverage plans. The plan offers a wide range of covered services.
The dental coverage plan is an optional PPO or DHMO plan provided by Cypress Dental. It has calendar year deductibles, copayments and semi-monthly employee contributions. Employees can select individual or family coverage plans.
The vision coverage plan is a voluntary benefit plan provided by Vision Service Plan. It has semi-monthly employee contributions. Employees can select individual or family coverage plans.
Ten paid holidays are offered – New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year’s Eve, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and one floating holiday each employee can choose to observe.
IFT also offers paid vacation and sick days that are available for employees.
A Future in Flight Instructing
The need for flight instructors has grown tremendously over the past year and will likely continue to increase. Many instructors see their certificates mainly as a ticket to timebuilding for their future airline, cargo, or corporate job. And while it does provide that opportunity, the flight instructor certificate stands on its own and offers a career equally as critical to the aviation industry.
There is no doubt that the flight instructing profession is challenging – not only do you need to be able to operate the aircraft, its systems and to safely function within the flight environment, but you need to teach someone else to do the same thing, usually at the same time.
At IFT, we understand the challenges of flight instructing. The hard work and quality instruction done by our flight and ground instructors is valued and appreciated. We are always looking for more instructors who have the ability and desire to provide the standard of instruction foundational to our syllabus.
Flight instructing jobs come in many forms. Each flight instructor finds their niche – the type of instructing which suits them best and makes best use of their interests and abilities. For example, if you like running your own show, then you would find contract instructing or owning your own flight school attractive. If the thought of teaching advanced or recurrent training appeals to you, then you might seek a simulator instructor position.
IFT offers yet another type of career flight instructor opportunity. We seek flight and ground instructors who want to provide ab initio flight training by following specific procedures, standards, and a syllabus. Instructors who like a structured environment and airline-focused training will excel at working at IFT. If you want to pursue a career working at a flight school like IFT, not only will you hone your instructing skills, but you will have the opportunity to advance into leadership positions.
So as you consider career options as a pilot, envision the career to which all pilots owe their beginnings and continued success – flight instructing.
A Path to the Airlines
If you are headed to the airlines – regionals, majors, or cargo – IFT will help you build the type of experience that not only adds to your resume, but gives you an edge during interviews and initial training. Because we train students who will be future airline pilots, all our training is conducted using airline-focused procedures.
Starting in their new hire training class, instructors learn the difference between flows and checklists, how to perform different checklists, and how to use standardized callouts, all as part of applying our standardized student curriculum.
Instructors strengthen their procedural and airmanship skills while teaching the foundation of training – the Private Pilot course.
Instrument skills and knowledge can make or break an interview/sim with a potential airline employer. When an instructor is trained at IFT to teach our instrument/commercial course, they also receive focused critique and training to improve their own pilot instrument skills.
Multi-engine time is required for almost every airline-bound pilot. While you are flying in one of IFT’s multi-engine aircraft, you are logging multi-engine time in the most challenging of ways – giving instruction.
Preparing for your next pilot job is about more than building your technical and pilot skills. Being able to work well with different types of people as an instructor reflects positively on your ability to get along with future crew members on trips and layovers.
Good decision-making ability is another skill that is attractive to potential airline and corporate employers. At IFT, we train and coach our instructors with techniques to improve their skills in this area. The instructors, in turn, must be able to teach their students how to make good decisions throughout all aspects of their training.
See what some of our former instructors have to say about how their jobs at IFT prepared them for the airlines (click here for instructor testimonials).