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What is a Flight Instructor Rating?

Take Instructing to New Heights

What is a Flight Instructor Rating?

When you complete a Flight Instructor Rating, you also need to complete at least 1 Training Endorsement. Training Endorsements are what allow you to teach in specific areas of flight training. Most pilots choose to complete the Grade 3 Training Endorsement first, as this offers the widest initial scope to be able to instruct. The following Training Endorsements are available.
Download Course Guide Enquire Online School Tour
Download Course Guide Enquire Online School Tour

Flight Instructor Rating Options

When you complete your initial Flight Instructor Rating, you also need to complete it with at least one training endorsement. Most pilots choose to complete the Grade 3 Training Endorsement, as this offers the widest initial scope to be able to instruct. The following training endorsements are available.

Select Training Endorsement

Grade 3 FIR
Grade 1 & 2
Multi-Engine
Instrument Rating
Aerobatics & Spinning
Night VFR
Design Feature

Training You Can Conduct

Minimum Requirements

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Next Commencement Date

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  • 1. How do I become a flight instructor?

    To become a flight instructor, you need to complete a Flight Instructor Rating (FIR) course. To be eligible to commence the FIR course you must hold either a PPL, CPL or ATPL plus at least 200 flying hours (including 100 as PIC). CASA requires that flight instructors have completed a Principles and Methods of Instruction (PMI) course plus at least 1 training endorsement in addition to completing an instructor training course and passing the instructor rating aeronautical examination.

  • 2. What are training endorsements?

    A training endorsement allows you to instruct someone for specific pilot authorisations. At Learn To Fly Melbourne, we offer Grade 3, Grade 2, Grade 1 Training Endorsement; Multi-Engine Training Endorsement; Instrument Rating Training Endorsement; Aerobatics & Spinning Training Endorsement; Design Feature Training Endorsement and Night VFR Rating Training Endorsement.

  • 3. What can a flight instructor do?

    Flight instructors can teach student pilots and conduct flight and theory training for pilot licences, ratings and endorsements, with limitations. There are 3 levels of flight instructor, known as grades; flight instructors will start at grade 3 and can complete further training to advance towards grade 1. Flight instructors are able to complete training endorsement courses that allow them more flight training privileges, including conducting training for specific ratings, endorsements and flight activities, as well as sending students solo and conducting flight reviews.

  • 4. What are the benefits of becoming a flight instructor?

    Becoming a flight instructor is an enormous benefit to your professional development as a pilot as well as your career. Learning how to effectively teach different personalities and different learning styles is a worthy life skill on its own, and applying it to flight training scenarios, in turn, enhances your own flying knowledge and skills. Flight instructors are in demand in the aviation industry worldwide and that demand will only continue to grow. In addition, a flight instructor role allows you to get paid while you build your flight hours towards being eligible for other opportunities like direct entry airline pilot roles.

Download Course Guide

Flight Instructor Rating FAQ

Training Endorsements Summary

Training Endorsements offer added instructor privileges and allow you to instruct in different areas of flight training including ratings, endorsements and flight activities. The more Training Endorsements you have, the more you can teach, which in turn allows you to build more hours while teaching and enhances your career prospects
Multi-Engine Training Endorsement
Grade 3 Training Endorsement
Grade 1 & Grade 2 Training Endorsement
Instrument Rating Training Endorsement
Aerobatics & Spinning Training Endorsement
Design Feature Training Endorsement
Night VFR Training Endorsement

Multi-Engine Training Endorsement

An excellent option for flight instructors that want the opportunity to build more multi-engine flying hours, a Multi-Engine Training Endorsement allows you to teach the syllabus for the Multi-Engine Class Rating course.

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Grade 3 Training Endorsement

Grade 3 Training Endorsement allows you to teach RPL, PPL and CPL syllabus. This offers the greatest initial instructing scope for new instructors.

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Grade 1 & Grade 2 Training Endorsement

Progressing to Grade 2 and Grade 1 status allows instructors to grow their flight training capabilities and expand on their privileges, including sending students solo, assessing KDRs, granting licence endorsements, and supervising other instructors.

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Instrument Rating Training Endorsement

An Instrument Rating Training Endorsement allows you to conduct Instrument Rating flight training. This means you can continue building overall flight hours in more conditions and helps to maintain your instrument flying proficiency.

