What's the going rate for instructors?

[MaxQ]

My friend was asked to give some flight instruction and was asking me if I knew what the going rate was for instructors giving instruction to students with their own aircraft. I've been out of flight instruction for quite a while and figured i'd ask you guys.

This will be a primary student with little to no instruction so far using a friends pressurized Cessna 210 in the Chicagoland area. I know this is not the best plane to start training in but he is getting a great deal on it... just pays fuel. All training will be done on a 1-on-1 basis.

Thanks fellas!

 

[340drvr]

You already mentioned.....not the best plane..........yeah, I wouldn't touch this! Primary in a P210, wow, that'd be tough.
I'd have to think at least $40-$50/hr, and you should think about insurance, too.
Good luck.

 

[NuGuy]

Hiya,

The going rate here for experienced free-lance instructors for one-on-one is $35 an hour, flight or ground, payable directly to the CFI.

Mind you, in this case, most of the instructors are VERY experienced, and most are airline people (currently or formerly).

However, despite the price, there doesn't seem to be any lack of a market for us, and some guys have more business than they can handle.

Best,
Nu

 

[bigD]

In the Austin area, the going rate for freelance instructors seems to be anywhere between $25-$40/hr.

 

[skychaser]

40 or 50.00/hr and no less. Remember the money you spent to get your ratings? You deserve it. If you are less experienced, then 40/hr is fair. Have experience? 50/hr. Good luck.

Primary in a 210 is worth the money in itself...the CFI better have LOTS of patience!

 

[Flyforfood]

I've always heard a price from 30.00 to 36.00 for instruction. I am on salary so I'm not a great source for this information. However I tend to agree with the P210 being too much for initial training. I'd advise some crawling before the full out sprint that this guy is gonna have to do. Hope you have a lot of patience. This should be fun for you.

 

[skychaser]

I'd like to clarify my previous post. 40-50/hr is the going rate in the tri-state area: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut.

I have no idea what it is in the rest of the country.

 

[Toy Soldier]

CFI pay

I charge $45 in the south metro Atlanta area and am turning down students.....

 

[Flight_Line]

For primary in something like a P210 I wouldn't charge less than $50/hr. I'll second the need for insurance. Just make sure who ever is getting the policy reads it carefully. For coverage it is going to run you I'd say well over $1000 and probably closer to $2000 for CFI insurance and it may not even cover you. Gotta watch out for those insurance companies.

 

[troy]

I'd make a call to the nearest flight school/FBO and ask what they charge. I think that we go for about $38/hr, but when I freelance, I cut that to about $30. I can't supply the student with all the services that the school could.

 

[cvsfly]

When considering the proper aircraft for primary training, I have always thought it is not so much the consideration for the student learning the plane - bottom line he has to - he and the instructor better be up for the challange - it is more for the consideration for the plane. I would not be doing alot of engine outs or slow flight (temperatures) in a 210 let alone a P210. Who is the owner/idiot that is lending the plane for this? Might as well by a new engine/tires/gear now. I highly doubt that the insurance will allow this if the student isn't the owner himself. And when it comes to the checkride, you better have everything legal/working in that plane.

 

[Wiggums]

I would not be doing alot of engine outs or slow flight (temperatures) in a 210 let alone a P210. Who is the owner/idiot that is lending the plane for this?

Yeah, overall it's probably cheaper to rent a 152 then fly the 210 for primary training. A P210 is a lot of airplane, even for an experienced pilot. I'd make sure the YOU are comfortable flying the thing before you get in it with him. It took me about 10-20 hours to feel competent in a T210, and I am an ATP rated pilot. Also, engine-outs and maneuvers will kill this engine, and a rebuild costs about two whole 152s.

 

[TXCAP4228]

Yeah, overall it's probably cheaper to rent a 152 then fly the 210 for primary training. A P210 is a lot of airplane, even for an experienced pilot. I'd make sure the YOU are comfortable flying the thing before you get in it with him. It took me about 10-20 hours to feel competent in a T210, and I am an ATP rated pilot. Also, engine-outs and maneuvers will kill this engine, and a rebuild costs about two whole 152s.

I was just thinking that even doing touch and go's in this airplane with yanking the throttle around may damage the engine. Primary in this airplane would be a bad idea.

Besides that, visions of JFK jr.

But what do I know?

 

[surfnole]

Toy Soldier,

How many hours are you able to bill a month? What do you think is possible for a yearly salary solely instructing?

Its been in the back of my mind to due this as a side job then instruct during retirement ( a long way away). My employer is currently shipping jobs furiously to India, so it could also provide some income in between jobs. I recognize I couln't get 45 an hour starting, buy guys in my flying club were getting 30.

I can't imagine flying more than 70 to 80 hours a month, but how many hours total when you add ground school?

 

[Toy Soldier]

I instruct part time yet I am turning students away. When I started instructing I was billing more per month than the highest flying-time full time CFI! This was because I hustled and didn't sit in the lounge complaining that I wasn't flying. In fact, I had 11 students and was flying part time.

BUT - how much you fly and bill is going to depend on your strategy! Let me help you develop one! Following are some rules of thumb and goals:

1. Try to find students with their own airplanes FIRST. These can be "kids of pilots", folks wanting to learn to fly, etc.

2. Try to stick with "professional" clientele. By this I mean doctors, lawyers, managers, etc. It is better to fly three times a week with one student than to wait for a "kid" to cut 18 lawns to be able to pay for one lesson a month. Find a "professional" and convince them to buy a plane.

3. Read the book "The Savy CFI". It has a lot of good info in it.

4. DO bill your students form "hi to bye". A lot of money (yours) is wasted by not billing agressively.

5. I set my rate at $45/hr, however, I will offer discounts if the student buys block time from me. This is an incentive for them to pay you up front. I have a fellow that pays me for two boys in their C182. I give him a discount.

