There is no reason your club can’t stay a 501 (c) 3 and still have the CFI’s be paid. I am associated with two clubs in the PNW. One insists that there will be no remuneration for the CFI’s. The other says the students shall pay the CFI’s a set hourly rate. Which club do you think has no issues having multiple CFI’s available each weekend and which club is lucky to have one? Which club do you think puts out more rated pilots? How many prospective students have left the club that doesn’t have available CFI’s?

Charlie