Instructor shortage..

[FlyingToIST]

I would like to find out how the schools are coping with instructor shortage. I have had no luck in terms of qualified instructors for instructors that will qualify for assistant chief 141.

There are a lot of the instructors that have fresh ratings, but not some experienced ones..

 

[minitour]

I'm a Chief Flight Instructor and seeing the same thing. How to find qualified individuals?

Pay and QOL.

I decided not too long ago that I really didn't care if I never set foot in the cockpit of a 757, Gee Fife, etc. What matters for me is pay and QOL. Can I afford and maintain a good lifestyle? If the answer is yes, then here I come.

I don't want to be stuck at the airport 15 hours a day to get 7 hours of flight pay...hell, if I never fly but do 6 hours of ground school, that's fine by me too.

I enjoy instructing and want to make a career out of it if I can. That's what it comes down to for me. I'm sure there are others out there that feel the same way.

For the rest of 'em.........it's SJS.

-mini

 

[deadstick]

SJS Aero Club

New idea....

Put CRJ's on the rental line. Forget the 172's and the Seminoles. The way training prices are going, you might not have to raise the rates. They might stay around AND make more than an FO at a regional. After a year as a CFI, 1000 ME turbine PIC. Lookout Majors!

Sorry. Couldn't resist. There are 2 serious issues here: 1) cost of training (to include the user fee debate) and 2) the rapid progression to 121 carriers.

I'm finding CFI shortages all along the East Coast. Some places are paying fairly well (same if not better than regionals and can bill out well over 100 hrs/mo). However, with the regionals are hiring, they can get a 121 job a couple of months after getting the ticket. In the past, a CFI taught for 12-18 months. Now it can be a few as 3. This brings another problem: qualified CFI to sign off the initial CFI.

It's a vicious cycle.

I've heard some places find retired folks to fill the position.

 

[FlyingToIST]

Retired method is the way to go. But then again the qualified ones are getting Part 135 jobs.
The biggest problem is , the cost of training is already pretty high, but I need to charge more for instruction to pay CFIs better..

 

[deadstick]

I've seen some places over $50/hr for the instructor. How much do people pay personal trainers? Other professional consultants/trainers? A bunch more.

Most schools make the margin on the CFI and less on the aircraft.

 

[svcta]

The reason I don't work for a flight school with all my free time is the fact that they charge 40 or 50 bucks an hour and pay instructors 15. SO the world with remain unfortunate in the absence of what I've got to add. It's a sad day. Sniff.

 

[ParrotheadGTI]

flightsafety academy has a huge instructor shortage right now..

 

[RedGuy]

The reason I don't work for a flight school with all my free time is the fact that they charge 40 or 50 bucks an hour and pay instructors 15. SO the world with remain unfortunate in the absence of what I've got to add. It's a sad day. Sniff.

That's the biggest problem right there! It's pretty common to pay $45 an hour for an instructor around here, and like it was said the instructor gets $15, maybe $20. Or you could go independent like I did and charge $45-50 and keep all of it! You can actually make a pretty good living being an instructor once you become well enough known and the flight school's not robbing you of 200% of your pay.

 

[flyf15]

I've seen some places over $50/hr for the instructor. How much do people pay personal trainers? Other professional consultants/trainers? A bunch more.

Most schools make the margin on the CFI and less on the aircraft.

This is the exact issue right there. Everyone needs to change their mindset and realize that instructing needs to be serious business by well qualified individuals. Other one on one service type industries charge double, triple, or more for services rendered by much less qualified individuals. Why shouldn't instruction to learn how to fly AN AIRCRAFT be $75-100/hr? Give the instructor half that plus health care and other benefits and you'll find people that will stick around for longer than 6 months and become experienced enough to help your business grow and be well regarded. Until then, you'll find people who look at your business (flight school) as nothing but a necessary road bump on the way to something else.

 

[svcta]

This is the exact issue right there. Everyone needs to change their mindset and realize that instructing needs to be serious business by well qualified individuals.

Well, let's not get crazy.