Charter Pilot or Flight Instructor? Best path after your CPL
So you've finally got your Commercial Pilot License (CPL) in hand. Congratulations! But now comes the million-dollar question that every newly qualified pilot in Australia faces: should you head to the outback as a charter pilot or build hours as a flight instructor?
This decision will shape your first crucial years in aviation, influence where you live, and determine the type of experience you'll gain. Let's break down both pathways to help you make the right choice for your aviation career.
Neither path is objectively better, they both have their pros and cons. Heres how to decide based on your situation.
Understanding Your Options as a Fresh CPL Holder
With your shiny new CPL, you're qualified to be paid for flying, but you're still building toward that magic 1,500-hour mark needed for most airline positions. The two most common routes for low-time pilots in Australia are:
Flight instructing - Teaching student pilots while building your own hours
Charter flying - Operating scenic flights, freight runs, or passenger services in remote areas
Both paths will get you to the airlines eventually, but they offer vastly different experiences along the way.
Flight Instructing: Building Hours While Building Pilots
The Flight Instructor Pathway
Becoming a flight instructor requires an additional qualification - your Grade 3 Instructor Rating. This typically takes 4-6 weeks and costs between $22,000-$34,000 range, but it's an investment that opens doors across Australia's flight training network.
Experience Opportunities
What You'll Gain:
Teaching skills that translate across your entire career
Deep understanding of aircraft systems and flight principles
Radio and navigation proficiency in controlled airspace
Multi-engine time if you progress to teaching multi-engine ratings
Command experience from day one (you're the PIC on dual flights)
Flight instructing forces you to know the fundamentals inside and out. As the saying goes, you never really understand something until you've taught it. Many airline captains credit their instructing years with developing their systematic approach to flying and decision-making.
Hour Building Reality: As a flight instructor, you might fly 30-60 hours per month on average, though this varies significantly by season and location. Busy schools in Melbourne, Sydney, or the Gold Coast might keep you flying consistently year-round, while smaller regional schools may experience quieter periods.
Relocation Possibilities
Where You'll Work:
Flight instructing offers surprising flexibility with location. Major opportunities exist in:
Major cities: Melbourne (Moorabbin, Essendon), Sydney (Bankstown, Camden), Brisbane, Perth
Regional training hubs: Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Wagga Wagga, Jandakot
Coastal locations: Gold Coast, Newcastle, Cairns
The beauty of instructing? You can often choose to stay near family and friends. With flight schools across every Australian state, you can often find instructor positions without relocating to the middle of nowhere.
That said, the most opportunities exist in southeast Queensland and Victoria, where the weather is conducive to year-round training.
Job Prospects and Career Progression
Getting Your First Role:
The instructor job market fluctuates with industry demand. Currently (2026), many schools are actively seeking qualified instructors due to the pilot shortage rippling through the industry. Fresh Grade 3 instructors are finding work, though competition exists for positions at premium schools.
Career Progression:
Grade 3 Instructor → Grade 2 Instructor (after at least 200 dual given)
Grade 2 → Grade 1 (after at least 500 hours dual given)
Senior Instructor → Chief Flying Instructor positions
Simulator instructing opportunities
Transition to airline cadet programs
The Pros and Cons
Advantages:
✈️ Stay in metropolitan areas near support networks
✈️ Consistent flying in controlled airspace
✈️ Develop strong communication and teaching abilities
✈️ Regular schedule (usually)
✈️ Lower personal risk compared to low-level outback operations
✈️ Build multi-engine time relatively easily
✈️ Valuable for airline interviews (demonstrates maturity and knowledge depth)
Disadvantages:
❌ Additional rating required (time and money)
❌ Slower hour building initially (30-60 hours/month average)
❌ Repetitive circuit work can become monotonous
❌ Student mistakes add stress
❌ Weather-dependent income (no fly, no pay at many schools)
❌ Lower starting salary ($50,000-$65,000 typically)
❌ Limited exposure to complex weather decision-making
Charter Pilot: The Outback Adventure
The Charter Pathway
Charter operations across Australia's remote regions are crying out for low-time pilots willing to relocate. Unlike instructing, you don't need an additional rating - just your CPL and the right attitude. Although, in saying this a MECIR will greatly increase your employability and accelerate your progression through the company as you will already have the qualifications for an upgrade. This will typically set you back another $28,000-$31,000.
Experience Opportunities
What You'll Gain:
Real-world operations in challenging environments
Weather decision-making skills in remote, uncontrolled airspace
Weight and balance expertise with varied loads
Navigation skills in areas without reliable GPS or radio coverage
Aircraft handling in crosswinds, short strips, and rough conditions
Independence and self-reliance
Customer service experience directly with passengers
Charter flying throws you into the deep end. You'll fly mail runs to cattle stations, tourist flights over the Outback, medivac support, or mining contractor shuttles. Every flight teaches you something new about managing risk, weather, and human factors.
Hour Building Reality:
This is where charter flying shines. Depending on the operation, you might log 80-100 hours per month, particularly during busy seasons. Some remote charter pilots hit 1,000 hours in their first year - something virtually impossible as an instructor.
Relocation Possibilities
Where You'll Work:
Here's the catch with charter flying: it almost always means relocating to remote Australia. Common charter bases include:
Queensland: Horn Island, Weipa, Mount Isa, Longreach, Birdsville
Northern Territory: Darwin, Alice Springs, Jabiru, Gove
Western Australia: Broome, Kununurra, Port Hedland, Newman
South Australia: Coober Pedy, Leigh Creek
Outback NSW: Broken Hill, Bourke, Lightning Ridge
These aren't weekend-visit locations. You'll be living in communities with populations under 5,000 (sometimes under 500), hours from major cities. The remoteness is both the challenge and the appeal.
