Originally Posted by dogismycopilot

That sounds really steep for the CFI, although not out of line for a structured part 141 program. In speaking with some instructors last year, Aerosim was hurting for instructors, so spending all that $$$ on a course just to get pref hiring status might not be necessary.

My personal recommendation would be to call your local FSDO and ask about the local instructors that do a good job preparing initial CFI applicants and then do some research on those individuals. I did my CFI part 61 with a well-regarded instructor and did very well on the practical while spending a fraction of the money I would have spent at a 141 school. I think I did it in about 8 weeks on my own.

Another thought would be going through with another candidate so you can split brief/debrief time and cost. This also gives you another person to teach to and study with without paying a lot of $$$ for an instructor's time.

Also, if you are currently flying recreationally, consider spending some time in the right seat beofre beginning your CFI training.

From my own experience, the CFI/CFI-I provide the best opportunity to save big money if you spend a lot of time preparing on your own.