Helicopter Flight Instructor Rating
Train to teach others to fly at Bankstown Airport, Sydney.
Becoming a flight instructor is one of the most rewarding steps in a helicopter pilot’s career. It develops your flying to a new level of precision, deepens your understanding of every manoeuvre you teach, and opens the door to a long-term aviation career in training, charter and operational roles.
​
The Main Rotor Hub offers the full Flight Instructor Rating pathway — Grade 3, Grade 2 and Grade 1 — from our base at Bankstown Airport. You can complete your initial instructor training with us and continue your professional development through the full grade progression, all within the same operation, the same fleet and the same team.
What is a Flight Instructor Rating?
A Flight Instructor Rating (FIR) is an additional qualification added to your Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL(H)) that authorises you to conduct flight training. In Australia, instructor ratings are issued under the CASA Part 61 framework and structured in three grades:
​
New instructors begin at Grade 3. With experience, training and an instructor proficiency check, you progress to Grade 2 and ultimately to Grade 1 — the level required to supervise other instructors
Why complete your instructor rating with The Main Rotor Hub?
A real aviation training environment
Bankstown Airport is one of the busiest helicopter training environments in Australia. From day one you will instruct in controlled airspace, alongside active commercial operations, using full radio procedures. Instructors trained at Bankstown graduate ready to teach anywhere — not only at quiet regional airfields.
A complete grade progression in one place
Many flight schools offer initial instructor training but require you to move elsewhere to progress through the grades. With our Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 capability in-house, you can build your instructional career — and your supervisory experience — without changing operations.
Modern aircraft built for training
Our primary trainer is the Guimbal Cabri G2, a modern, safety-focused helicopter widely used by professional flight training organisations worldwide. Instructor candidates also have access to our wider fleet, including the Robinson R44, Bell 206 JetRanger and Airbus EC120, supporting type-specific instructor approvals as your career develops.
Mentored progression, not just a course
Instructor training at The Main Rotor Hub is structured but not rushed. You will work closely with our senior instructors throughout the rating, receive ongoing mentoring after issue of your Grade 3, and have a clear pathway through to Grade 2 and Grade 1 as you build hours and experience.
Entry requirements — Grade 3 Flight Instructor Rating
To begin training for an initial (Grade 3) Helicopter Flight Instructor Rating in Australia, you will typically need:
​
-
A current Commercial Pilot Licence (Helicopter) — CPL(H)
-
A current Class 1 Medical Certificate
-
At least 250 hours total rotary time including 100 hours command time
-
A pre-entry flight assessment with one of our Grade 1 instructors
​
If you are still working toward your CPL, our Commercial Pilot Licence page outlines the pathway. If you already hold a CPL from another operator, you are welcome to complete your instructor rating with us — we’ll discuss any conversion or familiarisation flying needed in our aircraft.
What the initial instructor course covers
Initial Flight Instructor Rating training combines structured ground theory with intensive flight training focused on instructional technique, not just flying ability. Topics include:
​
-
Principles and methods of instruction
-
Teaching and learning theory applied to flight training
-
Lesson preparation, briefing and debriefing
-
Demonstration and patter for each flight exercise
-
Identifying, analysing and correcting student errors
-
Human factors, threat and error management in the training environment
-
Safety management and risk assessment in a training context
-
Regulatory framework — Part 61, Part 141 and the CASA Flight Instructor Manual
In the air, every flight exercise from your earlier training is re-flown from the instructor seat, with patter, from the perspective of teaching it to a student who has never flown before.
Progression to Grade 2 and Grade 1
After issue of your initial rating, the goal is to build a broad base of instructional experience under supervision before progressing through the grades.
Grade 2
Grade 2 instructors are able to instruct independently across most flight training activities and supervise students through key milestones, including first solo. Progression to Grade 2 typically requires further instructional hours, supervised experience and a Grade 2 proficiency check.
Grade 1
Grade 1 is the senior instructor level. Grade 1 instructors supervise other instructors, conduct flight reviews, and deliver the most advanced training activities. It is the level required to step into Senior Instructor and Head of Operations roles, and is the natural pathway for instructors who want to make training a long-term career.
At The Main Rotor Hub we actively support our instructors through this progression — including continued mentoring, professional development and opportunities to broaden experience across our fleet and operations.
Career outcomes for helicopter instructors
A Flight Instructor Rating is one of the most valuable additions a commercial helicopter pilot can hold. Instructor work is itself a respected career path, but it also opens doors across the wider industry:
​​
-
Building command and decision-making experience while being paid to fly
-
Operational exposure to a wide range of pilots, missions and aircraft
-
A clear pathway into senior roles — check and training, CFI, Head of Operations
-
A strong foundation for charter, EMS, mustering, offshore and tourism roles
Cost and how training works
Instructor training is quoted individually because the total cost depends on your existing experience, the aircraft type used and how quickly you choose to train. Our broader approach — clear hourly rates, no large upfront deposits, advance funds held in trust and refundable on request — applies to instructor training in exactly the same way as to our CPL and PPL students.
For an indicative breakdown of aircraft hourly rates and how lesson costs are calculated, see our Training Prices & Cost Guide. For a personalised quote based on your current licence and goals, please get in touch.
Get in touch to start your flight instructor career
If you are approaching the end of your CPL, already hold a CPL and are ready to take the next step, or are an experienced instructor planning your progression to Grade 2 or Grade 1, we would like to hear from you.
Contact us to arrange a pre-entry flight assessment and discuss your instructor training pathway at Bankstown.
​
Phone: 0455 99 8674
Email: info@mainrotorhub.com.au
Location: Hangar 611, 65 Tower Rd, Bankstown Aerodrome, NSW 2200
​
Or complete the enquiry form below and we will get back to you quickly