Originally Posted by
rickair7777
To address the original issue...
When I was an instructor, we charged for ground time (some instructors don't and I do not agree with that...same as airline pilots not getting paid for ground duty time ala mesa).
Basically if I was actually DOING something that required my license and/or expertise, I charged. Only one student had an issue with this, he came from an FBO environment where the cfi charged for flight time only...I asked him why he had left his previous instructor, he said the job wasn't getting done. After I explained that I would get the job done, he was OK with my billing policy
Addressing all the OTHER issues: Your instructor sounds like the bad-stereotype CFI...drop him like a hot potato!
Originally Posted by
FlyerJosh
Here's a tip for any CFIs out there... I told my students up front how I was charging them, and when I was on the clock. I told them that if they ever felt that I was taking them for a ride or overcharging, to immediately bring it to my attention. I never had any of the 65+ students say a word about it. Be honest, open, and upfront about it and you can prevent a lot of heartburn later.
If you are unhappy with your instructor or you feel like his attitude doesn't fit your expectations or needs, feel free to drop him in a heartbeat. Remember- when that coveted regional job comes along, he won't hesitate to do the same to you...
I agree with both of these guys, and did mostly what they said. As a CFI, I considered myself a professional. I taught and passed 11 students with 100%(9 ppl, 2 inst). I also had some in progress when I left, and they all passed with flying colors as I kept in touch.
Being a pro, I told them what constituted ground time, and if they were the ones late, I'd give them 15 min to contact me, and up to 30 min before I started charging. You gotta remember they took up a flight slot, time you could've been making money if they didn't back out. But, with that said, it's such a touchy area anyways!
On to your instructor. Many people don't pick to instruct, but you have to build hours somehow, so it's basically an "anyone can do it, and you need hours" type of job. Unfortunately, those who lack motivation for whatever reason, also tend to have higher time students, with lower pass rates. The other unfortunate thing is that teaching is a hard thing to do, and some people can't teach, but yet our industry practically forces us into that realm.
Hopefully you get the problem resolved. I would talk to them 1-on-1 first, and see if they are even willing. Then if he charges you for that talk, then you know what you need to do. Good Luck!!!!!