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Can Someone Make A Career Out Of Being A CFI?

Old 04-25-2006, 03:58 PM
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Default Can Someone Make A Career Out Of Being A CFI?

I have always loved the prospect of flying and am in the process of moving in that direction. Recently I took the first class medical after my discovery flight and confirmed what I already suspected. I am mostly color-blind. I will be taking some of the alternative tests to see if I can pass one of them instead of those confounded Ishihara plates. As it stands, it looks like I will be barred from night flight or by signal light gun. However, I still want to fly and would like to make a career out of it. One of the considerations in that regard was to possibly make a career out of being a CFI, unless this restriction prohibits that. Of course I would plan on getting CFII and MEI as well. I teach others in my current line of work and have found I do have a certain affinity for making my teachings easy to understand and long-lasting. Right now, I am making about $600/week in my current line of work so $15/hr doesn't really scare me. The major consideration would be working conditions. I have the flexibility to live just about anywhere in the country, with the exception of those areas with a high cost of living. My initial research into this suggests that I would have better marketability since I wouldn't just be a time-builder that is intent on moving on as soon as CrapJet has an opening.

So, are there any individuals here who are making a career out of being a full-time CFI? What suggestions do you have should that route become my primary option?
 
Old 04-25-2006, 06:36 PM
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yes and no. I make good money but it won't last. Or you can make little money and be stable. Sorry I can't answer more. In the old days yes. People actually paid CFI's what they charged. Then they learned they could starve them. If you want to be a CFI and make a life long living of it join the military.
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Old 04-25-2006, 08:34 PM
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First off, look into a SODA (Statement of Demonstrated Ability) for the color vision thing. If you can read a light-gun from an airplane, the FAA may give you a First Class.

There are certainly career CFI's, but there are a few problems with that. The obvious one is that all the young career pilots depress the pay scale...but an experienced CFI who specializes in one or more niche skills (Tailwheel, floats, specfic ME models, etc) can probably make $50K+, adjusted for locale.

The more lucrative paths for career CFIs are either to become a DPE (2 checkrides/day x $400+ = $$$) or work as a sim instructor for a big training company or airline. The DPE path generally requires that you stick to one locale, network with the other CFIs and Feds, build time, gain a reputation, then apply through the FSDO.

The big problem is liaibility... you (and everyone else in sight) will get sued if any student you ever touched is involved in a crash. Whether you did everything right or not is TOTALLY irrelevant...the plaintiff's attorney will hand-pick 12 morons who know nothing about aviation except what he's going to tell them ( well anybody knows that pilots are all reckless cowboys). This is OK for young time builders who own a 1988 Civic and a color TV...nobody will spend any real effort suing them. But if you have asssets and a good income...You will need insurance, probably an LLC, and you will want to be named additional insured on any owner's policy. See a lawyer about this.

Also, the question of aircraft maintenance comes into play...many CFIs join all of the local clubs to maximize their student base...a typical club may have airplanes owned by many different people, each of whom is responsible for their plane's upkeep. Well, not all of these owners do everything they are supposed to, and you may not have time to stay up-to-date on the logbooks of every airplane on the field (you are responsible for this...taking anyone's word for it is not good enough). The big risk here is flying a non-airworthy airplane and getting violated. This is largely avoidable if you own your own airplane or limit yourself to a few airplanes you know well.

Good Luck!
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Old 04-25-2006, 08:55 PM
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Sim instructor? Decent cash and job security.
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Old 04-25-2006, 09:02 PM
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Originally Posted by rickair7777

Also, the question of aircraft maintenance comes into play...many CFIs join all of the local clubs to maximize their student base...a typical club may have airplanes owned by many different people, each of whom is responsible for their plane's upkeep. Well, not all of these owners do everything they are supposed to, and you may not have time to stay up-to-date on the logbooks of every airplane on the field (you are responsible for this...taking anyone's word for it is not good enough). The big risk here is flying a non-airworthy airplane and getting violated. This is largely avoidable if you own your own airplane or limit yourself to a few airplanes you know well.

Good Luck!
Yes, this is the big issue for me. I thought about doing some CFI work again on the side to suppliment an air national guard income and I find myself hesitant to get myself into this can of worms. 6 years ago when I was single, looking for flight time and an airline job, I was willing to "take the risk". These days, I can't justify that risk. As much as I'd enjoy teaching again, I'd have to find that golden job working for a place that didn't fool around with maintenance and operated two or three fairly new aircraft to do it again.

