req: CFI job advice

"Doug Vetter" wrote in message
...
You're not really an independent CFI as much as an
independent business. If that doesn't scare you, you have never been in
business.

Read, and re-read the above.

Freelancing on weekends is not "in business".

Reading the fine print on the credit card statements to figure out which one
gets the minimum balance and which one you skip is "in business".

The only full-time independent CFI I know if a retired schoolteacher.
Everyone else I know either works for a school, or only freelances
part-time.

"Bob Fry" wrote in message
...
"GM" == Gattman writes:

GM Most recently I had to sign a contract rider for a job I
GM already have that says I won't badmouth the company for six
GM months after I quit.

To get even more off-topic, that seems unenforceable, I violation of
the free speech clause of the US Constitution. Non-disclosure of
company secrets, sure. Non-compete, maybe. Non-trash-talk?

My wife is having a field day with it. She's in human resources and says
companies pull these kinds of stunts all the time. For example, many
companies in the tech industry have a clause that says they will fire you
for discussing your salary with other employees.

Turns out, they don't have to fire somebody for it to get sued for it. It's
illegal. But many companies either don't know it or they do it for as long
as they can get away with it.

-c

"Dallas" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:58:16 -0700, James Sleeman wrote:

I often wonder how instructors (in a general collective sense) managed
to get themselves into this ridicuous low pay situation.

Supply and demand.

If Enzo Ferrari ran an ad for Ferrari test drivers in Italy paying
$3.00/hour he would get a million resumes and one of them would me mine.

Except, now there's a waiting list at the FBO for instructors to become
available, so supply and demand says it ought to be a really good time to be
a CFI...

-c

El Maximo wrote:

The only full-time independent CFI I know if a retired schoolteacher.
Everyone else I know either works for a school, or only freelances
part-time.


Part time businesses are still businesses.

I've had them all my life. After a certain threshold, the income is
taxable. Once you hold yourself out, you get liability and
responsibility. Some jurisdictions may require you to colelct sales
taxes, register yourself, etc...

It usually makes no difference if the business is part or full time once
money starts changing hands.

Gattman wrote:
Except, now there's a waiting list at the FBO for instructors to
become available, so supply and demand says it ought to be a really
good time to be a CFI...

There's a waiting list for students willing to pay for a $15/hr instructor.
If it goes up there may not any students at all. While supply and demand
works well on the macro level it doesn't always do so on the micro level.

On Aug 31, 3:55 am, "Really-Old-Fart"
wrote:

Well, considering the fact that the previous lesson is unlikely to get back
until the start time for your lesson, there's not much else you can do.
The flight schools that I have dealt with over the years have always billed
by aircraft time (Hobbs or tach). Very seldom have I ever been able to
squeeze a 1 hour flight out of a 1 hour booking slot.

If you like to spend 30 minutes preflighting, reviewing the logs etc,
please consider booking the plane at 4pm and the instructor at 4:30.
That way the instructor can continue with ground instruction or flight
instruction in another airplane while you take your time to prefilght.

-Robert, CFII

On Aug 31, 8:37 am, "Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net
wrote:
Gattman wrote:
Except, now there's a waiting list at the FBO for instructors to
become available, so supply and demand says it ought to be a really
good time to be a CFI...

There's a waiting list for students willing to pay for a $15/hr instructor.
If it goes up there may not any students at all. While supply and demand
works well on the macro level it doesn't always do so on the micro level.

No, supply and demand work great. As instruction rates go up, students
will drop off and there will be less demand such that supply and
demand will equal. We just don't like thinking about the idea that
demand for instruction will go down.

-Robert

On Aug 31, 6:13 am, Bob Fry wrote:
"MW" == Matt Whiting writes:

MW How is it a violation of the 1st amendment? Nobody is forcing
MW him to sign the agreement. He is self-censoring and that
MW isn't a violation of the Constitution.

It may be. A voluntary agreement to be a slave is void in the USA,
because slavery--even voluntary--is unconstitutional.

No, we sign these agreements all the time in my industry. The courts
have provided guidelines for companies for these agreements. As I
recall they must be of reasonable time (usually 1-2 years), reasonable
scope (topics, etc), and reasonable geography.

-Robert

On Aug 31, 8:00 am, "Gattman" wrote:
"Bob Fry" wrote in message

...

"GM" == Gattman writes:

GM Most recently I had to sign a contract rider for a job I
GM already have that says I won't badmouth the company for six
GM months after I quit.

To get even more off-topic, that seems unenforceable, I violation of
the free speech clause of the US Constitution. Non-disclosure of
company secrets, sure. Non-compete, maybe. Non-trash-talk?

My wife is having a field day with it. She's in human resources and says
companies pull these kinds of stunts all the time. For example, many
companies in the tech industry have a clause that says they will fire you
for discussing your salary with other employees.

Turns out, they don't have to fire somebody for it to get sued for it. It's
illegal. But many companies either don't know it or they do it for as long
as they can get away with it.

Your wife may believe that but at least in California the courts have
provided us guidelines for such agreeements to make them enforcable.
This was almost a week of class of our employeement law course.
With regard to being sued, it makes no difference. In most states
anyone can sue anyone at any time for anything so it makes no sense to
worry about being sued. What you do is try to follow the guidelines
outlined by previous courts to ensure that the courts will look upon
you with favor. Besides, most all technology companies require binding
arbitration as part of their employment contract.

-Robert

On Aug 31, 4:59 am, Doug Vetter wrote:
On Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:40:52 -0700, Gattman wrote:
Any advice or hazards I should beware of?

1) You'll need to work for a school to develop experience. This is good
because the better ones will provide a framework in which you can learn
the ropes, provide an insurance protection for you, and give you a steady
stream of clients. This is bad because most schools treat CFIs like
garbage, and every school owner I've known has expected the CFIs to act as
secretary, accountant, janitor, line boy, and a serve a host of other
roles...unpaid of course.

All new CFIs should either work for a school or work closely with a
mentor (including having your mentor fly with your students on
occasion). There is a lot of on-the-job experience you need to gain as
a CFI and trying to learn it all yourself at the expense of your
students is not good. Every student is different, they will all have a
different part of the program that they have trouble with and you want
to consult with an experienced CFI as to the most efficient way to
address that student's issue and ensure they are ready to command the
aircraft themselves.



2) No one will pay you $30-50 as an independent instructor unless you have
experience they want.

???? Maybe this is regional but asking $40 for primary students and
$50 for advanced students is not hard at all. I charge $40 when
instructing in 172's and the like and $50 in Mooneys/tailwheel and
have never had anyone say that they is excessive. I know CFIs who
charge $75/hr who are recommended by their type organization.