I work as a professional pilot and that pays the bills. Recently, a friend of mine asked me if I could teach him how to fly in my off time in my airplane. I really enjoy teaching people to fly so I thought this would be fun! I told him no problem, we set a rate and started planning. I wanted to make sure this would be okay with the local General Aviation public use airport (KFMY) so I gave them a call the next day. This is when it gets interesting. Evidently, a CFI is not allowed to teach someone to fly at FMY unless he is a Flight School. A CFI cannot be a flight school unless his flight school occupies 43,560 square feet on the airport, has at least two airplanes, full time flight instructors during business hours, and a list of other things. I can understand a business license and insurance but that is ridiculous.
After I talked to the Airport Authority, I called AOPA. The AOPA representive said AOPA supports this because otherwise the flight schools would not be able to be viable businesses because of the competition. I asked the person if they where the Aircraft Owners & Pilot Association or the Flight School Owners & Pilot Association. I always thought of AOPA as being out for the small unrepresented individual aircraft owner. They are to protect the freedoms of General Aviation. They are supposed to promote flying as a fun hobby as long as it is done with safety in mind. Needless to say I was very dissappointed. If I am an aircraft owner/CFI and I want to share my joy and love of flying with a friend am I not free to do that anymore?
Not everyone wants to go to a big flight school. I started flying for fun when I was very young. You could say it was kind of a family tradition with my dad being a pilot and all of my brothers flying also. I decided to pursue aviation as a proffession in my early twenties and went to one of the big 141 flight schools. These schools are very regimented and I truely believe they teach you more than the average part 61 CFI. With that said the last day I ever had fun flying was my first day at the 141 school. The next time I did not enjoy flying again until I left the 141 enviroment. These schools are not there to teach flying as a fun leisurely hobby, they are there to teach people to be knowledgeable proffessionals. I enjoy teaching people to fly because I love to pass along my enjoyment of flying. I have talked to to many people that hated instructing to 'build time' and my theory behind it is because they have never flown for enjoyment they have only flown to 'build time'. Flying is not about 'building time', it is about the people you meet, the places you go, the sights you see, the sunsets, the mountains, the landings, the hundred dollar hamburgers, and making the world smaller so you can see more of it and of the people in it. If you are just 'building time' you have missed the entire reason you decided to be a pilot.
The reason why I have gone into all of this is simple. Yes, i think 141 schools produce knowledgeable, capable pilots. These pilots will teach others to be knowledgeable and capable. However, with that said, from my findings and experience in aviation if you want to become knowledgeable, capable, learn somethings that flying books cannot teach, and most importantly learn how to enjoy flying I would suggest seeking out that pilot on the airport that has a plane and teaches in it because he love to share flying with others. He teaches them the joys behind it and not just how to pick out a field when your engine fails.
I guess the reason why I am writing this rant is because I am finding out today that the CFI that teaches the joy of flying is becoming an Airport Outlaw. The agency that is there that should protect that CFI is protecting the businesses. This to me would be the equivalent of the NRA helping the Government take away our guns. I would say this is probably the reason every year fewer and fewer pilots are produced. The joy of flying has been replaced by something I do not understand.
As far as I know, a public use airport does not have the authority to legally preclude you from performing flight instruction, period dot. You got misled, probably because you went to the source of the rent-seeking itself, airport management.
You don't even need to have a physical facility to perform part 61 instruction. I earned my PPL under the instruction of a freelance CFI who had to sit down with me at the local FBO or at the on-site restaurant to get the pre-flight discussion accomplished. Nobody said boo. Go on and instruct to your heart's content, nobody is gonna mess with ya, and if they do, give them the finger and keep on flying cause they got no leg to stand on.
You asked the airport board if you could teach someone to fly in your own airplane???
Just teach your friend and be done with it...
I understand that but that is not the point. What is so wrong with it if I instruct more than just my friend. Why should a couple flight schools on a field have a monopoly on flight training and why would AOPA support it. It does not promote Aviation it increases the cost and goes against the American way.
