Part time instructing for 'fun'?

ZeroPapaGolf

ZeroPapaGolf

Well-Known Member
I've never planned on obtaining my cfi, as I have a good job that allows me to fly both for business and pleasure, and compensates nicely to boot. So, I had decided that I didn't need the "airline stepping stone" of being a CFI.

However, I'm starting to view it as more than that. I have always loved teaching things I am passionate about. My career and jobs along the way have resulted in me teaching everything from industrial safety to equipment operation to scuba diving. So I'm starting to think that being a CFI a few days a week might be enjoyable, and would help me build hours to advance my personal flying abilities (getting insurance on things what go fast).

Maybe even buy a cool plane and do some freelance specialty instruction. Like a Super Cub, or a Husky. Or maybe an amphibious Aircam. Can you instruct in experimentals? Criticisms on my idea?

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You can instruct in experimentals. Check the insurance. There can be some... interesting things that pop up with how the coverage works.

I personally think it's a great idea. One thing to not do is undercut the guys trying to actually squeak out a living by instructing. Even if you're going to do it part time, do it with excellence and charge $50+ per hour. Or at least at the top of the market for your area.

You meet interesting people, and just occasionally get to fly some interesting airplanes.
 
In limited circumstances, you can instruct in experimentals. You can't rent or use them for hire without a waiver though, so the audience is pretty limited (I've received instruction in one, but was a part owner)

Plenty of opportunities to intruct part time (I do), but you need to be creative, network, and look around for them.
 
msmspilot said:
You can instruct in experimentals. Check the insurance. There can be some... interesting things that pop up with how the coverage works.

I personally think it's a great idea. One thing to not do is undercut the guys trying to actually squeak out a living by instructing. Even if you're going to do it part time, do it with excellence and charge $50+ per hour. Or at least at the top of the market for your area.

You meet interesting people, and just occasionally get to fly some interesting airplanes.
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Definitely not undercutting. I may be having fun while working, but I'm still working and still getting paid real money.

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Around here almost everyone instructs as a side business and for the love of it. There are a few full-time instructors in some specialty schools. As others have said, charge market rates to be fair to the team.

You cannot plan to buy an experimental to teach in. You can get a waiver to provide type-specific training in an experimental, so lets say you will provide specialty training to new owners of the Van's RV, you could get a waiver just for that and charge them for training in your plane... but not for general instruction. You need a part 23 certified aircraft if you're providing the aircraft for rental (which is what you're doing when providing an aircraft for instruction) and you will need to complete 100-hour inspections (basically the same thing as an annual and you should just have them sign it off as such and expect to pay as much).

As for other airplanes, like a Husky or Super Cub. You can into specialty markets for tailwheel endorsements and if you live in the mountains you can do backcountry training...unless you live in an affluent area few people will be willing to pay the premium rental rates on aircraft like that outside of specialty training. You'll need a lot of experience before the insurance people will even touch you. My agents have told me at least 100 hours of tailwheel time before they'll normally insure an instructor for tailwheel training, and it needs to be recent experience.

As you work on it, realize that insurance will be one of your largest operating expenses. Personal insurance to fly your own fixed-tricycle-gear single will only cost about $400-800 annually, but that policy is null and void as soon as you teach a student in it or charge them for rental...to upgrade to a commercial policy, that same airplane will cost $3,000-5,000 annually to insure. Move that number up if you get something retractable or with a tailwheel. Just be aware as you start playing around with "what if" numbers, you dont want to underestimate in this area.

Have fun!
 
rframe said:
(All the stuff he said...)
Click to expand...

This post is one of the reasons I find that I am spending far more time here than on APC. Lot's of terrific, well-informed knowledge, happily shared, and without any of the snark or failure-filled depression that it seems 80% of the posts on APC are full of. I've learned a lot over there, but man, is it ever depressing.
 
rframe said:
Around here almost everyone instructs as a side business and for the love of it. There are a few full-time instructors in some specialty schools. As others have said, charge market rates to be fair to the team.

