"How to shanghai a student?"

The rogue

The rogue

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Sep 17, 2005
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255
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Michigan
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Rogue Aviation
Okay, so I got my CFI and a "regular job" that (sorta) pays the bills while I try to build some time as an instructor. Where and how do I go about finding some students who want to learn?

I put up some flyers, and have an affiliation with a local flight school, but they are not busy enough to have any "leftovers" that I can get my hands on. Basically, I have to come up with my own students, which is fine, but I am having some trouble finding them.

What do you guys think? You can PM me or post here for all to see, I think this would be helpful to all CFIs.

--Matt
 
my current two i recruited from work. it helps to be working with a lot of young single engineers who have the dough laying around. Others I have gotten have been family friends, friends from school, random people ive met and struck up flying conversations with. The key is to network, network, network. Meet as many people as you can. It will pay off in the long run.
 
Met my PP CFI through common membership in the local amateur radio club. My (soon to be) IR CFII is a member of my flying club. As Tony said - networking.
 
Matt: How about a loss leader to get your name around. make it known around your local field or fields that you are available for things such as BFRs or IPCs (if you have the CFII). Announce that the first 5 pilots who get their BFR with you pay 1/2 price and that referrals of others that sign on with you will get them .5 or instruction or toward their BFR. Or for every Primary Student they refer you that gets past 20 hrs, you give them some kind of credit.

This way you get your name out there and when people want to learn to fly who do they ask? Other Pilots of course and who will they refer them to? You we hope!

Or how about posting flyers that you are offering a ground school. I learned at a school whos ground school was " go read the book" Two CFIs put their heads together and posted for a ground school. They set it up and got like 12 students.

Its ALL aobut networking.
 
oh yes go to your local FBO and offer to run a Ground School. I did this right after getting my CFI. The FBO owner sold the students Gleim kits, basically at cost, I go them all through the written and ended up flying in the FBOs plane with over half of them.
 
Thanks for the info, keep it coming!

It sounds like a ground school is pretty popular, so I will be looking into that. I also like the idea of referral credits too, that could work really well.

Thanks for the help all!
--Matt
 
Given the number of students whose tales of instructor-leaving woe populate this site, and the number of flight schools advertising for instructors, I think that you should be able to find something. If nothing else, just stand by at your local school, as an instructor will depart and leave a bunch of students hanging.
 
Matt, Join Bradley. The dues are free to isntructors who teach at the miserly club rate, but you logbook gets full. You still have to pay upfront to get in ($~450), but everyone there has a dayjob.

It also gets your name out, and you're insured as you're a part owner of the airplanes...yes even for instruction.
 
List your various training plans and all your phone numbers with NAFI, and AOPA's pilot programs and you'll get some calls to work with.
 
Find a copy of "The Savvy Flight Instructor" available from ASA, Amazon, etc.
 
Contact your local 99s chapter [http://www.ninety-nines.org/sections.html] or EAA chapter or local pilots association and offer to give a free presentation at their next meeting. Topic can be anything you'd like, most orgs will jump at chance to sign up a speaker with no fuss. Come to the meeting early, help set up chairs, stay late, help clean up stuff, bring lotso business cards, smile plenty.
Elizabeth
 
The rogue said:
Okay, so I got my CFI and a "regular job" that (sorta) pays the bills while I try to build some time as an instructor. Where and how do I go about finding some students who want to learn?

I put up some flyers, and have an affiliation with a local flight school, but they are not busy enough to have any "leftovers" that I can get my hands on. Basically, I have to come up with my own students, which is fine, but I am having some trouble finding them.

What do you guys think? You can PM me or post here for all to see, I think this would be helpful to all CFIs.

--Matt
Click to expand...

Here's watcha do, start hanging around strippers. Strippers are usually pretty good about having discresionary cash. You get one of them to come flying with you, she'll start, then her friends will start, and the flight schools will compete to get you on their ramp. You will become the Zues of Flight Instructing. Besides, strippers are generally a fun bunch of gals.
 
Henning said:
Here's watcha do, start hanging around strippers. Strippers are usually pretty good about having discresionary cash. You get one of them to come flying with you, she'll start, then her friends will start, and the flight schools will compete to get you on their ramp. You will become the Zues of Flight Instructing. Besides, strippers are generally a fun bunch of gals.
Click to expand...
Oh man! When I was learning scuba at a PADI facility in 1976, there was a stripper in my class. What a hoot she was! (sorry) Anyway, she kept wanting to bypass all the requirements such as floating, donning equipment underwater, etc. She kept trying to cozzy up to our instructor to get him to allow her to shortcut through the course. She wasn't doing that well in the classroom either. We students were quite amused at her antics. Much to his credit, the instructor did not allow her to shortcut anywhere, and eventually he, and the owner of the facility, told her she was unsafe and declined to give her any further instruction.
 
Henning said:
Here's watcha do, start hanging around strippers.
Click to expand...

Henning,

That's a great idea...I'm going to run home right now and tell my wife...."Hey hon, I quit by day job but don't worry we can make a fortune by specializing in flight instruction for strippers.".

I'll report back and let you know how the business works out.

;<)

Len
 
Hey all, Thanks for the advice. I think that the stripper thing might not be the most popular with my wife. Maybe if she wasn't pregnant.... Bruce, I talked to the guy that runs Bradley, and he said that they don't really need any instructors right now, and that the upfront costs were going to be Initiation PLUS monthly dues.... $500 is a little steep considering the next highest bid is $40 a month payable when I get my first student. I'll think about it though, but the guy I takled to really didn't seem interested in having another flight instructor around. I appreciate all the help from everyone! --Matt
 
If you want to fly for a living get used to the idea of having to relocate. There are plenty of instructing jobs available.
 
Moving is no problem, having to eat ramen noodles or worse every night (again) is the problem.....:vomit: There seems to be some idea in aviation that paying someone 17k a year gets you 60 hours a week and GOOD customer service.

I'm not sure that I could convince myself that moving half way across the country for a minimum wage job is acceptable, let alone a pregnant pilot's wife.... I'm sorta getting used to the idea of making what I'm worth and flying because I love aviation and people, not because I have to use it to exclusively pay the bills. We all know these guys, and we all love these guys.

I had some great instructors coming up, and I have a high standard for myself as an instructor. The student is still a consumer and deserves the very best performance from me. My best is not available if I am an overworked underpaid in-default-on-loans line guy/flight instructor/toilet cleaner. Flying should be fiun right? WE need to make it more fun in spite of all the regulations and "expense"....:yes:

--MattB)
 
The rogue said:
Moving is no problem, having to eat ramen noodles or worse every night (again) is the problem.....:vomit: There seems to be some idea in aviation that paying someone 17k a year gets you 60 hours a week and GOOD customer service.

I'm not sure that I could convince myself that moving half way across the country for a minimum wage job is acceptable, let alone a pregnant pilot's wife.... I'm sorta getting used to the idea of making what I'm worth and flying because I love aviation and people, not because I have to use it to exclusively pay the bills. We all know these guys, and we all love these guys.

I had some great instructors coming up, and I have a high standard for myself as an instructor. The student is still a consumer and deserves the very best performance from me. My best is not available if I am an overworked underpaid in-default-on-loans line guy/flight instructor/toilet cleaner. Flying should be fiun right? WE need to make it more fun in spite of all the regulations and "expense"....:yes:

--MattB)
Click to expand...

Matt, you make some good points. I work at a flight school that pays me much better than industry standard. I work for a man who understands that you get good people by paying good money. Employers such as my current boss are too few and far between, but they are still out there. Good luck!
 
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