You would be amazed at some of the things these small flight schools will do to make a buck. Operating aircraft that are clearly unairworthy without batting an eye. I left an FBO after 2 weeks because of this. When I confronted the owner about an issue with an aircraft, he basically blew me off. This aircraft had a GPS installed in it that was not entered in the weight and balance form in the logbook. It looked like it had been rigged up half-a$$ed besides. A major no-no. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. It was not worth the $13/hr I was making.

As far as joining the military simply to be an instructor goes, I wouldn't necessarily recommend that for many different reasons. You will not be a "life long" instructor in the military. There is a certain point in an active duty military career as a pilot, where you just won't fly a lot anymore because of leadership positions. You're an officer first. You may be able to spend 5-6 years as an IP in a weapon system flying a lot, but flying is going to taper off after that. You may be able to get a white jet UPT instructor assignment in there also (or a FAIP assignment - First Assignment IP), but we're only talking 3 years here. Hardly "life long".
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Old 04-25-2006, 10:38 PM
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Use this as a reason to forget about pro flying. Start your own business, find a stable job, make money. You can still fly. People become CFIs because they have to. As far as sim instructor you can still find a job, you don't have to be a CFI. Maybe as a learjet instructor or something like that but the big boeing sim jobs are probably taken by former airline pilots.
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Old 04-26-2006, 03:36 PM
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If you want to be a CFI and make a life long living of it join the military.
I would never join the military. If we ever get back to using the military solely for defense and not imperialism, I might consider it. Besides, I thought color-blind need not apply there, either.

Depending on what kind of work schedule I could keep, I could always supplement my income with my current line of work, which I enjoy doing as well. Basically, I dream of being in the air, and am very limited in my chances of being up there on a regular basis if I were limited to just recreational flying. I need to either produce income or simply not spend money to be able to fly. Other than instructing, I am open to any other flying career where a night flight restriction wouldn't be an automatic bar to employment.

I am trying to find some other alternative tests to take such as Dvorine or AOC or even the FALANT Lantern, and if worse comes to worse, then I'll take the signal light gun test. I spoke to Dr. Monaco of Flight Sight, and he has told me to take the SLG only as a last resort since a SODA can have a negative impact later on when seeking employment.

Specialization in the CFI business sounds like a good idea. I am sure there are some good niches to fill. If there are any voids that need to be filled, information in that regard would prove very helpful.

I know about protecting myself from liability. I contract now and I know the importance of asset protection. On paper I look pretty poor, which is important to getting looked over by an unscrupulous lawyer. I know many good lawyers already and get good advice all the time, it's not what you know....

I have looked into possibly getting my own airplane. I was interested in getting a good IFR trainer, but an ME seems like a better option since many of the local FBOs and schools don't have one. I was thinking about exploring the option of getting an ME and doing week-long contracts with the different schools. I have to explore the legalities of that first though and find out what I can and can't do.

Use this as a reason to forget about pro flying. Start your own business, find a stable job, make money. You can still fly. People become CFIs because they have to. As far as sim instructor you can still find a job, you don't have to be a CFI. Maybe as a learjet instructor or something like that but the big boeing sim jobs are probably taken by former airline pilots.
No can do, flying is my cocaine. I am self-employed now in my current line of work which I do enjoy doing. Learjet instruction sounds like a good idea. I fell in love with Learjet cockpits even before my feet ever left the ground, thanks to Flight Simulator 98.
 
Old 04-27-2006, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by deadstick
I would never join the military. If we ever get back to using the military solely for defense and not imperialism, I might consider it. Besides, I thought color-blind need not apply there, either.

It's not even maybe imperialism...that's where you move to gain some sort of economic advantage...which isn't happening over there, ever. It is pro-active defense.
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Old 04-27-2006, 02:18 PM
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It is pro-active defense.
Perhaps you can explain this one to me. I'm still trying to figure out how we were attacked by Iraq.
 
Old 04-27-2006, 02:33 PM
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Originally Posted by deadstick
Perhaps you can explain this one to me. I'm still trying to figure out how we were attacked by Iraq.
It's actually a good idea to AVOID being attacked first. Sometimes we forget that and pay the inevitable price.

Iraq surrendered in 1991. When you surrender, your ass is owned by the victor until he specifies otherwise. The terms of the surrender involved arms inspectors having UNLIMITED access to Iraq. Predictably, Clinton and Albright let that one slide rather than make any tough decisions, but post-9/11 GW decided that Iraq did need to comply with the surrender terms, which they were given numerous opportunities to do.

Iraq was on probation...if you're on probation and you violate the terms, you go back to jail...no judge, jury, or lawyer required, the cops on the scene make the decision. It would have been nice if it had been explained to the public in that manner, because it's crystal clear and doesn't depend on evidence of anything but inspection non-compliance, which was obvious to anyone.
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