Negotiating Rates

zachoe

Well-Known Member
The economy sucks, if anyone has forgotten. I'm looking for the best rates possible in my area: I've been told $191 dual for a 172 G1000, and I haven't found anything too much better. They have also had to get rid of two of their other 172s for financial purposes. Has anyone ever haggled with these guys at the FBOs? I've been in touch with the manager of the FBO trying to feel him out. These planes have been sitting on the ramp quite a bit lately, and the online scheduling system shows that these instructors aren't exactly pressed for time.

I wasn't sure if I would be way out line trying to ask for something lower. Any tips? I was looking to get this guy to $175/hour.

I'm finishing school right now, so going out of state or halfway across the state is not really feasible. The flight school in question is about 15 minutes from campus, so I'd really like to do it there.

Thanks for your help,
Zach
 
The economy sucks, if anyone has forgotten. I'm looking for the best rates possible in my area: I've been told $191 dual for a 172 G1000, and I haven't found anything too much better. They have also had to get rid of two of their other 172s for financial purposes. Has anyone ever haggled with these guys at the FBOs? I've been in touch with the manager of the FBO trying to feel him out. These planes have been sitting on the ramp quite a bit lately, and the online scheduling system shows that these instructors aren't exactly pressed for time.

I wasn't sure if I would be way out line trying to ask for something lower. Any tips? I was looking to get this guy to $175/hour.

I'm finishing school right now, so going out of state or halfway across the state is not really feasible. The flight school in question is about 15 minutes from campus, so I'd really like to do it there.

Thanks for your help,
Zach

They have a minimum number in mind that they can stomach, and you won't necessarily be able to go below that.

What I did was seek out an owner of an airplane who's plane wasn't flying much. I got him to come down a little on the rate in exchange for committing to buying the time on the plane in 10-hour blocks and committing to a specific number of hours over a year.

They went for that. With recent events for me in life, it's going to be harder to meet that commitment, but I should be able to meet it...I've got about 10 more months to do what I said I would.

You have to give a little to get a little. Make sense? Whatever you commit to, make sure you can do it. Most reasonable people are willing to trade long-term business for small concession.
 
I just can't believe the rates are that high to begin with. I could've never afforded flight training on those rates. I started out paying $55 hr/wet and $20 for instruction, and I haven't been doing this very long at all.
 
Chances are unlikely that he will give you a better rate just because his airplanes are flying less.
If it is the money that is a problem, selecting the G-1000 is the problem.
What part of NC are you in? Depending on your location he may know you don't have anywhere else to go to get a G-1000.

Never know, you might just get deal.
 
I can't agree more with Douglas.. why do you NEED to do any training in the G1000? 6-packs are the bomb.. and teach you alot more than a glass screen...

just my .02
 
Chances are unlikely that he will give you a better rate just because his airplanes are flying less.
If it is the money that is a problem, selecting the G-1000 is the problem.
What part of NC are you in? Depending on your location he may know you don't have anywhere else to go to get a G-1000.

Never know, you might just get deal.

Thanks for the replies. They only use G1000 equipped airplanes. Even so, my next alternative (45 mins away) has a mix of the classic 172s which would comes to be around $175 wet, but throw in gas and driving there 2-3/week, I wouldn't be saving anything.

Oh, and I'm in the Raleigh/Chapel Hill area. If anyone knows of anything better, feel free to let me know! :D

Zach
 
I just can't believe the rates are that high to begin with. I could've never afforded flight training on those rates. I started out paying $55 hr/wet and $20 for instruction, and I haven't been doing this very long at all.

That boggles my mind. You're getting quite a deal it sounds like. What are you flying? Are you out of KGRR?
 
That boggles my mind. You're getting quite a deal it sounds like. What are you flying? Are you out of KGRR?

Since fuel prices have come down, most fbo's should have ceased & desisted with the fuel surcharges. In any case, watch out for that when you're negotiating your rate, since that would pile on.

That said, you should be able to get a non-glass 172 wet dual for around $130/hr I would think.

