First CFI job - Need assistance

[BoDEAN]

I have a job offer from an FBO. The gentleman and his partner run it, and his partner is leaving, and wants to hire me. He said the other guy made about $27,000 in a year time. He has 150 students, and Averages 12 hrs a day (flight hours).

What kind of questions should I ask / inquire on with the company? I would need health insurance.

Is this the average pay that a CFI makes?

 

[generaltso]

Ask him how his instructors end up averaging 12 hours of dual a day.

 

[Speedtree]

I would be careful.

If they are splitting up there could be all kinds of issues.

If you are a new CFI you should know that the FARs prohibit flying more than 8 hours in a 24 hour period. (unless they changed the rules in the last few years, which I doubt), so this should be the first clue that this might not all be true.


Things to ask/consider.

How long have they been in business?

What kinds of airplanes do they have? Do they own them or are they leased back to the FBO from the a/c owners?

Who does the maintenance?

What kind of insurance does the company have, for you and the airplanes? will you be liable for anything?

Talk to the instructor leaving and any others who worked there.
Talk to the students/pilots who deal with the owner. What kind of boss will he/she be.

$27,000 is a good wage for a flight instructor. What are the parameters? How much is guaranteed? What is the minimum hours you must work?

Flight instructing is a tiring, stressful, demanding business if you put your best into it. Your students and aviation as a whole reflect on the quality of instruction you give so don't sell out to any owner or for hours or money. You will get tired so be prepared to give yourself a break now and then. You can't work 7 days a week every week and continue to provide quality instruction. I would question anyone who thinks they can keep track of and train 150 students at once.

I am sure there is more but that's my take for now.

Always do the right thing and you won't regret it.

 

[airgator]

Gizbug-
Not for nothing but use your head and think logically how someone could end up "averaging" 12 hrs a day of FLIGHT time? What do they do have designated ground school insrtructors and leave the planes running while they hot fuel and swap out students?

 

[mainah]

I have a job offer from an FBO. The gentleman and his partner run it, and his partner is leaving, and wants to hire me. He said the other guy made about $27,000 in a year time. He has 150 students, and Averages 12 hrs a day (flight hours).

What kind of questions should I ask / inquire on with the company? I would need health insurance.

Is this the average pay that a CFI makes?

Is that 12 hours all flight instruction? Cause 61.195 clearly spells out that you can only do 8 hours of flight instruction in any 24 hour period. If I am off base someone correct me but, sounds like you would overfly your limits. Also, those numbers sound high to me however maybe they are more normal for your area.

 

[great cornholio]

12 hours of flight time would be illegal for a CFI cause the max in 24 hrs is 8 hrs. But if you instruct 7 days a week then you will get burnt out really fast. I would say instruct 5 days a week max that way you dont burn out too quick. Also take a good look at the condition of the aircraft. Its good to build hours but you dont want to earn a violation in the process.

 

[Flyingtoohigh]

Congrats on the job offer!

The health insurance thing might be tough. The majority of FBO-run schools I know of use contract instructors -- that is the student pays the FBO for the plane and pays the instructor separately for his/her time. Unless you actually become an employee of the FBO and the FBO offers health insurance, you might be on your own to acquire insurance.

Again, good luck with the job offer. Someday I hope to have a CFI job offer, too.

 

[BoDEAN]

The 12 hrs may include some ground time, and not all flying. I am meeting with him next Friday (he's 2 1/2 hrs away) for the details on the job. I just wanted to have a list of questions before I went in to talk to him. I plan on asking why his partner is leaving. Is he going to the majors? Curious

 

[PennEagle]

How many students .....

It's all covered above, but you might also try and find out how many of the 150 students are active. The school I joined some time ago boasted 400 students ~ that figure turned out to be the totally number of people who'd signed up since the school opened!

Once you've completed Speedtree's list, I'd stand back look at the whole operation and ask yourself, "Can I make my mark here?" After all, you're going to represent half the flight instructor corps, so the place (and the student #s) will ultimately be a reflection of your drive and quality.

 

[BoDEAN]

Sounds like a good start! I am in the process of finishing up my CFII and MEI, so I would have to see if someone there could finish me up, and if there were discounts for doing it there. Here is some of the info on the business that I have my eye on:

-Aircraft rental
-Private thru ATP training
-Tail wheel and complex training
-Formation Training
-Spin Training
-Aerobatic Training
-Instrument Training
-Aircraft purchasing service (Inspection, Finance and delivery)
-Ferry service
-Computerized scheduling
-Aviation Summer Camp
-USAF Flight screening program prep course
-Scenic Tours

The 4 planes they fly are :
Cessna 150
Piper Tripacer
Piper Super Cruiser
Piper Arrow

I've only flown a 150. It will be fun to fly the other 3.