(Robert M. Gary) wrote
As CFIs we tend to fall into one of three categories.

1) FBO CFIs. You will probably easily fly 40 hours a week and make
about $12 and hour.

I know of no CFI who flies 40 hours a week. Do you realize that this
would be 2000+ hours a year? With the 8 hour daily limitation, it's
difficult even on a good week.

I once knew a guy who flew almost 1200 hours one year. He NEVER took
a day off. He was there every day, and flew as much as he could. He
was also burned out and hated what he was doing. On top of that, 98+%
of those hours were in light singles, and past about 1000 hours, light
single right seat time doesn't really impress the people doing the
hiring.

2) Solo CFI. You will probably make around $40-$50/hr and fly about 10
hours a week.

I don't know where you are, but nobody around here (Houston) charges
rates like that. $30/hr is much closer to the norm.

As for flying 10 hours a week, I did that one year. Didn't really
care for it. That was the year I flew over 300 hours, and I will
probably never do it again. Instead of being fun, it started being a
chore, almost like work, and if I'm going to work, well, I make a lot
more at my day job.

Also, a solo CFI needs either his own plane to rent out or business
from owners. This guy has less than 200 hours. No owner I ever met
wants to fly with a low time CFI building hours.

3) Super CFI. Once you've been a CFI for 30 years or so can usually
get the $40-$50 hr and still work 40 hours a week.

See above about 40 hours a week.

Michael