Full time flight instructor avg salary

[nagylyk]

There have been a number of independent CFIs on this forum over the years, although I don't know of any presently. The two that I do know personally both charge around $50 per hour for their services, and have full schedules of students, working with various clubs and FBOs. I have been told it takes quite a bit of word-of-mouth to build a reputation as a good independent CFI/CFII, but you can do quite well with it if you work at it.

I did the independent/free lance CFI route and I was charging around the amount you mentioned. I loved it! It was a great gig. The people I worked with were awesome. All hard workers and really committed. And I got to fly a ton of cool airplanes, not just the standard 172 and Seminole. Flying was the easy part. Finding clients and marketing was the full time job. Loved it tho!

 

[chrisreedrules]

I made an average of $500 p/week from the flight school I worked at. Hardly enough to live extravagantly on but I paid the bills and still had enough left over to go out a bit or buy things I wanted. I was fortunate to have great students though and I would stay busy even when my coworkers were not.

I also did other flying to supplement my income. Whenever I flew in another person's aircraft or give dual instruction outside the flight school I generally charged $40 p/hour. That usually made me an extra $500 p/month and when I would occasionally fly right seat in someone's King Air or what have you I would charge a day rate for that as well.

I don't have my W2 in front of me but I'd say I made a little north of $30,000 as a flight instructor. I was busy as hell and worked my tail off though.

Also, when I started flying survey, I would have anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks off at a time on average and I was my flight school's only multi-engine instructor for quite a while. That helped pad the bank account.

 

[hook_dupin]

I've been flight instructing on the side for a few years now, and I'm just about to break away from working for flight schools. I have a few independent clients and I bill $70/hr from hand-shake to hand-shake. Others in my area bill $80.

Best investments so far: business cards from Vista Print for $30 and LinkedIn for $0.

 

[WS]

If you work at it, upwards of $40K/Year can be made at UND. Actual hourly wage varies based on your certificates, but things like CFII, MEI and the ability to teach initial CFI applicants all raise your rate. Being a full time stage check pilot gets you the highest rate which I think is around $26/Hour. I think 1200 annual student contact hours (oral and flight) is pretty average, but many do upwards of 1500 hours in a year. Everything over 750 hours in year starts to get bonuses added. Something like $.25/hour from 750-900, and then goes up incrementally from there. You set your own schedule, all they care about is that your students are getting their lessons done on time, you can decide what time of day you work provided your student's needs are met.

Full time instructors get medical coverage as well (if you have a degree, doesn't have to be from UND though), and have the added benefit of being able to defer student loans while working as an instructor. Pretty much all of the equipment is less than 10 years old, and is all glass (G1000 C172s, and Avidyne and G1000 Seminoles) except for the two remaining Arrows which are ONLY used for initial CFI applicants to demonstrate landings in a complex aircraft.

Cost of living is pretty descent, but most people are happy to leave after spending a couple of winters in ND.

They also have a smaller campus in Phoenix, but not sure if the pay is the same.

 

[bc2209]

I was a salaried full time CFI for Pan Am which later became Trans Pac. Back in 2005 I made $30K with nights and weekends off teaching the Koreans. It was actually fairly easy as the Koreans spoke English very well and they studied their butts off. They made me look like a Gold Seal instructor with very little effort from me. This was the complete opposite of my experience at the same school teaching the Chinese.

Anyway I think you could expect near $40K for a job there now.

I've heard that twice now and have Chinese students myself. Pulling my hair out.

Why do you think that is, the difference in the two I mean?

 

[WS]

I've heard that twice now and have Chinese students myself. Pulling my hair out.

Why do you think that is, the difference in the two I mean?

I think some of the Chinese airlines have lower English standards for their cadets. I have seen a bit of a range even between different Chinese airlines, though I have seen a few Chinese cadets that could have easily convinced me that English was their first language.

 

[bc2209]

If you are considering Arizona, checkout CAE Oxford in Mesa. We are hiring quite rapidly at the moment and it's a pretty good place to be as far as instructing jobs. Several opportunities for advancement especially if you stick around more than a year.

 

[bc2209]

I think some of the Chinese airlines have lower English standards for their cadets. I have seen a bit of a range even between different Chinese airlines, though I have seen a few Chinese cadets that could have easily convinced me that English was their first language.

