A CFI Venting

[avbug]

I think the point is that we have all been there. My duties included towing airplanes through parades, sitting in the rain at the county fair, taking an airplane apart and reassembling it inside a mall while trying to recruit students. Towing banners, working on airplanes in cold hangars without heat in the winter, doing the books, working the counter, providing instruction, giving scenic flights, teaching ground schools, doing local merit badges, all sorts of public relations things...all a part of that lowly instructing job. And I did love it. And...I was grateful for it.

We've all been there, all done that. I believe the point was, and most agreed, he wasn't the first, won't be the last, and it's nothing new under the sun. I'm glad he's secured other employment, in accordance with his wishes.

 

[JediNein]

Let's see, what does the FBO do with their $18 per hour take:
Pay Worker's Comp Insurance: $6-10 per hour billed, if they were lucky and got cheap coverage.
Pay Liability Insurance $2-3 per hour
Cover losses from the beapilot program ($15-30 an hour)
Any benefits must come out of this amount.
Pay FUTA, SSA, and other employment taxes. Then corporate/business taxes. Then state taxes. And city business taxes. (33% of revenues)

Pay administrative costs ~ $1600-2000 per month for a clerk to do the paperwork
Keep the office lights on: ~$400-500 per month
Keep the phones on: $200 per month
Keep an online scheduling service: $55-120 per month
Keep the company manuals in print: $100 per month
Keep the instructors in internet access: $65 per month (dial up is per minute charge -- BAD!)
Keep the restrooms stocked and clean: $10 per month
Office equipment, mailing statements, pursuing dead beats, rewarding new certificates, and all of that adds up.

Then there are such things as paying the company owner.

Finally, making a profit. After all, that's what we're in business for.

Don't ask about a flight school that owns/operates aircraft, too. It's gonna take a year for that twitch to go away.

Don't forget the therapy costs for when one of the pilots calls to say the engine quit on the airplane, and ATC calls to say that is the third engine failure of that airplane in a week... would we please fix the d*mn airplane.


Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[Typhoon1244]

...towing airplanes through parades...

Congratulations! You just posted the worst aviation job I've ever heard of!

 

[Q200_FO]

You're preachin' to the chior bub...

Been there done that exactly a year ago. I had to get a second job and cut instructing down to part time cause there wasn't enough students. Do what you gotta do to pay the bills. I did.

 

[poorFITgrad'02]

Update

Hey all,

I figured it was only fair to update this thread. After the 3rd or 4th verbal kick in the arse for me to quit my b*tchin', I stopped looking at the mess I created. Now, months later I see it got rated 5 stars!!!!

Anyways, I am now a 135 freight dog building 5 hours of multi time a night, single pilot, PIC in the lovely northeast weather (2 ILS's a night for the first 13 days of May).

To all the CFI's out there who put in a full days, weeks, months, and years work only to seem to keep spinning in the mudd, keep grinding away. Things do open up. Sometimes its luck, sometimes its timing, sometimes its who you know, but thats what aviation is about.

Part of me misses working days anyways, haha.

 

[JimNtexas]

Re: Update

Hey all,

I figured it was only fair to update this thread. After the 3rd or 4th verbal kick in the arse for me to quit my b*tchin', I stopped looking at the mess I created. Now, months later I see it got rated 5 stars!!!!

Anyways, I am now a 135 freight dog building 5 hours of multi time a night, single pilot, PIC in the lovely northeast weather (2 ILS's a night for the first 13 days of May).
....

That's all well and good, but did your car ever finally break in two?

Congraduations.

 

[bobbysamd]

Now what were we telling you?

Anyways, I am now a 135 freight dog building 5 hours of multi time a night, single pilot, PIC in the lovely northeast weather (2 ILS's a night for the first 13 days of May).

See??? Told ya it would work out, if you follow the old adage: "All things cometh to he who waiteth (while he worketh like HELL while he waiteth)."

At the rate you're going you will build a ton of multi within months.

Now, aren't you glad you stuck it out?

Do yourself a favor and get your ATP, now that you're nice and instrument current.

Good luck with the rest of your plans.