flight instructor pay?

[MJCEK]

what is the average pay for a flight instructor at a small/medium FBO?

Are benefits usually included???

 

[NYCPilot]

Up in the New York City area, expect around $15 -$18. Freelance at $35.

 

[aucfi]

benefits? haha

 

[minitour]

I was just offered a position for $20/hr (80 hr guarantee) and benefits. Medical, dental, etc.

Seems like a good place to me...so they can be found.

-mini

 

[Gutenberg]

our pay ranges from 14-24 an hour and you bill all your own time. We pay half our medical.

Benefits: free soda, bagels on tuesdays, softball, fly-in to OSH in formation, camping there and free booze, bowling and once in a while a concert or something with food and booze. working with cool dudes and dudettes...to use the parlance of our times.

 

[Flechas]

I used to make $18/hr, no bennies. Now they are paying $30/hr. I'd be making a lot more than what I'mmaking now....

 

[MJCEK]

are most flight instructor jobs full-time 40hrs a week???

 

[Flechas]

are most flight instructor jobs full-time 40hrs a week???

It depends where you wor and how much are you willing to/ need to work. I used to fly about 80-120 a month, plus ground. This was going to work 7 days a week, spending all day at the school almost every day. I also had to find my own students. That's when working for an universuty is better,they give you studdents. But I was able to choose who to fly with, and I got most of my students by word of mouth.

 

[skyaddict]

Where I instructed until 5 years ago in the SF Bay area it was accepted practice at the better flight schools to (rightly so) charge block for the entire lesson- preflight and postflight briefings, supervising the preflight of the aircraft (unless one was eating your lunch then or it overlapped with a postflight of another student), and of course the actual flight- so a 3 hr lesson was 3 hrs pay. Pay was $35-45 an hour, as we were all freelance. On the peninsula, $50-70 an hour was not uncommon. Unlike the airlines, where you only get paid for half the time you work on average, a good freelance instructor can thus get paid for all his time at work if he keeps busy, and thus a $35/hr instructor can effectively be paid like a $70/hr regional Captain.

Benefits? Normally none... but one huge benefit vs the airlines- unlimited dropping of trips, unlimited pickups, and if weather is borderline you can easily work or cancel a lesson depending on whether you feel like extra money or going to the movies that day. However, it is hard to make money without working both weekend days so like the airlines, the working on weekends part is a drag. But at least you don;t feel any need to work holidays.

QOL (sp. being home every night) overall, when I instructed was far superior to any of my airline experiences. However, the actual work of airline flying is much much easier than cheating death from the occasional hamfisted maniac who is trying to kill you... at least if one discounts all the commuting, crashpadding, and killing time unpaid in hotels and departure lounges.

 

[Art Vandalay]

Where I instructed until 5 years ago in the SF Bay area it was accepted practice at the better flight schools to (rightly so) charge block for the entire lesson- preflight and postflight briefings, supervising the preflight of the aircraft (unless one was eating your lunch then or it overlapped with a postflight of another student), and of course the actual flight- so a 3 hr lesson was 3 hrs pay. Pay was $35-45 an hour, as we were all freelance. On the peninsula, $50-70 an hour was not uncommon. Unlike the airlines, where you only get paid for half the time you work on average, a good freelance instructor can thus get paid for all his time at work if he keeps busy, and thus a $35/hr instructor can effectively be paid like a $70/hr regional Captain.

Benefits? Normally none... but one huge benefit vs the airlines- unlimited dropping of trips, unlimited pickups, and if weather is borderline you can easily work or cancel a lesson depending on whether you feel like extra money or going to the movies that day. However, it is hard to make money without working both weekend days so like the airlines, the working on weekends part is a drag. But at least you don;t feel any need to work holidays.

QOL (sp. being home every night) overall, when I instructed was far superior to any of my airline experiences. However, the actual work of airline flying is much much easier than cheating death from the occasional hamfisted maniac who is trying to kill you... at least if one discounts all the commuting, crashpadding, and killing time unpaid in hotels and departure lounges.

nice post! It can be done, and be done easily if you are around decent people that value your time and experience.

 

[HMR]

Never let your CFI lapse. After I instructed for 18mos. I got hired to fly PT135 King Airs. I went to BE20 school with 1250TT. After I got 200hrs or so under my belt, I started instructing rich guys who were transitioning into King Air's from piston twins. Most of the other KA pilots had let their CFI expire so I became the "go to" guy even though I had the least experience. The "students" were all great pilots and easy to work with. I taught in a brand new 200 and charged $100/hr for ground and flight. I wish I still had access to that plane!

Have a good attitude and students will flock to you.

 

[Lead Sled]

Are benefits usually included???

The biggest benefit is what you learn as an instructor. Anything else is gravy.

'Sled

 

[AD SUPT Hopeful]

20/hr Flight and 15/hr Ground as Independant Contractor for a flight school in North Florida. Overall, pretty average for that area.

 

[BoDEAN]

what is the average pay for a flight instructor at a small/medium FBO?

Are benefits usually included???

15-18/hr in SE MI. No benefits.

 

[jaxpilot]

yeah in Florida go ahead and deduct $10/hr of the rates you're seeing. Up here in Jax its not as bad as down south, but still.

 

[Flyin Tony]

I make 20$ an hour now, but starting 10/1 im going to make 25. I fly about 100 hours a month (thats a good month)

 

[GAcfi]

Instructor pay

$35.00 an hour at a Small FBO.

 

[minitour]

$35.00 an hour.

Holy Smokies!

 

[GAcfi]

Pay

Mini,
I guess I should explain. At a FBO at a small airport I get all of my instructor's fee's (35). The owner of the aircraft keeps all the plane rental and I'm an idependent contractor that he has placed on the planes insurance. When I instruct for a major university flying club I only get $23.

Yes, I have a good deal with the individual that gives me my entire rate, however, you have to market yourself and you have no school to feed you students. It is in a rural area so not many people are that interested or willing to drive the distance from the city to that airport. It is all on your own at the small GA airport. You place ads, conduct ground schools, mail flyers, and post signs, whatever it takes to get people in.

The university flying club has a steady flow of students and is closer to mi casa, so the smaller amount of money per hour is made up buy not driving as much and having motivated and educated students.

Mini. I e-mailed you when I was at Airman. Send me a PM and let me know how you are and what you know about the old school. Your information was a great help when I was there.
GA

 

[W.S.C.O.D.]

first job was $14 but Im at $18 now about to get my gold seal and ask for $20. 60-100hrs a month did 8 yesterday 5 today, Im pooped!- southeast, TX