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#1
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How much does a CFI make?
I know I will probably get alot of 'it depends' in response to this
question, but I guess I'm curious when a flight school charges a student $25/hr for flight instruction, what chunk of that actually goes to the CFI? And realistically your average CFI is not flying all the time. Figure in weather delays, ground school, etc - what would a 'good' yearly salary for a full-time, low-hour CFI be? |
#3
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#4
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"Peter Gibbons" wrote in message om... | I know I will probably get alot of 'it depends' in response to this | question, but I guess I'm curious when a flight school charges a | student $25/hr for flight instruction, what chunk of that actually | goes to the CFI? | | And realistically your average CFI is not flying all the time. Figure | in weather delays, ground school, etc - what would a 'good' yearly | salary for a full-time, low-hour CFI be? Most flight schools pay their CFIs between $15 and $20 an instructional hour. Most CFIs probably make less than minimum wage. |
#5
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"C J Campbell" wrote in message Most flight schools pay their CFIs between $15 and $20 an instructional hour. Most CFIs probably make less than minimum wage. I guess this begs the question, how in hell do they pay their bills? How long do they have to do that in order to start making decent money? -c PP/SEL, Portland, OR. |
#6
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A young lady from our field just finished her education... 4 year BS degree,
all ratings through multi CFII - including D-18 and C-90 time - , pretty and bright... She just got a job at KPTK for $16 an hour for flight instructing... Seems to be the going rate... How long she will be at that level is a combination of sweat and luck... Who can say... She is currently doing part 135, right seat flying for free, to build hours... Denny Most flight schools pay their CFIs between $15 and $20 an instructional hour. Most CFIs probably make less than minimum wage. |
#7
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"gatt" wrote in message ... | | "C J Campbell" wrote in message | | Most flight schools pay their CFIs between $15 and $20 an instructional | hour. Most CFIs probably make less than minimum wage. | | I guess this begs the question, how in hell do they pay their bills? | | How long do they have to do that in order to start making decent money? | There are really three kinds of CFIs. Some treat flight instruction as a retirement job, more of a full-time hobby than anything else. Others are young people working their way toward an airline job. And there are those for whom flight instruction offers its own career path. The retirement guys are able to support themselves through some other income source. The young CFIs hope to just survive long enough to get a job that pays decently. The most interesting CFIs are those for whom flight instruction is a career in itself. It is possible to do fairly well as a CFI, as John and Martha King have more than amply demonstrated. While most of us will probably not reach the level of the Kngs, it is reasonable for a CFI to make upwards of $70,000 a year. The career CFIs acquire unusual specialties and ratings. Many of them charge $80 an hour or more for instruction. Additionally, they may own their own aircraft, including aerobatic or seaplanes which they give instruction in. If you want to fly a Caravan on floats, you will pay $100 an hour or more for a decent CFI that meets all the insurance requirements. Aviation pays poorly, though, no matter what career path you choose. The average college graduate is now earning in excess of $55,000 right out of school. The pilot pays $50,000 or more for an additional year or two of training, then gets a job as a CFI earning $12,000. It will be ten years or more before he starts earning as much as his peers did when they graduated. The pilot's salary never catches up, either. By the time he is a senior airline captain earning $200,000 a year, his peers are either earning more than that or they have been getting an equivalent salary for much longer. If you really want to earn a decent living in aviation, you are better off becoming an airline executive than a pilot. |
#8
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It depends. Ok, you want something more real. There are two types
of places a CFI can choose to work at. The big schools that keep you busy and work you a lot of hours will pay in the area of $10/hr. Make sure mom and dad keep sending you checks. A small FBO or club will charge the CFI around $5/hr. So if you charge $30/hr, you keep $25. However, a small FBO or club is unlikely to provide more than 2 hours a day of teaching to a full time CFI, so you make more money and more hours working for peanuts at the big schools. However, most FBOs and clubs will wave the fee if you find the student yourself. This is what I do when teaching with the local clubs. If I find the student and bring them to the club, I keep the entire fee. However, I have the overhead of paying club dues when I never rent myself. -Robert, CFI (Peter Gibbons) wrote in message . com... I know I will probably get alot of 'it depends' in response to this question, but I guess I'm curious when a flight school charges a student $25/hr for flight instruction, what chunk of that actually goes to the CFI? And realistically your average CFI is not flying all the time. Figure in weather delays, ground school, etc - what would a 'good' yearly salary for a full-time, low-hour CFI be? |
#9
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When I took training at Wiley Post (PWA) airport in OKC, the owner of the
rental planes was the CFI and got the whole $20/hour for instruction. I had a couple other instructors there and paid them similar and they also kept the entire amount for training. The owner got his rental fees. When I got some training at McCreery in McAllen, TX (MFE), I paid $25/hour if it were their rentals or $35/hour for instruction in my own plane. I'm not sure how much the CFI got of that. I also took CFI's up in Iowa, again what I paid them for the instruction, they kept. Some of the smaller airports with a CFI around usually aren't working for a flight school or FBO and get to keep all they're paid. Check out the bulletin boards (Not BBS!) at the airstrips... YMMV! |
#10
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I've noticed that no one is quoting an "Annual" amount. Sure they charge
$25-$40 per hour but what does their Form 1040 say? I knew a guy once who quit instructing to become a janitor. I thought it was sad that he would try to live on $7-8,000 annually for years. I loved flying when I got my license at 21 but knew I wanted to make more than I saw people making. Sometimes I wish I could fly everyday but I also like what I do for a profession. I admire those who keep at it, following their passions. Trip In article ha8_a.128723$YN5.86441@sccrnsc01, says... When I took training at Wiley Post (PWA) airport in OKC, the owner of the rental planes was the CFI and got the whole $20/hour for instruction. I had a couple other instructors there and paid them similar and they also kept the entire amount for training. The owner got his rental fees. When I got some training at McCreery in McAllen, TX (MFE), I paid $25/hour if it were their rentals or $35/hour for instruction in my own plane. I'm not sure how much the CFI got of that. I also took CFI's up in Iowa, again what I paid them for the instruction, they kept. Some of the smaller airports with a CFI around usually aren't working for a flight school or FBO and get to keep all they're paid. Check out the bulletin boards (Not BBS!) at the airstrips... YMMV! |
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