Giving instruction in planes from flight schools you're not employed at

[check6]

Define "contract instructor" ????

 

[JediNein]

We didn't care about freelance instructors at our school as long as they completed the checkout requirements (fill out the aircraft questions form, copies of everything, submit name of first born), and didn't crash the planes.

This year our insurance company inserted a line about "must be in the employ" and an aircraft manufacturer added a line about "must supervise all instruction" in our recognized instructor designations. The only other insurance option was "dual only" on anything other than the low performance trainer. Now we're required to have written rental agreements, written leaseback and aircraft management agreements, and the renters must have rental insurance that covers the deductible on all aircraft.

The insurance world changed when we started talking about new airplanes instead of 1970s versions.

Read the policies carefully before attempting instruction in an airplane not part of your school. You as CFI will be held as PIC and the insurance companies are looking for an easy way out. Don't assume that the 'open pilot' policy on a private owner's airplane will protect you. It provides for replacement of the hull of the airplane, not your passengers or your medical expenses.

Walk in with your eyes wide open and be prepared to say no if you have no coverage. One client, one BFR, one IPC, it's not worth it.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[midlifeflyer]

Walk in with your eyes wide open and be prepared to say no if you have no coverage. One client, one BFR, one IPC, it's not worth it.

...and, with very rare exceptions, the only way for a CFI to have coverage is to buy a CFI policy. You =may= have coverage if you are on the approved CFI list at an FBO (rare, but it happens). But I can almost guarantee that you do =not= have coverage if you are teaching in someone's personal airplane. no matter whether you are an "open pilot" a "named pilot" or a "named additional insured" with or without a waiver of subrogation.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Define "contract instructor" ????

Generally means an instructor who works at an FBO or flight school as an independent contractor rather than as a direct employee of the company. The term "contract *****" is used in many occupations and professions with the same general meaning,

 

[rltoma]

If I found out someone was teaching out of the FBO I worked at, I'd turn your A** in to the owner of the FBO so fast your head would spin. Additionally, I would let all the local school's know who you were, and inform them of your attempt to "keep them out of the loop". Flight instructors who attempt this type of dishonesty need to have thier privilages revoked. Not only are you stealing work form the schools CFI's, but you are also breaking the FBO's policy and more than likely voiding thier insurance if something were to happen and you got caught. Why don't you just ask them to hire you so that you could use thier planes legitimately?

 

[flyf15]

Woah there guys, some of you seem to be pretty adamant against this. I was simply dark in this area and wanted to know what the scoop is... don't worry, now that I know the deal, I'm not going to be doing it.

 

[mizzouguy]

Our insurance doesnt allow it nor do we.

 

[ppolstra]

instrucing in other's planes

Don't even thing of instructing in a flight school or FBO's plane if you don't work there. If anything happens you will be paying for every cent of the plane, property damage, and liability since there is no insurance in force while you do so. After the insurance company is done sueing you, the flight school might have at you with another suit for violating your rental agreement.

 

[JimNtexas]

I'm not sure exactly how it would come up at an interview, but consider:

When you give freelance instruction in an airplane that is operated by a flight school, you are taking business away from the CFIs who work there, are piggybacking on the FBO's maintenance, insurance, and operating costs while giving them nothing, and are potentially causing a problem with the FBOs insurance (a large part of pilot and instructor checkouts are insurance driven - if you get in an accident while giving instruction, the FBO coverage may be void), and, as you implied yourself, are breaching the rental agreement you made with the FBO.
...

I don't entirely agree with this. Try looking at it from the point of view of the renter pilot. I meet a CFI I want to fly with. I'm fully checked and qualified to fly the plane I rent, or the FBO wouldn't rent it from me. If I take a CFI with me and receive instruction the school has gained , not lost.

When I rent the airplane and fly it in accordance with the FARs and the rental agreement, then I'm not doing a darn thing wrong.