CFI waiting list

badtransam97

badtransam97

Well-Known Member
Is there still a long waiting list for CFI's to be hired by ATP? Just kinda curious as to wether or not most of the graduates are getting picked up for CFI positions, and how long they are having to answer the phones..
 
They just recently reposted the "jobs" link on the front page. It says that they are hiring into all locations and also looking for a 2-yr in Jacksonville.

The best way to find out would be to call Monday and speak with Courtney.
 
Good news! For an experience building CFI position, ATP cannot be beat.Compared to the "mom 'n pop" small flight schools I have worked for, the pay at ATP is much better too. Good luck!
 
The only thing that sucks is the $2k a month no matter how hard you are worked. Nice if your not getting alot of hours but sucks if your swamped.
 
$2k is more than I was getting when I was there, did they increase it?

The real downside is the independent contractor status, because you get a flat tax from the government at the end of the year no matter how much you made.
 
Thats what they told us they paid when I was going thru the program at GKY in '08. Then if you stay in the instructor apt. its -400/mo so only $1600 really.

I was looking into it but just as I was finishing up they put a hold on hiring so I went elsewhere.
 
$2k a month isnt bad. I wasnt getting nearly that much working for a smal FBO flight school.

Did they do away with the bonus program? I would do an additional $4-500 a month in checkride bonuses on top of the base pay. $400 for housing is a STEAL and a huge benefit for working at ATP in my opinion!
 
If you're single and don't mind not having a life for a while then ATP is a good place to work for. You work 6-7 days a week, but you fly a lot and you essentially live in a flight school. The housing is in my opinion an extension of ATP since everyone lives there.

If you have any kind of responsibilities you won't be able to make it on net 1600/mo after you take out expected taxes (~150-200/mo) health insurance ($150/mo), car insurance ($100/mo) and food ($400-500/mo).

If you have student loans then try to start paying them off immediately.
 
Pay has decreased to $1500/month for new instructors. Housing is $300/month on top of that so you are taking home $1200/month. Throw in taxes and that is really less than $1000/month.

There are still bonuses but they got rid of the CRM training bonus which was $100 per student. Those were nice! With the bonuses, I wouldn't factor that into pay because unfortunately you never know how a student is going to do on a checkride. You can have the best student and they can absolutely crap the bed. Also, some locations are pretty slow and so bonuses don't amount to much.

In my opinion working 6-7 days a week for $1000/month is awful.
 
Heck working for 6-7 days a week and 1600-2000 a month is terrible. One of the main reasons I didnt apply for the position. Now with 1500/mo I'm SUPER glad I didnt. Who can live like that!?
 
1500/mo
-300 for housing
-taxes
-your own health insurance that you MUST buy now

Good luck making a car payment, loan payment, and doing anything with what's left over.
 
DL31082 said:
You don't have to buy health insurance 2014 for adults.
Click to expand...

Oh, thank you for correcting me. I guess you'll be rolling in dough on 1,500/mo

You'll still have to buy your own health insurance if you'd like to be insured since ATP doesn't provide it. Or you can just roll the dice and not have any. Good luck if you break a limb or have to go to the hospital for anything.
 
Yeah, when you roll the dice and figure 'well, once I move on to a real job I'll get health insurance'... oh wait, since you didn't have any health insurance the pre-existing condition exclusion gets you for 6months-1 year even when you technically have insurance.
 
SpiraMirabilis said:
Yeah, when you roll the dice and figure 'well, once I move on to a real job I'll get health insurance'... oh wait, since you didn't have any health insurance the pre-existing condition exclusion gets you for 6months-1 year even when you technically have insurance.
Click to expand...

You are also rolling the dice that you will quickly get a real job. A lot of the current ATPers have been there for a couple years.
 
44Driver said:
Oh, thank you for correcting me. I guess you'll be rolling in dough on 1,500/mo

You'll still have to buy your own health insurance if you'd like to be insured since ATP doesn't provide it. Or you can just roll the dice and not have any. Good luck if you break a limb or have to go to the hospital for anything.
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Number 1 I am NOT a ATP instructor!!!! I decided not to since I wanted to have a life. Number 2 I never once said that it wasn't stupid to not have health insurance, but as of right now you do not have to have insurance like you said.

Chill out. Obviously you don't like the way ATP pays we get that. If someone chooses to work there that is their decision. You really can't beat the multi time their instructors get.
 
Maybe I'm just a Pollyanna sort....

Working as a 1099 contractor is not always a bad thing. Yes, you have to file your own taxes but you have some significant advantages for making that little amount of money.

  • Every dime you spend on anything related to teaching - and I believe this might include buying a student lunch - becomes tax deductible.
  • Got a cell phone that ATP requires you to have? Tax deductible.
  • Laundry for your company-shirts? Tax deductible.
  • Charts. Examiner fees (once you've reached CFI - the checkride fees SHOULD be tax deductible, but double-check. I think you can potentially take an education credit if you are getting your CFII/MEI the same tax year you get hired as a CFI. Check with a tax professional, but I believe it's written that way)
  • Mileage to and from ATP office (if you commute) Tax deductible.
  • Home office space that you use for keeping up with student records, etc(if you don't live there) Tax deductible.
    Did you move to take this job? Expenses are tax deductible.

Itemized deductions usually have to exceed 2% of your AGI to count. If you're making $24K a year as an instructor and don't have any other taxes you're paying, then you only need around $500 in deductions (check my math) to start reaping those rewards.

Maybe you don't need full-bore health insurance. Great. Just buy what you need.

It's all in how you approach it. You can maximize those opportunities.
 
Many of the same things that are tax deductible are tax deductible if you're a regular employee too. Some of the things listed are a bit of a stretch, such as mileage to the office.

One thing that is tax deductible that I found in 2008 for many pilots is crashpad expenses, so long as 1) It is "temporary" and 2) they maintain a normal house/apartment in a different city.
 
SIUav8er said:
$2k a month isnt bad. I wasnt getting nearly that much working for a smal FBO flight school.
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You were working at the wrong place then, I get more than I would at ATP. Plus I'm actually treated as an independent contractor, instead of just being paid as one, so I have full authority over my work schedule. I usually average about 10 days off a month too.
 
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