Job Prospects and Career Progression
Getting Your First Role:
The charter industry is perpetually short of pilots willing to relocate. If you're mobile and adaptable, remote charter positions are available right now. Many operators hire pilots with as little as 200 hours total time.
Career Progression:
Single-engine charter → Multi-engine charter
VFR operations → IFR endorsement opportunities
Charter pilot → Charter company chief pilot
Regional airline pathway (Rex, Cobham, Skytrans)
Aerial work opportunities (mustering, survey, firefighting)
The Pros and Cons
Advantages:
✈️ Extremely fast hour building (80-100+ hours/month possible)
✈️ Diverse flying experiences
✈️ Real operational decision-making from day one
✈️ Higher earning potential ($60,000-$85,000+ for remote positions)
✈️ Often includes accommodation
✈️ Adventure and unique experiences
✈️ Direct pathway to regional airlines
✈️ No additional rating required
Disadvantages:
❌ Mandatory relocation to remote locations
❌ Isolation from family, friends, and social life
❌ Higher operational risk (outback strips, wildlife, weather)
❌ Limited training structure (you learn by doing, sometimes mistakes)
❌ Seasonal fluctuations in flying hours
❌ Fewer multi-engine opportunities initially
❌ Can be physically demanding (loading freight, refuelling)
Making the Right Choice: Which Path Suits You?
Choose Flight Instructing If You:
Want to stay in or near major cities
Value work-life balance and regular schedules
Prefer structured, methodical skill development
Enjoy teaching and communication
Want to deeply understand aviation theory
Have family or relationship commitments
Are willing to invest time and money in an instructor rating
Prefer controlled airspace experience
Choose Charter Flying If You:
Can relocate to remote areas for 1-2 years
Want to build hours as quickly as possible
Crave adventure and diverse flying
Learn well through hands-on experience
Are single or have a flexible living situation
Don't mind physical work alongside flying
Want immediate earning potential
Thrive with independence and responsibility
The Hybrid Approach: Can You Do Both?
Absolutely! Many successful pilots start with one path and switch to the other, or even do both simultaneously. Some instructors pick up weekend scenic flight work to diversify their experience. Others do a charter stint to build hours quickly, then return to instructing to build multi-engine time.
Your first job doesn't lock you into a career path - it's just the first step on your aviation journey.
Financial Considerations
Let's talk money, because it matters when you're fresh out of training with student loans.
Flight Instructor:
Initial investment: $22,000-$34,000 for rating
Starting salary: $50,000-$65,000
Accommodation: Your own expense
Hour building cost: Essentially free (paid to fly)
Charter Pilot:
Initial investment: $0 - $31,000 (beyond CPL)
Starting salary: $60,000-$85,000 (remote allowances)
Accommodation: Sometimes provided or subsidised
Hour building cost: Free
Trade-off: Isolation and lifestyle limitations
What Airlines Actually Want
Here's an insider perspective: airlines don't strongly prefer one pathway over the other. They want well-rounded pilots with:
Solid decision-making skills
Good communication abilities
Professional attitude
Diverse experience
The magic 1,500 hours
Both instructing and charter flying develop these qualities, just in different ways. Instructors often have stronger procedural knowledge and communication skills. Charter pilots often have superior weather decision-making and adaptability.
The best candidates have elements of both. Consider spending 12-18 months in each role if possible.
Regional Considerations Across Australia
Queensland: Queensland offers the best of both worlds. Excellent instructing opportunities on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, plus abundant charter work in the north (Cairns, Far North Queensland, and the Gulf).
New South Wales: Strong instructing market around Sydney and Newcastle. Charter opportunities in western NSW (Broken Hill, Bourke).
Victoria: Melbourne has Australia's busiest general aviation scene for instructors. Limited charter work in-state.
Northern Territory: Charter paradise with year-round flying. Limited instructing opportunities outside Darwin.
Western Australia: Massive charter operations serving mining communities. Growing instructing market in Perth.
South Australia: Smaller market overall. Adelaide has instructing opportunities, while outback SA has some charter operations.
Your Next Steps
Ready to start your post-CPL career? Here's your action plan:
Assess your personal situation - Can you relocate? What are your financial needs?
Research specific opportunities - Browse current aviation jobs in Australia
Network actively - Join pilot Facebook groups, attend aviation events, speak with pilots in both fields
Consider your timeline - Need hours fast? Charter might be best. Want quality instruction? Teaching could be ideal.
Apply strategically - Don't wait for the perfect job. Get flying, build hours, and adapt as you go
The Bottom Line
There's no universally "best" choice between charter flying and instructing - only the best choice for YOU right now. Both paths have launched thousands of successful airline careers. Both will teach you invaluable skills. Both will challenge and reward you.
The Australian aviation industry needs pilots in both roles. Whether you're teaching circuits at Bankstown or flying freight to cattle stations in the Gulf, you're building toward your ultimate goal while contributing to the industry.
Your career in aviation is a marathon, not a sprint. This first decision matters, but it doesn't define your entire journey. Stay flexible, build hours consistently, learn continuously, and keep your eyes on the horizon.
Ready to start your aviation career? Browse current flight instructor and charter pilot positions across Australia, or explore other pilot career pathways to find your perfect fit.
Looking for more career guidance? Check out our guides on Resume writing, preparing for airline interviews, and understanding pilot salary progression.