6. Use the breath out of www.landings.com! EVERY pilot is listed in there for you to market yourself to!!!!! Search for the pilots in your area and offer them BFR's. Also, you can search for private pilots WITH airplanes and offer to help them with their instrument ticket! Search for pilots with airplanes FIRST!!!!

7. Market yourself, be personable, and beat the bushes seriously. I will tell you that the bulk of my students came from word of mouth. It will take you a little time to build a reputation that works.

8. Wear collared shirts that say something about flight instructor on it. I have gotten leads from my shirts. I had the stiching done at a local sewing shop.

9. Get your Master CFI thru NAFI. It is another feather in your cap!

10. Use a syllabus. Believe it or not a syllabus will help you make more money because it keeps your training structured. It also lays out the ground training that you can bill for on rainy days.

11. Become a GLEIM distributor and sell those kits to your students as well!

12. Add to this list! If you brain storm enough, you will find a way to make it work. You have to market yourself just like any other business dude out there.

You can make it work. It just takes some thought. I hope the above ideas spark some more that might work for you... HAPPY HUNTING!

 

[Av8trxx]

I was just thinking that even doing touch and go's in this airplane with yanking the throttle around may damage the engine. Primary in this airplane would be a bad idea.

Besides that, visions of JFK jr.

But what do I know?

No doubt! Even if this student is a rocket scientist, it seems like a bad choice of a/c for a PPL student, even if it is free gas. It's a whole lotta airplane and most students have problems staying ahead of 172s!


PS The going rate is about $35 an hour for most CFIs in the SAN area. Lots of clubs here.

 

[Steve]

I instruct part time yet I am turning students away. When I started instructing I was billing more per month than the highest flying-time full time CFI! This was because I hustled and didn't sit in the lounge complaining that I wasn't flying. In fact, I had 11 students and was flying part time.

BUT - how much you fly and bill is going to depend on your strategy! Let me help you develop one! Following are some rules of thumb and goals:

1. Try to find students with their own airplanes FIRST. These can be "kids of pilots", folks wanting to learn to fly, etc.

2. Try to stick with "professional" clientele. By this I mean doctors, lawyers, managers, etc. It is better to fly three times a week with one student than to wait for a "kid" to cut 18 lawns to be able to pay for one lesson a month. Find a "professional" and convince them to buy a plane.

3. Read the book "The Savy CFI". It has a lot of good info in it.

4. DO bill your students form "hi to bye". A lot of money (yours) is wasted by not billing agressively.

5. I set my rate at $45/hr, however, I will offer discounts if the student buys block time from me. This is an incentive for them to pay you up front. I have a fellow that pays me for two boys in their C182. I give him a discount.

6. Use the breath out of www.landings.com! EVERY pilot is listed in there for you to market yourself to!!!!! Search for the pilots in your area and offer them BFR's. Also, you can search for private pilots WITH airplanes and offer to help them with their instrument ticket! Search for pilots with airplanes FIRST!!!!

7. Market yourself, be personable, and beat the bushes seriously. I will tell you that the bulk of my students came from word of mouth. It will take you a little time to build a reputation that works.

8. Wear collared shirts that say something about flight instructor on it. I have gotten leads from my shirts. I had the stiching done at a local sewing shop.

9. Get your Master CFI thru NAFI. It is another feather in your cap!

10. Use a syllabus. Believe it or not a syllabus will help you make more money because it keeps your training structured. It also lays out the ground training that you can bill for on rainy days.

11. Become a GLEIM distributor and sell those kits to your students as well!

12. Add to this list! If you brain storm enough, you will find a way to make it work. You have to market yourself just like any other business dude out there.

You can make it work. It just takes some thought. I hope the above ideas spark some more that might work for you... HAPPY HUNTING!

Toy Soldier,

What does insurance run you on the 150? What kind of avionics do you have in it?

 

[Steve]

Forgot to ask,

How much do you charge an hour for the 150?

 

[Wiggums]

I was just thinking that even doing touch and go's in this airplane with yanking the throttle around may damage the engine. Primary in this airplane would be a bad idea.

Besides that, visions of JFK jr.

But what do I know?

I looked up the operating costs for a 210. Your looking at about $40 an hour for fuel and oil, and then another $20 for engine reserve. The you've got to add in some for mx, figure ATLEAST another $10-20 an hour. Assuming normal mx and nothing major breaks you are up to the rental rate for nice older 172. Don't do primary training this aircraft you will tear it up. The insurance company won't let him solo it anyways. Open pilot mins for the 210 I've flown are 1000TT, 250 complex, and 25 in type.

 

[Salty Dog]

F#@% the insurance companies. I'm sure not going to live my life by what some pinhead w/green eyeshades sitting behind a desk has determined will sufficiently limit his financial exposure to ensure a healthy profit.

"Too hard", "too much", "too bad for the plane" blah blah blah. This is America. If the owner has no problem with it then he can dam n well do what he wants with HIS airplane. Quit pi$$ing on some newbie's good deal just because you didn't get one.

I know a guy who first learned to fly in a T-6. First airplane, first solo, first checkride. I'd hate to hear the peanut gallery's commentary on how horrendous that would be to a priceless warbird, blah blah blah.

The Navy uses turboprops for their primary trainer nowadays and they seem to manage a modicum of success.

Think outside the box a little, people. Just because you (and I, by the way) learned how to fly in an aircraft that was purpose-built to provide the absolute least expensive, least difficult, and least demanding environment for the bare minimum of flying skills doesn't mean that's the only way to do it. Sheesh.

Just answer the man's question. (or woman's)

$25 in Corpus - not that that helps you much up in Chicagoland.