Flight Instructor pay by location

[CFIgigs]

Hey CFIs,
I'm trying to build an infographic that shows flight instructor pay by state or region (not cost to student, but actual wage per hour).

Can you share the rate CFIs get paid (assume private pilot certification) in your location?

Here's an ideal post:

Flight: $35/ hour
Ground: $20 / hour
Boston, MA
KBOS


Thank you for sharing!

 

[killbilly]

Flight: $30/hour
Ground: same
Northern VA/MD/DC metro
KJYO

 

[Jordan93]

Flight/ground: 26/hr
Long Island, NY
FRG

 

[KennyM]

Flight/Ground: $40/hr
Pueblo, CO
KPUB/1V6

 

[CFIgigs]

Flight/ground: 26/hr
Long Island, NY
FRG

Thanks Jordan93,
If you know others who can share these rates, I'd love to collect them and create a visualization. It's interesting that the rates have stayed so similar for YEARS and yet the cost to students has gone up. Do you find that to be the case in your area?

 

[CFIgigs]

Flight/Ground: $40/hr
Pueblo, CO
KPUB/1V6

Thanks KennyM.
Interesting. You're definitely making more than others I have asked. Do you think it is just the flight school's preference, or is there something special going on that drives the price higher than say, $25-$30 like everywhere else?

Thanks for the response.

 

[CFIgigs]

Flight: $30/hour
Ground: same
Northern VA/MD/DC metro
KJYO

Thanks killbilly.

When I started flight instructing back in 2000, I think we had the same rate. It was either $25 or $30 per hour. Hard to believe it's the same now, even at a much busier location.

What do CFIs do to increase their take-home pay? Just charge more ground time?

 

[KennyM]

Thanks KennyM.
Interesting. You're definitely making more than others I have asked. Do you think it is just the flight school's preference, or is there something special going on that drives the price higher than say, $25-$30 like everywhere else?

Thanks for the response.

Hey gigs,
We don’t have but one very small flight school (one Cherokee 180) and several freelance guys like myself. When I was instructing at another local school that has recently left, they just preferred to pay the instructors well and make most of the profit on maintenance and aircraft rental. We’re all 50+ guys that have retired from another career and teaching part time.

We also have L3 Doss Aviation that does military prescreening for the Air Force here at KPUB. Those guys do great at about $80-90k per year for a 2-3 flight a day 40 hour work week. They have about 130 instructors and around 55 Diamond Katana’s. I’d do it but don’t want to be that busy and I prefer more advanced training. I’ve finished up a bunch of their remote pilot students though that wanted to go on and get an FAA private certificate. Otherwise they can only fly military drones.

Kenny

 

[ahw01]

You may wish to contact these folks

News - 2016 FSANA Flight Instructor Compensation Survey | FSANA

by Jason Blair FSANA recently conducted a survey of flight training providers (businesses and instructors) in an effort to gauge current trends in compensation of flight instructors. One hundred and four respondents from a variety of types of training operations provided input that resulted in...

www.fsana.com

Alex

 

[Itchy]

I would posit it basically sucks everywhere. The pay comes in the form of a fattened logbook that allows you to march on to better things.

 

[Deleted member 27505]

Hey CFIs,
I'm trying to build an infographic that shows flight instructor pay by state or region (not cost to student, but actual wage per hour).

Can you share the rate CFIs get paid (assume private pilot certification) in your location?

Here's an ideal post:

Flight: $35/ hour
Ground: $20 / hour
Boston, MA
KBOS


Thank you for sharing!

What's the intent of the infographic? To get every entitled, completely uninterested-in-flight-instructing CFI as well paid as possible before they dump their students mid-stream to run off to SkyWest?

There are two kinds of CFIs: Flight Instructors. And folks chasing hours.

 

[mrivc211]

What's the intent of the infographic? To get every entitled, completely uninterested-in-flight-instructing CFI as well paid as possible before they dump their students mid-stream to run off to SkyWest?

There are two kinds of CFIs: Flight Instructors. And folks chasing hours.

I recently had a wet behind the ears CFI demand to be paid $60 per hour. I told her my instructors average pay is 7.5 hours per day. "If I pay you $60/hour, I will be paying you $108,000 per year". The instructor smiled and said great. I face palmed and ended the interview immediately.

 

[Sculprit]

Flight: $15.00 hour
Ground: same
Northern PHX
KDVT

This is salaried at a bigger pilot mill school and 36k annually. Most instructors are chasing hours to go to a regional. Scheduled 10 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Pros: you get paid rain or shine
Cons: the breakdown is 15.00 a hour and regardless of CFI/MEI/CFII or experience.

 

[Wardogg]

I recently had a wet behind the ears CFI demand to be paid $60 per hour. I told her my instructors average pay is 7.5 hours per day. "If I pay you $60/hour, I will be paying you $108,000 per year". The instructor smiled and said great. I face palmed and ended the interview immediately.

How much in need of flight instructors are/were you? Just out of curiosity.


To the OP. Flight/Ground 45/hr 2 hr min scheduled time slot per request. This was my independent rate.

At the 141 program I was at at was 20/hr with guaranteed 40 hours a week plus overtime at standard rate. There was always overtime. Only 1 day off a week.
Salina KS.

 

[mrivc211]

How much in need of flight instructors are/were you? Just out of curiosity.


To the OP. Flight/Ground 45/hr 2 hr min scheduled time slot per request. This was my independent rate.

At the 141 program I was at at was 20/hr with guaranteed 40 hours a week plus overtime at standard rate. There was always overtime. Only 1 day off a week.
Salina KS.

Years ago I was desperate, now that ATP has been cranking them out, I’m pretty good. Supply is high at the moment for CFIs