Which region of the US does not have very expensive rates?

[Barty]

Re: Which region of the US does not have very expensive rate

There's no such thing as cheap anymore.

Even flying clubs are charging around $100 for a non GPS equipped 172. That's wet, and based on tach time. But then you throw in an instructor for $40 a hour and it gets real expensive real fast.

I'm thinking that a flat rate place may be the best way to go.

With the airlines not hiring right now, I think prices will sink a little bit once the clubs/schools/FBOs start getting desperate for business because the "I don't care what I pay, I'm taking out a loan" crowd is diminished.

The place I rent from has already removed all of the fuel surcharges and there were some rumors that the rental rates might come down a few bucks if the price of avgas continues to slide or demand for the more expensive aircraft continues to wane. I was looking at the schedule last night and almost all of the $100-110/hr aircraft are booked solid for the next week, whereas I can go jump in any of the 172SPs just about any time I want. They're either going to have to lower the rates or sell some of the G1000 equipped planes, they can't just let them sit.

I'm probably going to piss off some of the CFIs here, but $45/hr+ for an instructor is just too damn much money. I paid it because I had to in order to do my flight review, but it is what is keeping me from pursuing my IR at the moment. I can understand why the rental rates went up, but in 2002 I was paying about $20-25/hr for a CFII, now nobody is less than $40/hr. I'm curious as to how much a CFI is actually being paid these days. Back then, it was maybe $10-15/hr. Has the pay actually gone up that much or are the schools just taking a bigger bite?

 

[wheelsup]

Re: Which region of the US does not have very expensive rate

When I worked as a CFI from 2003-2005, I noticed that as time progressed schools increased their CFI billing rate but didn't increase our pay rates. One school paid me $12/hr and charged $35, 6 months later they were charging $45-$50 depending on the type of instruction and the payrate was the same at $12/hr. Another paid me $20/hr and then charged $40/hr at first, then increased it to $50/hr.

Schools typically make much more money off their CFI's than they make off their airplanes.

 

[Barty]

Re: Which region of the US does not have very expensive rate

When I worked as a CFI from 2003-2005, I noticed that as time progressed schools increased their CFI billing rate but didn't increase our pay rates. One school paid me $12/hr and charged $35, 6 months later they were charging $45-$50 depending on the type of instruction and the payrate was the same at $12/hr. Another paid me $20/hr and then charged $40/hr at first, then increased it to $50/hr.

Schools typically make much more money off their CFI's than they make off their airplanes.

That's what I had suspected, I was just wondering if the pay was keeping up in tandem. Evidently it has not.

 

[cj4pilot]

Re: Which region of the US does not have very expensive rate

Check out the flying club I belong to in Carlsbad, CA. One of the best in the country, I think at least. www.pacificcoastflyers.org
I live closer to John Wayne, but I make the longer drive to CRQ to fly. Where else can you get an ex-C.A.P. 182 that's been well maintained for $135 an hour wet. Of course you have monthly dues, but now I make them back in the first hour of flying each month.

 

[LazyBones125]

Re: Which region of the US does not have very expensive rate

Im also in the New York area and my flight school charges $160/hr for a 172sp wet and $60/hr for instructor. Im currently working on my instrument and thinking about going out of state to finish my commercial cfi and multi, also looking for somewhere with cheap rates.

 

[PGT]

Re: Which region of the US does not have very expensive rate

Im also in the New York area and my flight school charges $160/hr for a 172sp wet and $60/hr for instructor. Im currently working on my instrument and thinking about going out of state to finish my commercial cfi and multi, also looking for somewhere with cheap rates.

Oh wow.

60 instruction?

My private was 30/hr but 100% went to CFI, advanced was $35; after moving now my rates are $35 private and $40 advanced.

 

[flyboywbl]

Re: Which region of the US does not have very expensive rate

Yah i agree that 45 an hour is too much for the instructor but it does not all go to the instructor. 15-20 an hour goes to the CFI (at my school at least) and the rest goes to the school to pay rent for the building, insurance ext. The thing that gets me is they charge 65 an hour for "Advanced" training (training for commercial or CFI) to which none of the extra money goes to the CFI.

 

[OldTownPilot]

Re: Which region of the US does not have very expensive rate

Coastal Maine:

172: 96/hr wet
150: 74/hr wet
Cirrus SR-22: 119/hr dry (I think)

Instructor is 38/hr, they get 20. A chunk of that 18/hr goes to workers comp insurance and that sort of stuff since they are employees, not contractors.