How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School Ops?

[dcramer16]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

30k sounds fair.

Yeah, I suppose if you want to "low-ball" and bring this profession even further down than it already is.....

 

[Douglas]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

I don't think 30k is necessary low ball. I worked for a place that had 9 airplanes, but they didn't have anywhere close to having the cash flow to pay somebody 30k.
There just isn't a lot of money in it left over for salaries.
I wish somebody in that position could be paid more, and deserves to be paid more but there just isn't the cash.

 

[jrh]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

I don't think 30k is necessary low ball. I worked for a place that had 9 airplanes, but they didn't have anywhere close to having the cash flow to pay somebody 30k.
There just isn't a lot of money in it left over for salaries.
I wish somebody in that position could be paid more, and deserves to be paid more but there just isn't the cash.

My personal opinion is that the business isn't worth working for if it's not profitable enough to pay a decent salary. The point of a business is to make money. If it's not making money, something needs to change. The business plan has to be tweaked. Income needs to go up or expenses have to go down.

This is one of the reasons the owner of my flight school and I get along so well. We both have the philosophy that if something isn't going to make us money, why bother? We're out to make a good living, not run a community service organization.

In the case of a flight school with 9 aircraft, there are tons of adjustments that could be made to improve profitability. The larger the operation, the less excuse there is for not paying a good salary because the salary is a smaller percentage of total expenses.

Just something to keep in mind when negotiating for a job.

 

[Douglas]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

I agree with what you say, but I think there is just a lack of cash in most operations to afford that salary.

I think things in the flight instruction world need to change in that regard.

 

[minitour]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

Yeah, I suppose if you want to "low-ball" and bring this profession even further down than it already is.....

I was trying to think of a nice way to say it. I think you said it about as nicely as it could be said.

-mini

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

Yeah, I suppose if you want to "low-ball" and bring this profession even further down than it already is.....

Sorry, but it doesn't sound like a position that would be worth very much more to me. Considering the position does not even exist, and it is part time, it may be pretty difficult to even squeeze for 30k + flight time. Keep in mind this is much more than a first year regional FO with 50 people in the back.

I guess "fair" is relative to where you live. Here in Texas, 30k is a good living. In California or the North East, not so much.

 

[Mattio]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

Yea, it wouldn't be part time. I would have plenty of stuff to keep me busy for 40 hours a week and then some. I plan on doing at least like 25K in flight instructing alone, and then spending down time and rainy days on other stuff.

 

[Goonie]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

30k sounds fair.

Its a race to the bottom and Mojo has the pole position.

 

[cool92092]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

over 9000K
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3dj3TJ1r9A


Wish I could tell you more

 

[dcramer16]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

Its a race to the bottom and Mojo has the pole position.

Crap! I didn't know it was a race. In that case I propose 16K......No wait, you should pay him for the privilege of flying his airplanes with students. In fact, you should pay the boss, and pay the students for riding with you. (not directed at you ryan, but to the people who are in the race to the bottom, and in this industry, there's plenty of them)

By the way Mojo, 30K/year is what I think is near fair to pay a flight instructor. But a DIRECTOR OF OPS should really be closer to double that. Just a guess, but are you one of those guys that think it would be a real priviledge to work for the airlines for 16K/year and get to fly a big shinny jet??

 

[Roger, Roger]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

but are you one of those guys that think it would be a real priviledge to work for the airlines for 16K/year and get to fly a big shinny jet??

Bahahaha. You obviously haven't read many of his posts.

 

[dcramer16]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

Bahahaha. You obviously haven't read many of his posts.

Fair enough then. But I think 30K should be bare bones minimum for a Director of Ops at a place with 1 airplane, and 1 instructor. It should go up from there.

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

By the way Mojo, 30K/year is what I think is near fair to pay a flight instructor. But a DIRECTOR OF OPS should really be closer to double that. Just a guess, but are you one of those guys that think it would be a real priviledge to work for the airlines for 16K/year and get to fly a big shinny jet??

Director of Ops is just a fancy title for "office manager", as described by the OP. Since he will be flying 25 hours a week, and working 40, he will be doing this job for 15 hours a week. Part time. I don't know of many part time jobs that pay a direct salary of 30k a year.

I would love to make 16k as a shiny jet pilot. In fact, I would probably pony up 30k+ in order to get the privilege of flying in a 121 cockpit, as long as they paid me at least $8/hour. I mean, why waste time instructing when I could go directly into a 121 environment? Seniority means everything.

 

[floridaCFII]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

I agree with what you say, but I think there is just a lack of cash in most operations to afford that salary.

Then they need to increase their prices so that they can be more profitable. My employer recently increased our aircraft and instruction rates and while there's been some complaining, people are still flying at the new rates.

 

[Douglas]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

Then they need to increase their prices so that they can be more profitable. My employer recently increased our aircraft and instruction rates and while there's been some complaining, people are still flying at the new rates.

We are on par with all the other flight school in this town (4), and as an instructor we get more hourly than anybody else.
There is more to business than just, "well raise the price."

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

:laff:

We are on par with all the other flight school in this town (4), and as an instructor we get more hourly than anybody else.
There is more to business than just, "well raise the price."

Not in the dream land some people live in, with little experience in the real world. Since I worked at an FBO for 5 years, managed an FBO for 2 years, have worked as a flight instructor for nearly 2.5 years, I pretty much know the business in and out.

 

[jrh]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

We are on par with all the other flight school in this town (4), and as an instructor we get more hourly than anybody else.
There is more to business than just, "well raise the price."

No doubt, running a business is complicated, I completely agree with you on that. But I stand by my original point that if a business isn't profitable, there's no sense in running it. I'd rather walk away from it than waste my time every day spinning my wheels with no financial return.

 

[BTAcola]

Re: How much should I ask for as Director of Flight School O

Where is this Flight School located? Around what city? So I know what to base my ESTIMATE for salary on for cost of living purposes.

(I haven been in your position before, So i can give you TONS of info on this matter)- PM more stuff that you want to know.

Thanks
BC