You cannot plan to buy an experimental to teach in. You can get a waiver to provide type-specific training in an experimental, so lets say you will provide specialty training to new owners of the Van's RV, you could get a waiver just for that and charge them for training in your plane... but not for general instruction. You need a part 23 certified aircraft if you're providing the aircraft for rental (which is what you're doing when providing an aircraft for instruction) and you will need to complete 100-hour inspections (basically the same thing as an annual and you should just have them sign it off as such and expect to pay as much).

As for other airplanes, like a Husky or Super Cub. You can into specialty markets for tailwheel endorsements and if you live in the mountains you can do backcountry training...unless you live in an affluent area few people will be willing to pay the premium rental rates on aircraft like that outside of specialty training. You'll need a lot of experience before the insurance people will even touch you. My agents have told me at least 100 hours of tailwheel time before they'll normally insure an instructor for tailwheel training, and it needs to be recent experience.

As you work on it, realize that insurance will be one of your largest operating expenses. Personal insurance to fly your own fixed-tricycle-gear single will only cost about $400-800 annually, but that policy is null and void as soon as you teach a student in it or charge them for rental...to upgrade to a commercial policy, that same airplane will cost $3,000-5,000 annually to insure. Move that number up if you get something retractable or with a tailwheel. Just be aware as you start playing around with "what if" numbers, you dont want to underestimate in this area.

Have fun!
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Very good info. Thanks! Those insurance rates are killer. I guess the more logical thing would be to instruct for the local flight school, at least at first. They seem to be willing to hire anyone competent.

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jknight8907 said:
Very good info. Thanks! Those insurance rates are killer. I guess the more logical thing would be to instruct for the local flight school, at least at first. They seem to be willing to hire anyone competent.

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The local flight school is a great option. You don't need to worry about owning a plane. Easier to find students. Insurance already paid for. No fixed costs to cover when you get busy with the day job.

The economics of giving instruction in an aircraft you own fall apart quickly if you aren't flying a lot of hours in it.
 
msmspilot said:
Even if you're going to do it part time, do it with excellence and charge $50+ per hour. Or at least at the top of the market for your area.
Click to expand...

Why would an instructor with no experience charge rates at the top of the market? And who do you suggest should pay premium rates for what is likely to be sub-standard instruction? I understand your motivation to keep instructors from undercutting the market as pilots have done in other areas of aviaiton, but suggesting a new CFI price himself out of business before he even starts operating isn't good advice. When I was a new instructor my time wasn't as valuable as it is now. When I started out I taught like an 800 hr pilot with 0 given, because that's what I was. After an additional 1500 hrs and 500 given I'm now probably near the top of the current market rate and I'm worth it, but I wasn't when I first started.
 
Nihon_Ni said:
Why would an instructor with no experience charge rates at the top of the market? And who do you suggest should pay premium rates for what is likely to be sub-standard instruction? I understand your motivation to keep instructors from undercutting the market as pilots have done in other areas of aviaiton, but suggesting a new CFI price himself out of business before he even starts operating isn't good advice. When I was a new instructor my time wasn't as valuable as it is now. When I started out I taught like an 800 hr pilot with 0 given, because that's what I was. After an additional 1500 hrs and 500 given I'm now probably near the top of the current market rate and I'm worth it, but I wasn't when I first started.
Click to expand...

I suggest that because the OP isn't a new instructor. He has a ton of instruction experience, just not in aviation. The subject matter is the easy part. The psychology and student learning styles and such are the hard part. Maybe he needs to start out priced in the middle of the market and work his way up to get some clientele, but with the way he describes his previous experience, he won't have a hard time getting and keeping clients. Once you have one or two and you treat them right, word of mouth will take over. My mistake as a new instructor (from a business standpoint) was not raising prices fast enough.
 
Charge a fair price, but you don't need to charge anything to other CFI's or friends - kind of a courtesy thing there. Or BFR's for your buddies. Karma goes a long way.

I was my CFI's first student, I turned out fine, didn't get a discount. He probably did a better job anyway, you have a lot more invested into it emotionally with your first few students.

One thing he told me - "You won't realize this now, but you are never going to forget me.". Very true, 15 years and 50 CFIs later, I remember spinning a 152 with Marc on lesson #2 like it was yesterday.
 
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