Wow yeah that has been exactly my experience. I had one (of my 6 students) who had GREAT English and was smart as a whip. However, the other's can hardly carry on a conversation. It's hard man.

 

[tcco94]

@skypilot6 I see what you mean by working a lot. I just didn't understand from the CFI perspective. TransPac has always sounded like a good gig to me but many people think that they work more than they're actually paid because their salaried. I can see how you could feel that way. The colleague told me the two toughest parts there was the language barrier @bc2209 and the airspace was pretty congested. I did my private in the 30nm radius of SFO so I know what it's like to be busy but then all the rest of my training was in BIL (Montana) where a 3-4 airliners and some company traffic was a huge rush. I can't say that I'd make that language barrier easier by any means but the amount of hours I'd be building make it tempting to give it a shot and stick with it.

I fell a class short due to some transfer credits so my rATP qualifies for 1250 hours. I'd like to get on with the regionals/121 world when I get my hours. I also was hoping (but not making it a huge priority) to do the Skywest bridge program...which was another reason I want to go to TransPac.

If you work at it, upwards of $40K/Year can be made at UND.

I haven't thought about going back to a University to flight instruct really but I've talked about it with some people. Only downfall is that I'll be done at AF around the end of Sept with a CFI/CFII in hand. At that time it might be tough trying to get a CFI job when the school is in semester already. You guys have a lot worse winters than I do over here in Montana but UND was my second school of choice. Supposedly, ND is a pretty "awful" place as the Montanians like to say. Do you get a lot of flying in the winter? Lots of students? My school is small and winters still suck for flying. Instructors here battle the break even and build about 250 a semester, even working their ass off. I'd stay here since we have a Skywest program but like I said, it's not a priority and I'd like to go somewhere to get hours to be hire-able by someone.

 

[chrisreedrules]

@skypilot6 I see what you mean by working a lot. I just didn't understand from the CFI perspective. TransPac has always sounded like a good gig to me but many people think that they work more than they're actually paid because their salaried. I can see how you could feel that way. The colleague told me the two toughest parts there was the language barrier @bc2209 and the airspace was pretty congested. I did my private in the 30nm radius of SFO so I know what it's like to be busy but then all the rest of my training was in BIL (Montana) where a 3-4 airliners and some company traffic was a huge rush. I can't say that I'd make that language barrier easier by any means but the amount of hours I'd be building make it tempting to give it a shot and stick with it.

I fell a class short due to some transfer credits so my rATP qualifies for 1250 hours. I'd like to get on with the regionals/121 world when I get my hours. I also was hoping (but not making it a huge priority) to do the Skywest bridge program...which was another reason I want to go to TransPac.


I haven't thought about going back to a University to flight instruct really but I've talked about it with some people. Only downfall is that I'll be done at AF around the end of Sept with a CFI/CFII in hand. At that time it might be tough trying to get a CFI job when the school is in semester already. You guys have a lot worse winters than I do over here in Montana but UND was my second school of choice. Supposedly, ND is a pretty "awful" place as the Montanians like to say. Do you get a lot of flying in the winter? Lots of students? My school is small and winters still suck for flying. Instructors here battle the break even and build about 250 a semester, even working their ass off. I'd stay here since we have a Skywest program but like I said, it's not a priority and I'd like to go somewhere to get hours to be hire-able by someone.

Going somewhere because of a "bridge program" doesn't make a whole lot of sense anymore. You will most certainly have your choice of regional airlines to work for when the time comes.

 

[Crockrocket94]

Granted this was back in 2007/8 But when I was working at FSA, being paid a whopping 16 an hour for basic IP pay, i was doing very well.

I did 890 hours in under a year of instructing and had at one point something like 10 students. I was working 6-6 or 8 am to 12pm some days 6 days a week. Would I do that much now that Im older and well, need sleep. Maybe not, but when I was 23/4 it was great. Made decent money and still had a good social life.

