Flight instructor really likes his job – every day
Lovers of aviation, like flight instructor Darrel Kisler, 40, think the most amazing job in the world is being paid to fly, but the work has ups and downs.
The good part of the job is the flying, while bad parts include the large investment of time and money to become a flight instructor, relatively low pay for the amount of hours worked, challenging students, dangers, and lack of a company retirement plan for most instructors.
Many professional pilots – from crop-dusters and bush pilots to military aviators and airline pilots – start as flight instructors, leaping to other careers after building flight hours. Others see flight instruction as the most important job in aviation – as the future of the industry, and the safety of the skies depend on those who train pilots and make it their career.
What is your job title? “Commercial pilot and flight instructor.” (Works with Action Flying Service at the Coeur d’Alene airport).
How long have you been doing this? “I took my first lesson in October 1996.”
How did you choose this line of work? “My last job in the automotive industry was without a future. Combined with burnout, I wanted to do something where people were happy to spend their money to have a good time. We all seem to have a good time around here.”
Are you paid: (a) well; (b) more than you are worth; (c) slave wages; (d) could be better? “Slave wages. We all want to be paid more than we actually make, right?”
What is the best thing about your job? “Doing something that I really like to do every day. There is never a plateau, it’s never the same and the possibilities are endless.”
What is the worst thing about your job? ” ‘Collision courses.’ ‘Weekend Warriors.’ Landing with the gear up, the lever down, empty fuel tanks, props that suddenly stop and hearing the words ‘I don’t feel so good.’ “
Do you plan on doing this job (a) until retirement; (b) until something better comes along? “Well, we all know that retirement and flight instructors don’t co-exist, but there is always ‘heavier, higher and faster.’ “
Do you have any on-the-job funny stories? “A previous student and I had just landed and were just about to turn off the runway. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him moving his hand up and down as if he was looking for something without taking his eyes off the runway. He stopped, shook his head and laughed. I said, ‘What are you looking for?’ His reply was ‘The blinker.’ We both got a good laugh – especially me.”
Any bad experiences? “In the pattern with a student, I instructed him to pull the throttle back, but he pulled the mixture cut-off instead. When the propeller stopped, the only words I heard from him were, ‘Your airplane.’ I realized that day that maybe I really do have to pay attention!”
If there was a movie made about you and your job, what actor should play you? ” ‘Wrong Way’ Corrigan (Corrigan played himself in the 1938 movie about his flight where he planned to go from Brooklyn to California, but ended up in Ireland instead). Just because he was the most unsuspecting character I could think of.”