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Hi Capt Lim,
I would like to know, whether I have to be an instructor in order to accumulate enough flying hours to join some airlines?
If I were to choose a flight instructor, how would he conduct the training? What strategies do you think he should use during the training? How would I know the method of instructions are good for me once I am licensed?
I want to know as I would not want to pay a huge sum of money to someone that I think is not a good flying instructor. The problem is, how will I know he is a good flight instructor. Can you please help me to choose a good flight instructor? What are the flying or ground subjects that are taught? Thanks a lot,
Christopher Lim
Hi Christopher,
Yes, one of the ways to accumulate hours to obtain a CPL is to become an Instructor in a Flying Club. I did not follow this route, but I have seen a few who followed this path.
Usually, most flying instructors in the flying clubs are former military or air force pilots. Most of them received good training to become instructors. It is difficult to know whether one is better than the other in a particular flying club or even in a flying school. A lot would depend on the student, that is you, if you want to do well. To be a good pilot, one must also have the aptitude. That is why the selection process in most cadet pilot program is tough. To be licensed as an Assistant Flying Instructor, you have to pass a test conducted by an examiner from the Civil Aviation Department.
Nothing is guaranteed in life, more so, when one wants to pursue a career in flying. There are some trainee pilots in the airline-sponsored program that have failed to make it in the flying school, either because they did not work hard or they lack the aptitude to become a pilot.
You can find out more about getting a PPL and doing an Assistant Flying Instructor (AFI) course by clicking on the links in my site in "Aspiring to be a Pilot". Below is an example, and the information is extracted from the Malaysian Flying Academy website on the AFI course:-
The Assistant Flying Instructor course is geared and crafted in accordance with the specifications as is presently required by the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation. It is a six (6) week course designed to train a person to be able to commercially train a cadet pilot. It is an essential and fundamental course in one's path to becoming a full fledged Qualified Flying Instructor.
Minimum Entry Requirements
Letter of approval from the Department of Civil Aviation, Malaysia;
An existing and valid Commercial Pilot Licence with Instrument Rating from any country in the world;
A hundred fifty (150) hours of Pilot-in-Command (PIC);
Pass medical examination of Airline Transport Pilot Licence standard (Class I or II); and
Adequate competence in the English language.
Ground School Training covers fifty five (55) hours of tuition and lectures on aviation theory subjects such as (not meant to be exhaustive):
Instructional Techniques
Navigation and Meteorology
Airframes and Engines
Aviation Law
Basic Aerodynamics
Flight Rules and Procedures
Flight School Training consists of thirty (30) hours of dual and mutual Single Engine (SE) flying.
Please visit their website for more information.
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Female Pilots 
