CFI Union

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Please let me know if this is a stupid idea as I am not even close to being a CFI but would like to help. As there are so many aviation organizations out there, why not make a CFI organization? You guys could work as a freelance CFI but together in a way. You guys don't have to be unpaid. If the majority spoke up I think you guys could do something. Go on strike.lol Sorry again if this is stupid, please don't flame me for it. Just an idea. Forget the strike thing.
 
It's a great idea, but folks would chicken out....

It would probably be Norma Rae all over again, with an aviation point of view!!
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The problem with a CFI union is two-fold.
1) CFI's would eat eachother's young for flight hours, so getting them to band together isn't realistic.
2) CFI's, typically, are only instructing full time until they can qualify for a full-time job (typically a year or so).

It sounds great, but there are so many CFI's out here, it's actually sad to see them go after eachother. At our flight school, we have 2 instructors, for the most part, me and a 20 year old. The 20 year old is an ERAU student and instructs during the summer (I've been trying to show him the light, but another long story). Yesterday, for the first time this summer, he actually thought about somebody other than himself and scheduled me a flight while I was flying. I have given him students in the past, since he is here for a short time, etc. and he thought I should be grateful I got an insurance checkout from him. He'll make it far in this industry.
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Our local flight school also has 2 instructors. A guy and a girl. I don't know them personally but I would say there is lots of competition there.
 
It would certainly make for some interesting converstions between union and non-union flight instructors!
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Keep thinking though, the only way to improve anything is to keep trying new ideas.
 
I think that it would only take one or two big flight schools to unionize in an area to get it going.....hmmmm.....
 
I think some CFI's at Riddle gave it a shot a few years ago, but the industry picked up and they probably said, "Nevermind! G'bye!"
 
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2) CFI's, typically, are only instructing full time until they can qualify for a full-time job (typically a year or so).


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What? Typically? The typical flight instructor in Prescott has been at it over 2 years when they leave for a "full time job" and that's if they're lucky. A moderate flight instructor can get 700 hours a year, plus 300 after the CAMEL...so that puts you at 1000.

Then the only one that would hire you would be Mesa...
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You might want to find a different place to instruct then. I've been instructing part time, and very part time sometimes, due to Navy commitments and I've accumulated 400+ hours in just over 1 year. The instructors full time around here are getting around 100 hours LOGGED every month, billing up to 150+ hours per month. And I'm in the NE, where the weather can get bad for weeks on end. 100 hours/month *12 months is 1200. That puts you around 1500 TT within a year. Well within hiring mins, and you have to find the jobs. Mesa isn't the only one hiring.
 
Skyguy,

Are you instructing full time? Do you have a job, or are you just searching? Go out and ACTIVELY look for a job, or a better one if you do have one. Get some advertising out there for yourself. Live at the airport. Do not spend all your time on JC at the airport.
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If you're buried in a computer, you might miss people walking in. 50 hours in 6 months is not very good, as you probably already know.
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Don't be afraid to move to a better job, if you can't find one where you're at. The jobs are out there and you'll actually get flying hours, whether it's 700/year, or 1200, it's better than what you're getting now.

Good luck out there.
 
Yeah thanks... actually I did move to a different place; 40 of those were last month and things are getting better...
 
I thought I'd bring this thread back to life. All the CFI's at the current flight school i instruct at are seriously discussing this option. Any suggestions on how to get this rolling?
 
no clue, but I would be interested.
My students get charged 50 bucks for instruction, I get 15 of it. wii-tarded.
 
whichwayisup said:
I thought I'd bring this thread back to life. All the CFI's at the current flight school i instruct at are seriously discussing this option. Any suggestions on how to get this rolling?
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I don't think times have changed much over the years. Low time CFIs will still undercut each other for flight time, and most CFIs move on quickly. It isn't practical to unionize.

Of course, the CFIs at your individual flight school could just do a little collective negotiating. All of you agree the pay needs to be X dollars or you're walking and see what the boss says.

The only problem with such plans is you all have to have the guts to follow through. If you say you're quitting unless a certain condition is met, you have to be 100% ready and willing to quit. Not many CFIs have that level of commitment.
 
jrh said:
I don't think times have changed much over the years. Low time CFIs will still undercut each other for flight time, and most CFIs move on quickly. It isn't practical to unionize.

Of course, the CFIs at your individual flight school could just do a little collective negotiating. All of you agree the pay needs to be X dollars or you're walking and see what the boss says.

The only problem with such plans is you all have to have the guts to follow through. If you say you're quitting unless a certain condition is met, you have to be 100% ready and willing to quit. Not many CFIs have that level of commitment.
Click to expand...
I was talking about the comments like:
What? Typically? The typical flight instructor in Prescott has been at it over 2 years when they leave for a "full time job" and that's if they're lucky. A moderate flight instructor can get 700 hours a year, plus 300 after the CAMEL...so that puts you at 1000.
Click to expand...
Nowadays, people are "lucky" to be doing 3-4 months of flight instructing and are picked up...if they even flight instruct.

With the way things are right now, there's no possible way you could have the dedication to the instructing industry to even give it a thought, much less have people around long enough to get a full union going.

I wish you luck...make sure everybody is dedicated to the decision and all are on the same page. Don't let management tear ya'll apart.
 
We trying the collective bargining route now, I'll let you know if it pans out. I'm still interested in this if we would have to take it a step further.
 
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