Let me start by saying that this isn't flame bait and I am not looking for a post full of negative comments. I was just thinking about this the other day while I was droning along in the plane building up a few hours.

Exactly what are the quality of "dual given" hours? I ask this on my soul example alone and would like some input from those who know. In my specific case doing my PVT out of the 40 hours I flew before my check ride, of the hours that I flew with my instructor onboard (I didn't look at my LB to see exactly how many hours that was) he touched the controls maybe all together two of those hours max. The first few flights I took off and flew with his direction then he landed. After being able to land, he never touched the controls again other than to demonstrate a maneuver. So in reality he got 20-30 hours of dual given for just sitting in the right seat. Granted I know he was there if something happened and we were in a teaching environment but I was at the controls and he was pretty much a "safety pilot". Not making light of a CFI's time in the aircraft, again just using my example. My insturment training was pretty much the same case. Matter of fact when I started looking for an insturment instructor, I found that most of the CFIs at my school had little if any actual IFR time. I finally found a retired airforce pilot and did my instrument with him. Not saying that only having simulated time in IFR makes less of an instructor but I wanted someone who had been there and done that.

So what is the difference in "quality" of time between a CFI in my case and say me. I am an aircraft owner and log 10-20 hours a month using my plane. I try to fly at least 2-3 times a week normally in the mornings before work going to airports that I can get there and back in two hours. I try not to use the GPS and focus on other instruments. I also try to fly in all different weather to gain the IFR time. At least one weekend a month my wife and I go somewhere in the plane normally 3-4 hours one way. I try to go somewhere that keeps me in different types of airspace and always file IFR or use flight following, not only for safety but to continue to build my ATC communication skills. Also being an aircraft owner I have to take into account fuel and equipment conservation and other things that most renters or CFIs wouldn't have to.

So who has the better quality time? Me doing something different as much as I can and being the person flying? Or the guy giving direction and riding along in the right seat getting no actual stick time?

Again I am not trying to start anything and maybe most CFIs have it much harder than mine did and actually have to fly the plane more. I ask because I honestly want to know what is looked at as better time.

 

Here is my take on it. First of all, kudos to you for making your flying time productive. Adding variety and doing things other than following a GPS makes you a good stick. And that will be very productive when you go to take a sim ride for a job interview. However, being a good stick is only part of being a pilot. Decision making skills and problem solving are another huge part of baing a good pilot. Those are things that can be accomplished daily as a CFI. So, I dont believe that either way of logging time is any better than the other, they just develop different skill sets.

Thats the way I see it anyway.

 

You partially answered your own question. It's not common to have a student as motivated and talented as you are. As far as quality time, at some point, your CFI or you will want to fly a plane that requires more than one pilot. I learned a lot about aviation from instructing, but more about people. Instructing not only polishes your flying skills, but teaches you about the different emotions and behaviors exhibited by people and how to effectively deal with them. There are different levels of instructors just like there is a difference in the talent students posess. One last thing, learning plateaus can decrease your motivation. If you want to see a CFI work, go get your tailwheel endorsement (if you don't already have one) or MEL.

 

Like others have said, the CFI is in command of an aircraft and a crew. Very few entry-level jobs provide you with the crew environment.

The CFI also is a professional pilot...he cannot just fly when he wants to or feels like it, and must balance competing demands from customers, management, Mx, FAA, and weather.

Even if you hold a commercial ticket, without any work experience you are essentially still a private pilot. Regional airlines and other employers will hire people like that, but they will hire an equally experienced professional pilot first.

 

I think you've gotten three very good answers here. I'll also throw in this about CFI'ing:

In general, the CFI should not be doing very much of the flying. My job as a CFI is to facilitate the student's learning, not to demonstrate or practice my skills (except when demoing a maneuver). Particularly when it comes to instrument and advanced instruction, the student already knows the basics of controlling the aircraft so I don't need to have my hands on the controls. What I am there to do is coach/critique/evaluate/suggest/and so on. Most of the time that doesn't require me to touch the controls. Certainly there are times when you need to (for example: crosswind landings, where the student doesn't realize how much control authority they have remaining - I'll assist with the additional control input so the student realizes they have plenty of aileron and rudder available, they're just timid in using it). I've never tracked it, but I'd guess less than 5% of my CFI time involves me actually handling the controls.

The point of this long explanation is this: As others have said, the value of dual given is multi-faceted; it develops your communication skills, it reinforces your own aeronautical knowledge (you really learn concepts when you have to teach them, and there's nothing like getting a question from a different perspective which you can't effectively answer to make you aware of what you don't know), it teaches you to operate in a crew environment, it teaches you how to be an effective leader, it develops your judgment and ability to interpret situations. I could go on, but you get the point.

When it comes to being a professional aviator (in the context of being and airline or corporate pilot operating in a crew environment) the stick and rudder skills, while certainly very important, are not really the biggest part of the job. Giving dual as a CFI is great way to start developing those skills.

Now, don't get me wrong - all of the things you are doing are great! You certainly seem to be making a dedicated effort to make your flight time really count for something, and that will certainly pay dividends in the future. I'd even be so bold as to say that perspective on things could serve you very well as a CFI - the CFI community needs people who are really interested in doing the best job they can as instructors, not just building time. From what I read in your post, it sounds like you would be that type of person. If so, I'd encourage you to pursue that if you are so inclined.

Now to actually attempt to answer your question - which one is better quality time: Yes. As Walker said, they are both develop valuable and important skill sets. If I'm interviewing, I'm looking for the guy who has done both.

 

Difference between your time and his, is that his situational awareness is much higher, as is his level of profficency and experience. You can multiply this even more when you start talking about teaching instrument students and multi engine.

Honestly, while sharp student like you were a pleasure to teach, they were also pretty boring. Yes, I would go dozens of hours without touching the controls. The CFI is there for the problem children or to find out where his limits are and gain the experience of handling a multitude of problems. Students do stupid things, and usually at the worst time, that is where the quality time an instructor builds is.

 

Most learn more as an instructor than they did as a student. It is valuable time. Flying straight and level is easy.