CFI Life... What is it like? Full time job?

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rtbayne01072

Filing Flight Plan
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flyboy72
So I'm very far in my flight training from the point of being a CFI (only about 5 hours in on my PPL). But I'am very curious about what typical CFI pay/hours is like.

Does it depend on where you instruct? Do people instruct as there full time job?(i think my CFI has another job as well).

My eventual goal is to fly commercially and I know that being a CFI is a good step to achieving the required hours/experience to fly for the airlines (along with all the other certifications multi-engine Commercial. etc). So some CFIs just enlighten me. I know the world of aviation is an expensive hard industry to get into but I very passionate about it and really want to do it as a career.
 
Others can answer the pay and hours info.

I'll add that much of your success will come from building strong business contact networks and always keeping your ear open and your name in the game.

Several good airmen I know did exactly that and are now well into developing careers into the Part 135 world. But they worked hard to get in front of and endear themselves to the correct decision makers. If you just sit on your tush and wait for it to come to you, it won't happen.
 
I was/am happy with it.

One place I worked for covered my housing and utilities, 25hr plus a bonus for passed rides, all the money I made was spending money, just shy of 30k a year

Second CFI job was free lance part time, 50hr cash, made a site and some free marketing, ended up brining another CFI in as I had too many folks signing up.

Now days I like to have one or two students on the side of my full time flying job.

Depends on where you are, your personality, and business sense.

FYI any flying you do that requires a CPL is commercial flying.
 
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Pay: There is a reason 23 instructors share a one bedroom apartment.
Hours: All of them to try to get enough flight time for a paycheck with positive numbers.

My experience was different than most. I instructed at a small airport in West Virginia. It was a rural area and I lived in my RV on the airport. I had a blast. Most of my students were professionals. I did part 61 training because it suited most of my students.

I guess the biggest advantage was I learned a lot about flying and people. Both helps in the real world of aviation.

I stayed a little longer than I needed to before moving on. I really enjoyed the area even though my living conditions were a little sparse. I was lucky in pay because I got a weekly salary plus flight hour pay.
 
My first two jobs were full time, also if you don't enjoy teaching, you really shouldn't CFI, and probably won't do well.

As for hours, 60-80 per month full time shouldn't be too hard at a good school.
 
Not a CFI but I work at a flight school doing scheduling, billing, and CS and I can tell you that CFI's are not slackers. They are some of the hardest working people who get paid close to nothing but still show up everyday.
 
Thank you all for the replies!

And my degree I'm going to be graduating with in May is Physical Education so teaching isn't a problem for me. I really enjoy it. Thanks again for all the insight everyone.
 
Pay depends on if your working for an FBO or freelancing. Typically you will make more per hour freelancing, but not have as many students.

I currently work at an FBO and typically, this year, I've been working 8-6pm.

Some days are better then others. Today wasn't one of those good days. I had a cold coming on this morning and was way behind the aircraft. My instrument student and I kept butting heads. We called it off as we were just wasting money flying in circles. I was sick and he was stressed out from his business. Afterwords I canceled the rest of my students for the day. It's a pay loss for me but it is better then wasting my students money and safety when I'm not 100% today.
 
From what I've seen in my vast lack of experience ;), CFI's in a school don't get paid real well. CFI's in a club can set their own price and are typically between $50-$70 per hour, not including plane rental. Some of the smarter CFI's are CFI's in clubs and own a few of their own C-172's that they have in the club as well. The student comes and wants to learn to fly, and not only does the CFI make $60 per hour from the student for the training, but they recommend their C-172 as the rental plane of choice, and make some icing on that paycheck. In addition, since they are always recommending their plane, they are always in their plane with their students, and their plane is less likely to get beat up like one of just a casual pilot who puts his plane in the club. Lastly, because the student learned and got comfortable flying in that particular plane, they will have a tendency to rent that plane after they've obtained their license, giving you more piece of mind, as the person flying your plane is one you personally trained, so you trained them how you like your plane taken care of. Then they are less likely to make mistakes like shock cooling your engine when descending for a landing etc.
 
Maverick3n1 said:
. Some of the smarter CFI's are CFI's in clubs and own a few of their own C-172's that they have in the club as well.
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Not sure that's smarter.

I worked a deal for a lower rate for aircraft at the FBOs, then marked them back up to retail for my students, profit without risk & capital investment = smart CFI
 
James, I did not think about that. Good idea ;) At least for the students you are flying with. What do you do when they are practicing their solo flights? Do they have to go through you to rent the plane, or do they go through their local FBO? Do you still get a kick back from the FBO if they go through the FBO, with the FBO knowing you are their instructor? Details! ;)
 
Life as a CFI? Fending off the chicks is probably the biggest challenge.

:rolleyes:

:D
 
Hahaha, I live in So-Cal. Unless the plane looks luxurious, and you own it.. you're still a simpleton.
 
I've been a CFI in two different settings. The first was a contractor/freelance type arrangement that was part-time (about 30 billable hours per months), but paid very well for the amount of hours worked. The second a full-time position at a busy 141 school that does almost nothing but international career students. Overall, the first was much more fun as a job, but the second offers quite a bit more consistency (as in the question isn't, "where am I going to find my next student?" it's, "how long until my next day off?"). The hourly pay could be much better, but the experience obtained here is very valuable. For the time being, I teach nothing but Instrument, which is a welcome change from the primary instruction I previously did plus, I've learned a ton by teaching as much as I do here; however, the days can be long. The other day I did 4 flights and 2 sim sessions back to back-that was tiring.
 
rtbayne01072 said:
Thank you all for the replies!

And my degree I'm going to be graduating with in May is Physical Education so teaching isn't a problem for me. I really enjoy it. Thanks again for all the insight everyone.
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CFIing could be a great side gig fro a public school gym teacher. Being a CFI is fun if you don't have to do it. As a main gig it sucks.
 
rtbayne01072 said:
Thank you all for the replies!

And my degree I'm going to be graduating with in May is Physical Education so teaching isn't a problem for me. I really enjoy it. Thanks again for all the insight everyone.
Click to expand...

Oh great, so you can run a personal trainer business on the side to put food on the table :D .
 
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