Flight Instructor

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Responsibilities

The CAPA Career Plan provides pilots with a great opportunity to turn your passion for aviation into a fulfilling profession. Whether you dream of teaching the fundamentals of flying, sharing your knowledge in a classroom, or mentoring students in a simulator, CAPA equips you with the tools to achieve your goals.

With CAPA, you can choose to train and work in two dynamic locations: Coimbra, Portugal, and Copenhagen/Roskilde, Denmark. Both hubs feature state-of-the-art facilities, experienced mentors, and vibrant aviation communities, ensuring an ideal environment for both learning and career development.

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Qualifications

To become a Flight Instructor you must be a commercial pilot. If you do not have a pilot certificate yet, you must enrole in our pilot course first.

Earning a Flight Instructor (FI) license is a pivotal step in your aviation career, opening doors to a wide range of opportunities. Here’s a detailed overview of the journey from obtaining your FI license to advancing in the aviation industry

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Step 1: Earning Your FI License

After completing your Commercial Pilot License (CPL) training, the next step is obtaining your Flight Instructor (FI) license. This certification involves specialized training to develop your teaching skills, both in-flight and on the ground.

Core Components of FI Training:

    • Learning how to instruct students in flight maneuvers, navigation, and emergency procedures.
    • Gaining skills in ground instruction.
    • Developing communication techniques to effectively guide and mentor pilot trainees.
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Step 2: Gaining Experience as an Instructor

Your first role as an instructor is with our new students. This stage is crucial for building both teaching and flying experience.

  • Primary Responsibilities:
  • Conducting flight training sessions for student pilots.
  • Teaching theoretical subjects in ground school or simulators.
  • Mentoring students and preparing them for practical exams.
  • Advantages:
  • Rapidly build your flying hours while sharing your passion for aviation.
  • Gain recognition as a knowledgeable and trusted mentor in the aviation community.
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Step 3: Advancing Your Instructor Career

With experience, you can progress to higher-level instructor roles:

  • Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFII): Train pilots to fly in instrument conditions.
  • Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI): Teach advanced multi-engine operations.
  • Type Rating Instructor (TRI): Specialize in training pilots on specific aircraft types.

These advanced instructor certifications increase your expertise and make you eligible for higher-paying and more specialized roles.

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Step 4: Transitioning to Airline Roles

The FI path is one of the most effective ways to gain the flight hours required to meet airline hiring standards. Many airlines prioritize candidates with teaching experience, as it demonstrates:

  • Strong communication and leadership skills.
  • Advanced technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities.
  • A deep understanding of aviation safety and operations.

Through CAPA’s partnerships with airlines, instructors often have direct pathways to airline pilot positions once they’ve met the qualifications, including the required hours and certifications.

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Step 5: Leadership and Long-Term Opportunities

For those who remain passionate about instruction, the career doesn’t stop at airlines. With years of experience, you can:

  • Become a Flight Training Manager or Chief Flight Instructor at a training organization.
  • Work as a Safety and Standards Officer, overseeing compliance and safety in flight operations.
  • Transition into regulatory or consultancy roles within the aviation industry.

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Why start with an FI License?

  • Earn while you build hours: Instead of incurring additional costs, you can be paid to fly while teaching others.
  • Diverse career Options: An FI license offers flexibility to work in training, airlines, or aviation management.
  • Industry demand: The growing global demand for pilots means instructors are essential to training the next generation.

Embarking on this path with CAPA ensures you have the guidance, industry connections, and career support to reach your full potential. Whether you aspire to teach, fly for a major airline, or lead in aviation education, the FI license is your first step toward a dynamic and fulfilling career.

We experience a great interest in becoming a flight instructor (FI), which not only provides many with great flying experiences but is also beneficial to include on one’s CV!

If you are interested in becoming a flight instructor, CAPA can help you as well. We typically organize a course every autumn/winter, so the new instructors are ready for spring.

 
Flight Instructor: Teaching process and requirements for the education

The course consists of a theoretical part with 125 hours of classroom instruction on “Teaching and Learning.” This takes place during the day and concludes with an exam administered by the Danish Transport Authority. After passing the theory, the practical flight training consists of 30 hours, conducted individually, and concludes with an exam administered by the Danish Transport Authority.

Admission requirements: According to EASA, Part FCL, the following criteria must be met before the start of the course. You must be: Holder of CPL(A) or ATPL(A) Holder of PPL(A) and have at least 200 flight hours. Of these, at least 150 hours as PIC.

For both of the above, you must have acquired at least 30 hours on a single-engine aircraft. Of these, at least 5 hours must have been flown within the last 6 months. The later mentioned “Pre Entry Flight Test” does not count.

  • Have passed the CPL(A) theory exam
  • Have completed at least 10 hours of instrument flight training as a student. Maximum 5 hours of these may be synthetic flight training.
  • Have performed at least 20 hours of navigation flying as PIC, including 1 flight of 540 km (300 NM), where a ‘full stop landing’ must be made at 2 different airfields en route.
  • Have passed a so-called ‘Pre Entry Flight Test’ with a qualified EASA instructor. This Flight Test is based on a Proficiency Check and must be passed before the course starts.

On the basic instructor training, which grants the right to instruct PPL, additional privileges can be added as experience level increases.

If you are a commercial pilot and do not have FI(A), according to EASA regulations, there is an opportunity to become an IRI (Instrument Rating Instructor). Contact us to learn more.