As far as I know, a public use airport does not have the authority to legally preclude you from performing flight instruction, period dot. You got misled, probably because you went to the source of the rent-seeking itself, airport management.
You don't even need to have a physical facility to perform part 61 instruction. I earned my PPL under the instruction of a freelance CFI who had to sit down with me at the local FBO or at the on-site restaurant to get the pre-flight discussion accomplished. Nobody said boo. Go on and instruct to your heart's content, nobody is gonna mess with ya, and if they do, give them the finger and keep on flying cause they got no leg to stand on.
I thought the same until you read this document on the FAA website. It is a Advisory Circular that recommends MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR COMMERCIAL AERONAUTICAL ACTIVITIES
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I worked at BAS on the field at FMY, what they are saying is true, however, if you are giving "rides" with no "exchange" of compensation. Let them prove it.
I ran into this same argument when I was running a PArt 135 operation, and had to compete against the "Part 134 1/2" guys who ignored all the rules and just did what they wanted.
If you had said that the instruction was going to be given in HIS airplane, I would have no argument with it at all. But in YOUR plane, it is a business. Better tell the bank that loaned you the money for a persona use airplane that it is now commercial use. Better tell your insurance company you are using it for flight instruction, and watch your rates quadruple. Better tell your mechanic, because your annuals just became 100 hour inspections. Bottom line: if you are renting your airplane to this guy, you are a business and should be subject to the same rules as the other flight schools.
Again, as a free lance instructor in his plane - no problem. Buy gas from the FBO where you do your pre-flight and life is good.
I agree with Navajo on this. And yes, I used to own a couple of FBO's in the past.
While I think you teaching your friend is a nice thing to do, you are using all of the services that the FBO's are ultimatly paying for, and providing little to support those services.
It used to irk me to no end when the "I'm just an independent trying to teach the joy of flight" guy would march into the FBO, take over the flight planing room, spread all his stuff around and spend 45 minutes giving ground instruction. Oh yeah, drink the coffee and eat the popcorn, and then loudly proclaim they would do practice landings at the next airport because gas was 3 cents cheaper.
All the while I would have all the expenses of a couple of planes sitting on the ramp, and a CFI looking for a bit of protection.
How about approaching the FBO, presenting your credentials, and asking if you could rent one of their aircraft to teach your friend? Might be a win-win, and you can make new friends doing it?
This is an interesting situation, I can see both sides of it, my gut says just show him how to fly. I can see things gettin tricky come checkride time though. I guess I would say if its legal then....its legal.
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I ran into this same argument when I was running a PArt 135 operation, and had to compete against the "Part 134 1/2" guys who ignored all the rules and just did what they wanted.
If you had said that the instruction was going to be given in HIS airplane, I would have no argument with it at all. But in YOUR plane, it is a business. Better tell the bank that loaned you the money for a persona use airplane that it is now commercial use. Better tell your insurance company you are using it for flight instruction, and watch your rates quadruple. Better tell your mechanic, because your annuals just became 100 hour inspections. Bottom line: if you are renting your airplane to this guy, you are a business and should be subject to the same rules as the other flight schools.
Again, as a free lance instructor in his plane - no problem. Buy gas from the FBO where you do your pre-flight and life is good.
Just for the record, I have owned a flight school of consdierable size in the past and offered FBO services. I understand what it takes to be a full service FBO. When I started that flight school there was plenty of freelance flight instructors on the field. Those flight instructors became a whole lot less busy as we provided better quality and service but they still had students. Any business that is afraid of competition from the small guy is not a viable business.
My airplane is treated as a business regardless of flight instruction or not. I maintain it that way by choice for deduction purposes. It is in a LLC with a business license. Insurance, maintenance, and the things you are talking about are so much easier than you make them sound!!! But when a airport says you have to have 1 acre of land and a 3600 sq foot facility to give flight instruction, are they nuts?
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