Costs during solo (Instruction)

Generally speaking, if you are consuming the instructor's time, you
should
be paying for his time. This includes supervised solos, when the
instructor is (should be) monitoring your flight and is focused entirely
on you.


I agree, and so does my instructor it seems. The first solo where he stood
on the flight line, I paid him for his time. When I've gone on my solo cross
countries, I don't pay him. However, I do pay him when (usually the day
before the flight) we review my flight planning and (usually just before the
next lesson) we discuss how the flight went. The day of a solo x-c we'll
talk on the phone or he'll meet me at the flying club and we'll make sure
we're on the same page as far as weather, TFR's, etc., but I don't pay him
for that time since it's just a few minutes. Similarly, if I'm just going up
solo for pattern work or air work over the harbor, I'll get the OK from him
on the phone or during the previous lesson and won't need to pay him since,
for all I know, he's 100 miles away doing his own thing while I'm in the
air.


-Tony
Student Pilot
40.4 hours

"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:182ad.15882$_a3.3475@fed1read05...
Supervised solo's means he's out standing beside the runway to watch the
landings...

I agree.

if he's back in the school house with his feet up watching tv.. or working
with another student..

That wouldn't be a supervised solo. Saying it is would be like having an
instructor sign you off for your BFR after having done nothing more than
looking at your logbook.

then he's not getting a dime from me...

Nor should he, not for the time you spent in the plane without him being
involved with your flight at all.

unless of course.. he reviewed my flying plan and weather before I
left.... and then he'll get some prebrief "ground school charges"

Exactly as I noted.

Pete

"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:182ad.15882$_a3.3475@fed1read05...
Supervised solo's means he's out standing beside the runway to watch the
landings...

I agree.

if he's back in the school house with his feet up watching tv.. or working
with another student..

That wouldn't be a supervised solo. Saying it is would be like having an
instructor sign you off for your BFR after having done nothing more than
looking at your logbook.

then he's not getting a dime from me...

Nor should he, not for the time you spent in the plane without him being
involved with your flight at all.

unless of course.. he reviewed my flying plan and weather before I
left.... and then he'll get some prebrief "ground school charges"

Exactly as I noted.

Pete

But do oyu pay for the whole time you are flying?

No.

And some instructors do not charge for ground school, either. I never
understood that, and would do what I could to make up the imbalance by
giving the occasional book to my instructor. The first time I did
this, he returned the book after he'd read it! So next I inscribed the
book to him. Then he gave me a book! At this point I gave up and
decided that what we had going was a friendship and not a business
deal.

When I did my solo cross-country, he drove up 50-60 miles and sat in
the airport shack the three hours I was gone, no charge. Nice guy.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

But do oyu pay for the whole time you are flying?

No.

And some instructors do not charge for ground school, either. I never
understood that, and would do what I could to make up the imbalance by
giving the occasional book to my instructor. The first time I did
this, he returned the book after he'd read it! So next I inscribed the
book to him. Then he gave me a book! At this point I gave up and
decided that what we had going was a friendship and not a business
deal.

When I did my solo cross-country, he drove up 50-60 miles and sat in
the airport shack the three hours I was gone, no charge. Nice guy.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

Wow! Thank you all for taking the time to follow up!
That's really great.
It's very helpful and meaningful.
I appreciate it quite a bit.
That's what this group is for!!!
My hats off to you all.

Thanks!

Gary

Wow! Thank you all for taking the time to follow up!
That's really great.
It's very helpful and meaningful.
I appreciate it quite a bit.
That's what this group is for!!!
My hats off to you all.

Thanks!

Gary

I never had to pay anything while I was Solo....

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
Student Mooney owner
4443H @ KTYQ


GEG wrote:
After one qualifies to solo, do you still
pay intructor rates during solo flights?
I would expect that during briefings and
debriefs, one woul.

But do oyu pay for the whole time you are flying?

Thanks!

I never had to pay anything while I was Solo....

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
Student Mooney owner
4443H @ KTYQ


GEG wrote:
After one qualifies to solo, do you still
pay intructor rates during solo flights?
I would expect that during briefings and
debriefs, one woul.

But do oyu pay for the whole time you are flying?

Thanks!

GEG GEG wrote in message ...
After one qualifies to solo, do you still
pay intructor rates during solo flights?
I would expect that during briefings and
debriefs, one woul.

But do oyu pay for the whole time you are flying?

Thanks!
Hey
Belated answer but you should not have to pay for any solo flight if
your CFI isn't standing right there for either required or necessary
supervision as well as pre/post flight. If there is a flight that
requires me to be at the airport with a student, they know right up
front they will pay for my time as a CFI with a rate equal to flight
time instruction.
As a sidenote, back in the 60's when I began charging for ground time,
I was told I'd lose all my students since NO ONE ELSE was charging for
it. I told them they were nuts and was not going to give away my time.
Wasn't long after that everyone began rightfully charging for their
ground time. Now there are few pilots left who can remember giving
away that precious and valued ground instruction. The airplane is a
lousy classroom.....
If I'm not making a minimum of $25 per hour it simply isn't worth my
time to even drive to the airport.
Selway Kid CFII/RAM Gold Seal (1967)