Aviatior College

[phill1174]

Hey everyone, I'm not sure if this is the right place for this or not, but I got an invite for an interview at Aviator College down in Fort Pierce, FL for a CFI position. Not really the job I'm hoping to get, but when researching Aviator the things I found weren't really positive, even when taking criticism on Internet forums with a grain of salt. I was just wondering has anyone recently had any experiences with this place?

 

[jgheggie]

I got my ratings there. I'd be happy to answer any questions. I did not instruct there, however I would have if I had the money to get my cfi.

Overall I think it was a great school! Instructors were getting tons of hours. And most students went through ground "classes" taught by a single instructor. So for the most part, instructors mostly dealt with flying instead of tons of hours on the ground. I would think that this helped with quality of life.

 

[elmetal]

So for the most part, instructors mostly dealt with flying instead of tons of hours on the ground.

That's because if the Hobbs isn't running they get paid NOTHING. And that's the truth.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[jgheggie]

That's because if the Hobbs isn't running they get paid NOTHING. And that's the truth.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Well a lot of schools do not have actual ground classes so they require instructors to give their student a ground lesson and then fly. Plus post flight. But aviator has real ground classes by instructors who are paid to teach ground school. So the flying instructors ONLY fly there. It allows them to fly a lot more with less ground time. My former instructor was flying 120 per month average.

 

[elmetal]

Well a lot of schools do not have actual ground classes so they require instructors to give their student a ground lesson and then fly. Plus post flight. But aviator has real ground classes by instructors who are paid to teach ground school. So the flying instructors ONLY fly there. It allows them to fly a lot more with less ground time. My former instructor was flying 120 per month average.

I don't disagree that they fly a bunch, but let's be real, you need more with a student than engine on instruction. Ground school is something that focuses on slightly different things and happens once. You need instruction every time you fly. It is sketchy and sleazy to do that to instructors, and therefore also to students.

But whatever to each his own I just needed the OP to know the facts before he went there.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[m77y]

to add to what has already been said, a debrief is almost as important as the lesson itself.

 

[jgheggie]

You're right. It's probably best for the flying instructor to do ground as well. A lot of 141 schools are doing it the same as aviator. With a ground instructor and flyin instructor. As a student there....it worked for me. We would spend 5-10 minutes pre flight talking about what happened in my ground class and then matching it up with the flight lesson.

As to the OP's questions. IMO aviator would be a great school to instruct at. The pay is decent and comparable to most places. The atmosphere is great and feels like a "college". And you have stage checks to see where the student is progressing and what needs work. Stage checks are with one of the chief pilots. And aviators check ride pass rate is waaaay above average. In fact, I believe there cfi initial pass rate is around 80% which is unheard of around the industry. National average is like 20% or something...I think??

On top of that...I thought it was great that there were two VORs nearby wich allowed us to go back and forth on practice approaches, maximizing the amount of approaches per flight. Florida allows for great experience as well. It's always windy to practice crosswinds. It always gets overcast in the afternoon so you get a lot of actual with instrument students.

Aviator maintenance is really good. If you have an issue at an out station they will fly a mechanic up to meet you and bring you a good plane...IF needed. And they encourage instructors to bring students to the maintenance hangar and ask the mechanics questions and watch what they are doing.

As a perspective...I will say that I got my private and multi at the ATP flight school. Then the rest of my ratings at Aviator. I would far recommend Aviator for students and instructors.

Just my .02

 

[jgheggie]

I don't disagree that they fly a bunch, but let's be real, you need more with a student than engine on instruction. Ground school is something that focuses on slightly different things and happens once. You need instruction every time you fly. It is sketchy and sleazy to do that to instructors, and therefore also to students.

But whatever to each his own I just needed the OP to know the facts before he went there.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

By the way...the ground school at aviator is 5 days per week for each rating you are enrolled in. It's not a typical 1 time ground school. It corresponds to where you are in the flight portion. But I do see your point

 

[elmetal]

Location wise and operation wise it's a great school to instruct at. no doubt about it.

Also LOTS of multi time for instructors which is great!

 

[jgheggie]

Location wise and operation wise it's a great school to instruct at. no doubt about it.

Also LOTS of multi time for instructors which is great!

Yes that's the main reason I endorse it! I actually finished all of my ratings with MORE multi time than single time. Which is incredible odd...I know. But from an instructors point of view, by the time you reached 1500 you probably have around 900 multi.

 

[jgheggie]

...and let's not forget about the Tiki restaurant on the field. With 20% off for aviator.

 

[NickH]

You are doing a great job of selling the place. What is the actual pay offered to instructors?

My information is out of date, but when I was there they were paid $10 an hour for hobbs time only. As someone already pointed out, Brief and Debrief are as important as the flight itself.

Of course, scary maintenance, instructors being screamed at in front of students and CFI examiners that refused to fly in half the fleet were all a part of my experience.

If they have so many successful students, why are they so desperate to hire from outside?

 

[jgheggie]

Pay is $20 per billed hour. Ill admitted that I had a great experience and some may have had bad experiences. Maybe the culture has changed with the pay increase?? I don't know.

As far as hiring from outside...

1) most of their students are international and leave after their ratings.

2) I think most schools are hiring from outside right now. Regardless of if people do not believe the "pilot shortage", it really is happening. Look at all off the hiring websites. Tons of flight schools are desperate for instructors because they are finally leaving for the airlines.

I would tell anyone going for any instruction job with a school you do not know to proceed with caution.

 

[NickH]

Sorry, but $20 per hour for flight only really isn't very good. If you assume 1.5 hours work per hour paid, that's only $13 an hour.

We have had plenty of instructor pay surveys. $25 an hour for flight and ground seems to be about average for a school, with freelance more than double that.

There does appear to be a demand for instructors, and this means you can be selective.

 

[abolton1]

Aviator pilots scare me.

 

[Gonzo]

Aviator pilots scare me.

They should, they can't fly for •.

 

[jgheggie]

I see your point. But realistically, how many "free lance" instructors average over 100 hrs per month? It's a trade off. All the schools I have looked at that offer 100 hrs or more are typically around $20. Plus incentives and bonuses. Not to mention, you will build a ton of multi time at aviator. It's not right for everyone. But compared to ATP or some small fbo where you fly 50 hrs per month...I would say its a good gig to build time. If you want to be a career instructor then go somewhere else

 

[elmetal]

I see your point. But realistically, how many "free lance" instructors average over 100 hrs per month? It's a trade off. All the schools I have looked at that offer 100 hrs or more are typically around $20. Plus incentives and bonuses. Not to mention, you will build a ton of multi time at aviator. It's not right for everyone. But compared to ATP or some small fbo where you fly 50 hrs per month...I would say its a good gig to build time. If you want to be a career instructor then go somewhere else

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[abolton1]

^^ I was reading his post in that voice too

 

[NickH]

I see your point. But realistically, how many "free lance" instructors average over 100 hrs per month? It's a trade off. All the schools I have looked at that offer 100 hrs or more are typically around $20. Plus incentives and bonuses. Not to mention, you will build a ton of multi time at aviator. It's not right for everyone. But compared to ATP or some small fbo where you fly 50 hrs per month...I would say its a good gig to build time. If you want to be a career instructor then go somewhere else

But those other schools are paying for ground time. Pre and post flight briefings. 100 hours work at the Aviator pays $1333, rather than $2000 at a school paying $20 an hour.

Add to that, instructors are encouraged to cut short those briefings, and the students suffer. That's a poor culture, which links into your last comment. Professionals go somewhere else? Probably a good idea.