CFI's making $80,000!?!

[FL270]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

During calendar year 2001 I worked full-time the entire year as a CFI. I was at the airport eight to ten (or sometimes more) hours a day, usually six days a week. I did all the flying I could, and when not flying, pitched in a couple hours a week helping out with line service. At the end of the year, my gross income was $13,863.

I could have made more money than that slinging McBurgers ...

 

[JGriffis]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

I think that pretty much explains it all FL270

 

[Nerdwing]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

I think I've got you all beat. They charge 60/hour for basic instruction at one place I looked at. When the CFI told me their rate--and after I picked my jaw up off the floor--I thought "sheesh, why are you even trying to get to the airlines when half of the 60 would be pretty good money?" I didn't realize the CFI's cut was so low.

 

[ERJ-135]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

I still say it has to do with taxes the FBO pays. How can they charge $30 hour for dual and only pay the CFI $15 or less? I don't want to hear that the FBO has other expenses involved. That is horse manure. The expense should be reflected in the aircraft rental charge, not on the backs of CFI's. Besides that, it borders on being less than minimum wage if you count the hours that are required to be at the airport vs. the actual hours flown and paid for as dual instruction. If an FBO requires the CFI to be at the airport then the FBO should be required to pay for reserve time. It is time that one of the major airline union organizations step to plate and bring the CFI's under their wing. Maybe a national teachers union is the answer. The most inportant person in aviation is still the CFI followed by the new student pilot. People are willing to pay a golf instructor $60++/hour, tennis instructor +++, piano instructor +++ etc. There is a market for higher pay, why not ask for it?

 

[sorrygottarunway]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

[ QUOTE ]
I still say it has to do with taxes the FBO pays. How can they charge $30 hour for dual and only pay the CFI $15 or less? I don't want to hear that the FBO has other expenses involved. That is horse manure. The expense should be reflected in the aircraft rental charge, not on the backs of CFI's. Besides that, it borders on being less than minimum wage if you count the hours that are required to be at the airport vs. the actual hours flown and paid for as dual instruction. If an FBO requires the CFI to be at the airport then the FBO should be required to pay for reserve time. It is time that one of the major airline union organizations step to plate and bring the CFI's under their wing. Maybe a national teachers union is the answer. The most inportant person in aviation is still the CFI followed by the new student pilot. People are willing to pay a golf instructor $60++/hour, tennis instructor +++, piano instructor +++ etc. There is a market for higher pay, why not ask for it?

[/ QUOTE ]

I totally agree... for violin instruction, I charge $45 per hour, keep all of it, and it never gets reported to the IRS. My other violin teacher does the same... I think there should be change in the wind- AT LEAST give the CFIs medical benefits. If there were ever an aircraft accident due to poor A/P work, then at least the CFIs would be covered for putting their rearends on the line.

-B

 

[Mr_Creepy]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

I never had any interest in working for a flight school as a CFI until it was a specialized position that paid more.

I freelanced and made more money than my counterparts over at Air O.

... and SGR, you meant to say that you report ALL of that income to the IRS didn't you? Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more?

 

[sorrygottarunway]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

I dunno, I have no clue how much I make teaching violin. Not very much since I only have 2 students. All I do is deposit the check and forget about it. Heck, its not like I have the money anyway, it goes right to the flight school. Max of 24 hours in my account. Its not my money, its not the IRS' money, it's the flight school's problem

 

[n77j]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

At San Jose (RHV) airport- flight schools and clubs charge an average of $40-50/hour. Believe it or not, one particular flight club has 3 flight instructors that charge $85/hour!

 

[Freezer41]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

wow I got my PPL from a private instructor using one of the clubs at RHV paid him 50/hour which seems like a good deal compared to the 85!

 

[Aussie]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

The thing about CFI here, is, its reasonably easy to get employed as a CFI. Finding your first job flying joyflight, or charter ect. is extremely hard, and you have to be in the right place and right time.

Id rather not instruct, but its the easiest way to break into the industry.

Aussie

 

[JHines]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

[ QUOTE ]
(snip) People are willing to pay a golf instructor $60++/hour, tennis instructor +++, piano instructor +++ etc. There is a market for higher pay, why not ask for it?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the price resistance has a lot to do with the total hourly rate the student is paying. The costs other than the instructor for golf, tennis, piano, etc. are minimal in most cases. A private student paying say $30 an hour for the CFI is probably getting hit for $55/hr. for the plane at the least.

There would be a lot more room for CFI increases when or if small aircraft rental rates come down to some reasonable hourly amount.

 

[Mavmb]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

[ QUOTE ]
I'm a CFI/CFII/MEI and found this interesting. I took one of those personality tests to find my "perfect career" and under "Flight Instructor" it listed the salary between $67,000 and $80,000 per year.

Now, maybe I'm the only one, but I'm not making anywhere near that amount, nor do I know of anyone who is. Are any of you making that as instructors? If you are, I wanna know where you work.

On a side note, they were reporting airline pilot salaries to be between $57,000 and $76,000 per year. Since when do you earn more as a flight instructor than you do working for the majors?

Just curious.

-Jay

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, total BS. I posted an article here that said pilots were in the top 10 for the highest income jobs in the country. And I've heard from other places also that flight instructors make 40 and 50 grand a year. Meanwhile I live on ramen and fishsticks.

 

[CaptainMatt]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

Nothing wrong with Ramen and Fishsticks.... Thats what I call fine dining

 

[skyrunner1500]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

I'm just curious about how much the instructors at the big academies(FSI, PanAm, etc.) are making? Are they making more than the average CFI's at an FBO? If no, why do so many want to instruct for them? Is it their good name in the industry?

 

[CaptainMatt]

Re: CFI\'s making $80,000!?!

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just curious about how much the instructors at the big academies(FSI, PanAm, etc.) are making? Are they making more than the average CFI's at an FBO? If no, why do so many want to instruct for them? Is it their good name in the industry?

[/ QUOTE ]

The time you get. Instructors from what I've seen from big academies are flying alot more than your regular FBO instructors. Maybe the idea of a guaranteed CFI position if you complete the program. I know that this isn't always the case, but maybe they feel they have a better chance then trying their luck at an FBO.