Median salary for Flight Instructor (harrrrrrrrrrr)

[GAcfi]

Pay

This is a little off the topic but would the flight instructors out there post or PM what they charge an hour and also what they make a year. Thanks. I'm teaching on the side right now and would like to see what I should charge and what to expect if I go full time. Also, I'm on the NW side of the Atlanta metro area if anyone is interested in instruction. Thanks.

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

Thank you Fly. I will agree with you on the dedication to teaching aspect. It is of the utmost importance, regardless of your situation. As I have said in posts on other threads about being a CFI, if you can't give 100%, you shouldn't be doing it. You owe it to your student and your profession. I would hate to see someone killed by poor instruction and I don't want to have to share airspace with someone who has been poorly taught either. It doesn't matter whether you teach for the local FBO, SimCom, KLS, FlightSafety or SWA your goal should be complete professionalism. If it's not, do something else. There are plenty of other ways to build time... be a traffic watch pilot, tow a Coppertone banner, take aerial photos or be a fire-watch pilot... whatever.

I really dislike the job description that is posted above because it makes anyone who worked for a low salary as a flight instructor sound like a whore. If that is the case then there are a lot of us out there. And not one person should be bitchin' about the 1500 hr guy who co-pilot's a G-IV for 25k/yr or the regional guy who PFT'd because we are no different... we sacrificed pay to build hours and experience. I take exception to that! I never took that attitude towards instructing. I enjoyed instructing but I didn't enjoy starving. I don't want to sound like I'm blowing my own horn but I took pride in what I did and I did it well. And the payoff was that I had so many people coming to me that I couldn't take them all. And if that had translated into living wages I might still be doing it today. Sadly, for most, it doesn't.

All that said, we aren't really talking about the same thing. I'm talking about being a CFI. A CFI could be a beginner but could also be a seasoned pilot as well. And I'm talking about a CFI teaching someone who just wants to toodle around the local countryside as well as someone who want a career in aviation... in other words, who ever comes through the door. American Flyers or ADP or Phoenix East are examples of large schools that teach private to ATP, whoever walks through the door. I doubt their instructors make $78k a year. What you're describing are ab initio schools teaching in air transportation or schools teaching aircraft specific training, like SimCom. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a career in any of these places and I'm glad they are available but I don't think they are what most people think of when they think of being a CFI. Honestly, working at one of those places should carry no more weight or demand no more money than a job teaching at the local FBO. If anything, it's teaching the beginning, the private pilot, that should carry the most responsibility and demand the most pay because it is the basis for everything else. First learned, best learned. Alas, flight instruction does not stand out as an example of our backwardness... it's everywhere in our society.

Anyway, I think we agree on the attributes required for a professional instructor, we are just talking about different situations. Thanks again for the reply!

cc

 

[Flymach2]

Originally posted by Clutch_Cargo

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a career in any of these places and I'm glad they are available but I don't think they are what most people think of when they think of being a CFI.

You're right again, Clutch. Most people think of a flight instructor as what you described early in your post. I agree the instruction should be no different, but sadly it is most of the time. Not so much the quality, but the dedication to the craft. The simple reason is this: Flight time is more valuable to the new instructor pilot than high salary...to start. After some time making little money while putting in long hours, these same folks are conditioned to welcome the low entry-level airline pay. I remember my first multi-engine instructor telling me he was making 5 bucks an hour and how he couldn't wait to have the time to go elsewhere. Nature of the beast, I guess.
I hope in the near future that flight schools and instructors alike realize that there is a demand for career-minded instructors and the pay catches up with that mentality. Thanks for your feedback, Clutch.

Regards

 

[MTpilot]

I must be getting screwed.

I only made $78,509 this year. I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!