 

[WS]

I haven't thought about going back to a University to flight instruct really but I've talked about it with some people. Only downfall is that I'll be done at AF around the end of Sept with a CFI/CFII in hand. At that time it might be tough trying to get a CFI job when the school is in semester already. You guys have a lot worse winters than I do over here in Montana but UND was my second school of choice. Supposedly, ND is a pretty "awful" place as the Montanians like to say. Do you get a lot of flying in the winter? Lots of students? My school is small and winters still suck for flying. Instructors here battle the break even and build about 250 a semester, even working their ass off. I'd stay here since we have a Skywest program but like I said, it's not a priority and I'd like to go somewhere to get hours to be hire-able by someone.

Things definitely can slow down in the winter, though there's still quite a bit of flying going on. If you want to keep your contact hours up to get paid, you can do it if you're smart about it. As I said before, you make your own schedule, so you can often do briefings with students or FTD lessons when you are weather canceled. The winters can definitely be a bit of a drag, but they can also give you some pretty good experience as well.

UND hires in cycles, just need to get in on one of those if you are interested. Usually details on their aerospace website regarding when the next cycle is, usually every couple of months.

As far as students go, you will NEVER, and I repeat NEVER be without students if you instruct at UND. You will ask for four, and they will try to give you five or six. They are hurting for instructors, and there is an awful lot of people leaving for the regionals lately.

 

[Crockrocket94]

Granted this was back in 2007/8 But when I was working at FSA, being paid a whopping 16 an hour for basic IP pay, i was doing very well.

I did 890 hours in under a year of instructing and had at one point something like 10 students. I was working 6-6 or 8 am to 12pm some days 6 days a week. Would I do that much now that Im older and well, need sleep. Maybe not, but when I was 23/4 it was great. Made decent money and still had a good social life.

 

[Thunder-Robo]

Where were you at?

UND.

I'd look into it! As others have mentioned, you get free health care from day one, membership to an amazing wellness network and well maintained equipment.

I almost forgot to mention that our FTDs are actually an exceptionally useful training tool, compared to the desktop Xplanes that other flight schools have the nerve to actually charge you for.

I'm surprised there haven't been more midairs in the Phoenix area... It's a death trap out there! Hats off to the guys and girls that do it every day!

 

[tcco94]

Going somewhere because of a "bridge program" doesn't make a whole lot of sense anymore. You will most certainly have your choice of regional airlines to work for when the time comes.

Don't get me wrong. I definitely am not making that any priority. I just like the idea of the seniority (I know it's not much) but if I do choose a flight school I'd at least sign up for one of those programs even if I don't use it. All the instructors at my school did the Skywest bridge program and then the last 7 went to Republic and 1 went to Compass.

I don't wanna pick favoritism over a certain regional or not until I get the 1000 hours I need and then I can ask for opinions then. I'm sure lots will change in the span of a year and a half in the regionals. From my experience working ramp and gate for the last 2 years with Delta and Skywest they've always been awesome crews and loved their jobs. Compared to Compass and Endeavor, Skywest crews were (and still are) my favorite...but anyways to carry on with the CFI talk.

I'm surprised nobody has worked for American Flyers. Would be good to get some insight on working for them before I go there. I'll look at applying to UND, thanks for the advice on them @Thunder-Robo and @WS ... Seems like the majority of the flight schools I've looked at seem pretty decent. I just didn't wanna fall into a scam because of a nicely advertised website. Location is key though because I've looked into some schools on the East coast and couldn't find an apartment for less than $1300 a month for some studio sized apartment.

When you mentioned defering loans while working at UND you meant without building interest right? That could be pretty key for me to save up some money for when I do make pizza driver salary as an FO.

 

[WS]

Yes, you have to enroll in what they call the "CO-OP" program if you instruct at UND. What that means is that you enroll in 1 credit each semester at the University (it's a special class setup in their computer for this purpose, doesn't require you to go to any actual class, and you don't have to pay anything), and by being in that program, you are considered a full-time student. That gets you access to all of the normal student services like the wellness center (the big gym), and all of the other student stuff, including the ability to not pay a dime on your student loans while you are here and not accrue any additional interest. Some of these things are contingent on having a bachelor degree, but I think you said you had one earlier, so you should be good there.

Pretty much all of the regionals recruit heavily from UND as well. They just had a job fair type thing a couple months ago, and lots of regionals were there with booths staffed by recent UND alumni. Always lots of turnover from the CFI ranks headed to the airlines.

It's got it's good and bad points, but all in all it's a pretty descent place to build a bunch of hours in a hurry.