I don't know if you have ever been through the "I want to own a plane" phase and done the requisite spreadsheet calculations, but understand that owning a plane is expensive, and renting is usually a value proposition.

A 172 in the $80-90 wet range is not such a bad deal anymore. For some reason, the Southeast seems to be more expensive than the midwest, but that's the reality of where we live I s'pose.

I recommend learning in the non-glass environment. This will open up a large world of rental aircraft to you, that otherwise might be intimidating if you do your primary training in the glass environment.

primate
 
A 172 in the $80-90 wet range is not such a bad deal anymore. For some reason, the Southeast seems to be more expensive than the midwest, but that's the reality of where we live I s'pose.

80-90 is a great deal now! and you are right, the SE is much more expensive than the Midwest.

That boggles my mind. You're getting quite a deal it sounds like. What are you flying? Are you out of KGRR?

Those are old rates that are long gone, i am guessing but that's what they look like. When I started flying in 2002, we had rates like that. $55/hour instructor included. The seneca was $120...
 
Not really sure this helps the orginal poster but since we are talking about rates up here in ohio you can still get a 150 for 49.90 wet 152 for 52.62 wet 172 for 79.08 wet and a 182 for 142.18. Just throwing that out there so you have a idea of prices in this area.
 
One thing I forgot to put in my first post. You should look and see if there are any local Civil Air Patrol units in your area. Once a member you can use the airplane for a serious steal. For a example on my squardon based out of lorain, OH we can use the 172 for 28 dollars a hour dry. With gas its around 68 a hour. And its very well maintained. For those who have never looked into it the CAP is a great way to be able to serve and cause and have use of a airplane for a steal.
 
The economy sucks, if anyone has forgotten. I'm looking for the best rates possible in my area: I've been told $191 dual for a 172 G1000, and I haven't found anything too much better. They have also had to get rid of two of their other 172s for financial purposes. Has anyone ever haggled with these guys at the FBOs? I've been in touch with the manager of the FBO trying to feel him out. These planes have been sitting on the ramp quite a bit lately, and the online scheduling system shows that these instructors aren't exactly pressed for time.

I wasn't sure if I would be way out line trying to ask for something lower. Any tips? I was looking to get this guy to $175/hour.

I'm finishing school right now, so going out of state or halfway across the state is not really feasible. The flight school in question is about 15 minutes from campus, so I'd really like to do it there.

Thanks for your help,
Zach

The only bargaining chip you have is to put money up front, which, IMO, is a bad idea, especially if they are on the brink of collapse.
 
One thing I forgot to put in my first post. You should look and see if there are any local Civil Air Patrol units in your area. Once a member you can use the airplane for a serious steal. For a example on my squardon based out of lorain, OH we can use the 172 for 28 dollars a hour dry. With gas its around 68 a hour. And its very well maintained. For those who have never looked into it the CAP is a great way to be able to serve and cause and have use of a airplane for a steal.

This is true if you already have your PPL, you can only get advanced ratings in CAP Aircraft
 
That boggles my mind. You're getting quite a deal it sounds like. What are you flying? Are you out of KGRR?

those rates are circa 2002. Good luck. If rates keeping increasing exponentially the barriers to entry will dry the pilot market up (and then you'll all be rich).

major :sarcasm:.
 
The economy sucks, if anyone has forgotten. I'm looking for the best rates possible in my area: I've been told $191 dual for a 172 G1000, and I haven't found anything too much better. They have also had to get rid of two of their other 172s for financial purposes. Has anyone ever haggled with these guys at the FBOs? I've been in touch with the manager of the FBO trying to feel him out. These planes have been sitting on the ramp quite a bit lately, and the online scheduling system shows that these instructors aren't exactly pressed for time.

I wasn't sure if I would be way out line trying to ask for something lower. Any tips? I was looking to get this guy to $175/hour.

I'm finishing school right now, so going out of state or halfway across the state is not really feasible. The flight school in question is about 15 minutes from campus, so I'd really like to do it there.

Thanks for your help,
Zach



You can check this site for a flying club in your area. Probably the cheapest way to go.

http://flying-club.org/fc/fco_east.asp
 
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