Getting paid like a professional...

At the club I learned to fly at, students directly paid their instructor...$35 first year teaching, $40 for everyone else.....

The day I get my CFI, I have already been guranteed a job instructing as long as I would like with the old club I trained with, and my old CFI's grumman and upcoming flight school. I'll be at $35/hour the day I get my ticket........

Too be honest though, I didn't think this was un common....Most people I talk with around my area have same many of the same things about pay.
 
Hello guys; sorry if my post came across as secretive. I was just trying to be modest. I work at the Long Beach Flying Club. If anyone wants a tour of our school to work or to learn pm me. (I have pmed people who wanted more info.)
For those of you who know Mike from Alteon in LGB, one of his senior simulator instructors works at LBFC part time. Mike might have some good info.
 
"one of his senior simulator instructors works at LBFC part time."

Crap, that's the job I wanted. I love IFR training without the risk of getting killed in the LA smog. Maybe I can be his understudy.
 
Wow, their PPL course ain't priced too bad! That's about half what I've been quoted to finish my PPL at a couple of flight schools around here!
 
lisboa said:
Let me tell you about the school where I work. We have 15 planes, all of which are IFR certified. (Including all of our 152's and Cherrokees.) All of our instructors are truely independant contractors. There are absolutely no minimum hours required to "sit around the office".

There are about 12 full time instructors and the average flight time is between 4000-8000 hrs. There are also several lower time instructors. (I'm one of them.)

We don't have enough instructors to handle all of the incoming business. Here's where it gets good...instruction is billed at $45/hr. The school keeps nothing; they make their money on the plane rental and they like to treat their instructors very well.

One of the instructors who just left for the regionals (idiot :sarcasm:) billed 110 hours last month. You do the math! :nana2:

If you would like to work in the Los Angeles area and have the Pacific Ocean as your practice area let me know.

I hope this helps someone!
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Lisbo..

Break it down for us please. How long have you been instructing there and how many hours do you fly in a month and what do you charge? Their website says flight instruction rate at 35.00/hour. Is that out of date?

I've noticed from your previous post that you worked as a CFI at Universal Air Academy at El Monte airport. Did that not work out for you or do you think LBFC is better?

Thanks :)
 
I have been at LBFC three months now. I have two full time zero to commercial multi students from India, one full time german student and a couple of local students. I expect to bill about 110 hours this month. Some of the instructors with only a cfi charge $40, II and MEI charge $45, $50 or more.

The main reason we have a need for instructors is because there is a flight school next door that has a very large contract to train Indian students but rumor is that because they only pay $15/hour they have a shortage of instructors. Some students are being referred to us.

We also have a large local demand. Even though we get paid three times as much it doesn't cost more to train with us than next door. My school doesn't take any of my fees and we still have GREAT mainainance.
 
update

Hello again, I have billed 109 hours so far this month and there are still 4 days left. We can use at least two more instructors, as an extra benefit you can take your lunch with me at long beach every day.
 
FYI....their(LBFC) aircraft maintenance hasnt been the best in the past. Carefully look at their facility and compare to others on the field.

:)
 
Re: update

lisboa said:
Hello again, I have billed 109 hours so far this month and there are still 4 days left. We can use at least two more instructors, as an extra benefit you can take your lunch with me at long beach every day.
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cause everyone agree's lisboa is well qualified to represent the LBC? :D
 
FlySmiley said:
Don't forget about the drawback of being an independent contractor come tax time... the self employment tax takes a big chunk of that extra cash you are making.
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Dude, you can say that again. I paid about $2G's come tax time just on the "self-employment" tax. That is a big pill to swallow when you are poor and did not have of that money withheld.
 
subpilot said:
Dude, you can say that again. I paid about $2G's come tax time just on the "self-employment" tax. That is a big pill to swallow when you are poor and did not have of that money withheld.
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I would recommend any contractor (CFI or other) to incorporate. Sub S or LLC. More paperwork, but better come tax time over that of the schedule C and SE.
 
This sounds like a great gig, really. In the pre-9/11 days, I was making about $20/h which was pretty good, on top of my own gigs. It's great to see that not only the industry is back on track but is even more dynamic than before.
 
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