Heavy Jet Sim vs Instructor Rating
 

Hey everyone, this is my first post so be nice ;)

Im wondering if some of you out there could share your two cents with the dilemma I have coming up. Im currently in a University Degree / Flight Training program in Canada, and in the fourth year (after we're multi-IFR rated) we can choose to do either an instructor rating, or a Heavy Jet simulator option. The instructor rating is pretty straight forward. The Heavy Jet sim is done on an older 747-200 sim (no motion but nice visuals, steam gauges etc. its ex-Air Canada), and a King Air (full motion) sim. Basically it includes a lot of learning about the procedures, crew management, cockpit factors etc. as well as general 747 and heavy jet / airline info.

Ultimately, I'd rather do this Sim as its more what I want to do with my life, but as it doesnt get me anything on my license Ive been told its a waste of time. At least the instructor rating is an actual rating and gets you hours. On the other hand, I've heard instructor ratings are fairly useless in the sense many airlines limit the instructor hours you can put forward, and they know that instructor hours arent really you flying, its just day single engine VFR circuits, stalls with little x/c that you more or less supervise.

Any input would be great as Im interested in hearing a lot of oppinions about this since the few I've heard are so all over the show, and at this point im rather :confused:

Thanks

personally, i didnt do it, but i would go the instructor route. whether you beleive it or not, there is a lot of time between where you are and the right seat of a 7-4... that being said, having a CFI and actuially using it will show you what you really dont know and should know about flying, as well as reinforcing the basic concepts of flight day in and day out... you'll get to know the regs better and be able to communicate effectively about the airplane... lastly, i think airlines like the CFI route better becasue eventually you will become a teacher at an airline in that you may be a senior Captain and have a new hire F/O who you will essentially need to teach.

just my $.02

Get the CFI, and buy the turbine pilots manual. That way you'll get a little of both. There is great value in having a CFI, and the stuff you would have learned in the heavy sim class you can get from the book. You won't be able to re-create sim sessions, but the systems stuff and other nice-to-know things will come from the book. When you get a job flying something like a King Air or an RJ, they'll teach you all the stuff you need to know.

CFI all the way.

Selling entry-level pilots ANY kind of jet training is the biggest aviation scam in North America. You need flight time to get an airline job here, not jet training. The CFI will allow to get a job and build actual PIC flight time. And airlines count every minute of it, sometimes they break it out into different columns, but I have never heard of a regional that discounted instructor time in any way. Get the CFI.

(In Europe and Asia it is largely the other way around)

The reason people fall for this scam even when they ae told the right answer by others is because the percieve the jet training to be fun and cool. CFI training is more work...but like in anything else in life, the challenging road yields a better reward in the long run.

Unless it's REAL right seat time in a REAL jet, get the CFI.

CFI route.......

Definately the CFI route. Once you start instructing, it will show potential employers that you can accept a higher level of responsiblity and have competency in major subject areas such as regs, aerodynamics, systems etc. because you've been teaching them. Let your future employers pay for your sim time...

Get the CFI. Most airlines and regionals prefer that you have experinece as an instructor. I know that Continental Express prefered instructors. You'll learn more as a CFI, get Microsoft's Flight Simulator to fly 747's. It's cheaper and you'll have more fun. Save any extra money on the CFI, II and MEI.

Thanks a lot everyone, your replies are great. It seems pretty obvious by the theme of this thread as to what I should do!
CFI - 8 Sim - 0 :)