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Aerobatics & Spinning Training Endorsement

The Aerobatics & Spinning Training Endorsement allows you to instruct the aerobatics and spinning training syllabus. Aside from being a lot of fun, these flight activities are important for maintaining your ability to handle abnormal aircraft situations.

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Night VFR Training Endorsement

If you are looking to build your flying hours faster, being able to fly at night is a huge advantage. The Night Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Training Endorsement allows you to train and conduct flight reviews for the Night VFR course.

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Design Feature Training Endorsement

Some aircraft have features that require additional training, such as a tailwheel undercarriage, retractable undercarriage, and manual pitch propeller control (MPPC). A Design Feature Training Endorsement allows you to teach the syllabus for any design feature endorsements you hold.

See Course Details

About Our
Instructors

Darren McPherson

Training Consultant

Training:
Primary Methods of Instruction (PMI), Advanced Aviation Learning

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Darren McPherson

Training Consultant

Senior Captain Darren McPherson has over 30 years and 18,000 hours of flying experience. Starting his career as an aero club boy, Darren is a great example of what can be achieved through perseverance and dedication.

His experience as an aviation career specialist has helped countless pilots to achieve their dreams of flying for major airlines around the world. We are extremely lucky to have his wealth of knowledge on board here at Learn To Fly as a highly valuable associate consultant.

Nick Harris

Head of Operations | Grade 1 Instructor

Training:
Multi-Engine, CPL, Formation & more

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Nick Harris

Head of Operations | Grade 1 Instructor

Originally from London, Senior Base Pilot and Grade 1 Flight Instructor Nick Harris has been flying for over 12 years. He tells us that it “seemed like a good idea at the time” to become a pilot, but we think that maybe it had more to do with growing up watching the Concorde take off over his house (um, that’s pretty awesome).

As an instructor, Nick loves seeing how excited students get after their first solo, or after passing their flight test.

He hopes to one day fly a Tiger Moth around Australia – and in fact, he’s actually building one at the moment to do just that!

What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

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What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

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What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

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What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

Lawrence Byrnes

Grade 1 Instructor

Training:
Multi-Engine, Formation, Aero & more

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Lawrence Byrnes

Grade 1 Instructor

Grade 1 Flight Instructor Lawrie Byrnes has a LOT of aviation experience, having been flying for over 50 years! He grew up in Melbourne and was always fascinated with model aeroplanes as a youngster.

It wasn’t until later on when he was being escorted around Vietnam in C130 Hercules aircraft that he truly realised that the pilot life was his calling. His career has seen him flying for regional airlines and charter in an impressive range of aircraft that includes the Mitsubishi MU-2, Douglas DC3, Cessna Citation, Beechcraft 1900 and Piper PA31 Navajo.

Lawrie loves striving for accuracy in his flying, and after his extensive career, he has turned his attention to Aerobatics, Formation and IFR. We’re thrilled to have such an experienced pilot on board to head up our Formation and Aerobatics Endorsement courses.

What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

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What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

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What Is A Flight Instructor Rating?

Joshua Best

Student Training Manager | Grade 1 Instructor

Training:
Multi-Engine, FIR, IFR, CPL & more

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Joshua Best

Student Training Manager | Grade 1 Instructor

Josh started his flying training at age 16 but was born with aviation in his blood. He remembers flying around the Victorian Gippsland region in Cessna 172s with his grandfather as a small child, as well as regular trips to some of the larger airports to watch the “big planes” coming and going.

As a Flight Instructor, Josh loves the fact that every day there is something different to teach. He’s also a big fan of the fact that typically, every customer or student leaves with a smile on their face after flying.

Whilst Josh would one day love to fly in a domestic passenger transport role, his ultimate goal is to join the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Our
Graduates

Our FIR Graduates
Since 2019

49

Success Employment Outcomes

31

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We're here to provide you with more information about learning to fly. If you are in Melbourne, feel free to schedule a school tour to check out our aircraft & facilities. Speak to our friendly flight instructors & staff, they will talk you through the whole flight training process, step by step, and answer any questions you have.

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Phone: 1300 532 768

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Address: 22 - 24 Northern Ave

Moorabbin Airport, VIC 3194

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