Riverside Flight Center - Tulsa, OK

CRJDriver

CRJDriver

Well-Known Member
Anyone currently working there or has worked there as a CFI? They just called me to fly out there to interview for a position next week. I did a search, but it was fairly outdated. Looking for all the information I can get. Fleet, Students, Pay, Advancement opportunities, etc.

Anyone have any info on the interview process?
 
No information, but 6-8 years ago it was a rather small operation. You're combatting Spartan, a state school (can't remember if it was OU or Univ. of Tulsa), and Christainson for students in a saturated flight environment similar to DAB with ERAU.
 
moxiepilot said:
No information, but 6-8 years ago it was a rather small operation. You're combatting Spartan, a state school (can't remember if it was OU or Univ. of Tulsa), and Christainson for students in a saturated flight environment similar to DAB with ERAU.
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Thanks. Last I heard Riverside is teaching foreigners and they are suppose to be fairly busy and expanding. Looking for all the info I can get...
 
The state school is Oklahoma State, Christianson is out of business I believe (or RFC moved into their main building if I remember right?), Spartan is mostly domestic students, and you aren't combating any of the above for their students, mostly Indian students when I went down there a couple years back looking for a CFI spot.

Thats all I got, good luck in your interview.
 
I flight instructed at RFC for a year. The chief pilot and owner are great guys. When I was there, there was plenty of flying to be done. I heard it got a lot slower after I left though. I was averaging 115 hours a month, and I once had the record for flying the most hours in one month in an airplane. I had 157 hours (no sim).

Its been 2 years since I was there, so It may have all changed.

The pay was low, I just did it to build hours. But I did get free housing. We got to play volleyball with the students and other instructors. I got 350 hours of NIGHT cross country time in a one year time frame in a 152 using pilotage and sometimes a VOR. I got to fly in a multitude of states which really increased my proficiency. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

When I was there they had no interview process, they hired everyone with a CFI certificate that came in the door. I was hired over the phone. But this was 2 years ago when everyone was hiring.

I had 2 American students, a Russia student, and one Chinise student. Everyone else came from India. English is ok. At first all I flew was 152's, then they offered me to teach Instrument students, I loved doing that as I learned a ton, after 6 months of Instrument Instructing they offered me a MEI position, I turned it down, left RFC because of the low pay, and now fly corporate and work for a 135 operation.
 
Thanks for all the info! I just got an email back from the Chief CFI about all the questions I had. Like you said, the pay is low. I was told $15/hr to start and then based on performance you get increases. I don't agree with this type of compensation method. I have been a CFI and have a couple hundred hours of dual given. I would have done this because it would have been a job and able for me to remain current, but I don't see how Ill be able to survive on that pay and if a 1,500 mile move is worth it. From the sounds of the email, I'd have the option to do a phone or in-person interview, but after considering all factors, I don't think it is right for me.
 
CRJDriver said:
Thanks for all the info! I just got an email back from the Chief CFI about all the questions I had. Like you said, the pay is low. I was told $15/hr to start and then based on performance you get increases. I don't agree with this type of compensation method. I have been a CFI and have a couple hundred hours of dual given. I would have done this because it would have been a job and able for me to remain current, but I don't see how Ill be able to survive on that pay and if a 1,500 mile move is worth it. From the sounds of the email, I'd have the option to do a phone or in-person interview, but after considering all factors, I don't think it is right for me.
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Well you also might want to consider that the instructors at Spartan are making $12 an hour (last time I was in touch with one of them) and the cost of living is cheap. I was in a NICE 1 bedroom for less than $600 a month.
 
I worked at RFC for 2 1/2 years and just left at the first of the month for Eagle. PM me and I'll give you the current scoop.
 
I have friends that still work at both Spartan and RFC. What I'm told is that Spartan is still pretty slow but RFC is hanging in there due to the foreign contracts. Were I'm working now there are 4 or so instructors who at one time or another worked at RFC. They built time quickly and seemed to be happy there. Then down side is that they all either taught strictly Private or Instrument students. They were really good on VFR or IFR but usually not both.
 
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