To become a helicopter flight instructor, you must meet requirements similar to those for a commercial pilot license, including being 18 years or older, earning a certain number of flight hours, and passing a medical exam. After obtaining a commercial license, you must pass an additional exam to become a flight instructor. This career can serve as a stepping stone to future pilot jobs and earning additional income.
Requirements to become a helicopter flight instructor can differ from country to country, although they are typically similar to commercial pilot license requirements. Those requirements are typically being 18 years or older, earning a certain number of flight hours, and passing a medical exam. Once you meet these requirements, you must apply for and pass the necessary tests for a commercial helicopter pilot license. It may be necessary to obtain more flight hours before becoming a helicopter flight instructor, although in some jurisdictions it is necessary to complete another exam and pass the oral and practical tests.
Helicopter flight instructors are responsible for training new pilots and must hold commercial certificates or licenses as they receive monetary compensation for their services. This is not a career that many people pursue when starting to train as pilots, but it can serve as an excellent stepping stone to future pilot jobs, as well as a means of earning additional income. Many commercial helicopter pilot jobs require hundreds or even thousands of hours of flight time, and the typical commercial pilot completes training with only 150 to 250 hours, depending on the regulations in your country. If you become a helicopter flight instructor, you will essentially be paid to get the flight hours you need to apply for other types of pilot jobs.
The first step in becoming a helicopter flight instructor is to obtain a helicopter pilot license or certificate. This typically involves classroom instruction, flight time with and without an instructor, and exams. After obtaining a pilot’s license or certificate, the next step is to obtain a commercial license. One of the requirements for any pilot license is to obtain a physical certificate and obtain a medical certificate. In the United States, these certificates are issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Citizens of the UK and other European countries need a Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR) medical certificate, and most other countries have similar authorities that oversee aviation licensing programs.
After earning your commercial pilot’s license or certificate, you’ve usually already fulfilled all the requirements to become a helicopter flight instructor. In the United States, commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates have the same flight time requirements. There is an additional exam, however, aimed at determining whether you are familiar with the instructional process; therefore, you will have to take courses or study independently to prepare for it. Typically, you will also need to pass an oral exam and a flight test as a condition of earning a flight instructor certificate.
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