Flight Safety Academy Vero Beach CFI

Ohiocfi

New Member
Currently a CFI at a 141 university aeronautics program and graduating in May. Any and all advice or opinions on flight instructing at FSA in Florida would be greatly appreciated. Some specific questions being, how does scheduling work with students/instructors, quality of training a/c, what kind of hours can I expect each month about, opinions on management, housing advice in the area. Thanks in advance
 
I instructed from 2007-2010, so my information might be outdated.

You set your own schedule. The 141 students have a syllabus and it's up to you to follow it, scheduling the student as often as they want or in line your availability. The aircraft were kept in great shape while I was there, the maintenance department is probably the best you'll find for instructing. As a 141 instructor I always had at least 4-10 students at a time. I spent most of my time at FSA working for various contract programs. SWISS paid a stipend and guaranteed me a full time schedule every week. RWL was the same but I don't recall a stipend. I made more per hour because I was a check instructor also. I don't remember how many hours I worked (pay-wise) but I flew about 600-700 hours per year and made about 40k each year I worked there. I left FSA with my ATP and about 600 multi PIC.

When I was there management wasn't the best- but it's my impression that the new center manager was my chief pilot at the time. She's a great boss to have and I'm sure she's an excellent center manager. That said, they expect you to stay within the syllabus and not over-charge (briefing time). I've seen that become a problem for some instructors with weak students. I never really had an issue with it personally, but I know that several instructors lost students or were given different students if briefing time was found to be an issue. It's simply a matter of documentation in my opinion. Don't cover up the weakness of the student by briefing the allotted 1.0 every lesson and then right before the check ride start doing 4 hour sessions trying to get the student to SAT level. There is no paper trail there, which will earn you some heat from the chiefs. If the student is weak and needs more time, document it, get the assistant chiefs notified early so you can coordinate during their training to get them to SAT level.

Also- it's my impression that the vast majority of students are foreign. Just be prepared to have your patience tested regarding language barriers.

Regarding housing, I lived on campus as a student, off campus as an instructor. I paid about 400-450/month for a one bedroom with a roommate (800-900 total/month). My favorite place was on the barrier island very near the beach and it was still only 450/month. Very affordable area to live, you shouldn't have a problem finding roommates or apartments that are affordable.

If any of that actually makes sense, fantastic. Feel free to PM me for clarification.
 
Awesome, that's the kind of info I was looking for. Talking about oral time, are the students put through a ground school with ground instructors and any other issues needing to be cleared up by the student done by the instructor? Or is the instructor teaching the student the ground schools?
 
141 program students have a ground school and they take their written usually prior to reaching the flight line with you, their instructor. That doesn't mean they know it enough for an oral exam.
 
I instructed from 2007-2010, so my information might be outdated.

You set your own schedule. The 141 students have a syllabus and it's up to you to follow it, scheduling the student as often as they want or in line your availability. The aircraft were kept in great shape while I was there, the maintenance department is probably the best you'll find for instructing. As a 141 instructor I always had at least 4-10 students at a time. I spent most of my time at FSA working for various contract programs. SWISS paid a stipend and guaranteed me a full time schedule every week. RWL was the same but I don't recall a stipend. I made more per hour because I was a check instructor also. I don't remember how many hours I worked (pay-wise) but I flew about 600-700 hours per year and made about 40k each year I worked there. I left FSA with my ATP and about 600 multi PIC.

When I was there management wasn't the best- but it's my impression that the new center manager was my chief pilot at the time. She's a great boss to have and I'm sure she's an excellent center manager. That said, they expect you to stay within the syllabus and not over-charge (briefing time). I've seen that become a problem for some instructors with weak students. I never really had an issue with it personally, but I know that several instructors lost students or were given different students if briefing time was found to be an issue. It's simply a matter of documentation in my opinion. Don't cover up the weakness of the student by briefing the allotted 1.0 every lesson and then right before the check ride start doing 4 hour sessions trying to get the student to SAT level. There is no paper trail there, which will earn you some heat from the chiefs. If the student is weak and needs more time, document it, get the assistant chiefs notified early so you can coordinate during their training to get them to SAT level.

Also- it's my impression that the vast majority of students are foreign. Just be prepared to have your patience tested regarding language barriers.

Regarding housing, I lived on campus as a student, off campus as an instructor. I paid about 400-450/month for a one bedroom with a roommate (800-900 total/month). My favorite place was on the barrier island very near the beach and it was still only 450/month. Very affordable area to live, you shouldn't have a problem finding roommates or apartments that are affordable.

If any of that actually makes sense, fantastic. Feel free to PM me for clarification.
I know this thread is over a year old, but how much can you currently expect to make as a CFI there now? You have any new info from anybody that works there? Is it a salaried position or paid by the flight hour? I'm finishing up my CFI in Alabama and looking to eventually apply for a job there.

Also, another question I have is, did management ever pressure instructors to sign students off for check rides when they weren't ready? I'm curious about that, as I've heard that happens at some 141 programs.
 
Can't speak to pay, too far removed.

Pressure to sign students off is always a reality.
Also, how many days per week did you fly as a CFI? You have to fly on weekends? How long was standardization training and what all did that consist of?
 
Sorry it took so long to reply, guess I missed it.

I flew 5-6 days a week. Some people flew every day. If you're a regular 141 instructor you pretty much dictate the schedule unless you have a student that is very motivated and wants you to fly on the weekends, you don't. If you work in a contract program where the students are following a tight syllabus, lots of weekend flying.

I don't remember how long standardization was but it might have only been a week of ground school and then 1-3 flights with an assistant chief instructor. If you did your training at the school, no big deal.
 
hey has anyone recently been hired by flight safety?? i am currently looking into their free CFI,CFI-I,MEI program. get all the ratings and work for two years sounds like a sweet gig. anyone have any idea of what they pay their instructors??
 
hey has anyone recently been hired by flight safety?? i am currently looking into their free CFI,CFI-I,MEI program. get all the ratings and work for two years sounds like a sweet gig. anyone have any idea of what they pay their instructors??
From the last I heard on this forum, pay is not bad for cfi's. 40k starting I believe, it might even be more as of the current hiring climate lately. I could be wrong, if so, somebody please correct me.
 
From the last I heard on this forum, pay is not bad for cfi's. 40k starting I believe, it might even be more as of the current hiring climate lately. I could be wrong, if so, somebody please correct me.

Correcting - last I heard (recently) the starting pay was something like 16-18/hr
 
Correcting - last I heard (recently) the starting pay was something like 16-18/hr
That doesn't give a general idea of how much you can make in a year though. How many hours can a cfi expect to fly there? And how much can you make in a year is a better question I should say
 
That doesn't give a general idea of how much you can make in a year though. How many hours can a cfi expect to fly there? And how much can you make in a year is a better question I should say
I have not worked there, but a good rule of thumb for a busy school like that is 600ish flight hours plus 200-300 hours of sims/ground.
That times the hourly rate gives you the idea
Busting your butt and flying weekends maybe 1200 billable hours a year
 
Back
Top