Originally Posted by
BoilerWings
I've been working for them for a few months now part time as I finish grad school. My experience overall has been positive. I instructed for a major university for a year and a half, flew checks for six months, then went back to the instructing at Flyers. The company is well organized and run. I enjoy all of the instructors that I work with, and the management and chief pilots at my school are genuine. They want instructors with both CFIA and CFII, but even if you have either, go talk to them anyway. They are short on instructors because everyone is going to the regionals.
Pay is currently as indicated in previous posts. 2k-2.4k for salary guys, and starting out around $12hr for a wet ticket CFI part-timer in the probationary period. Pay goes up with experience. With a 2yr CFIA/CFII, I started at $16/hr.
Plan on working long days and being taken to your 8hr flying limit on some days. Average flight time per month is about 50-60, but some guys are getting 80/month at the busy schools.
All in all, it's not a bad place to fly compared with other CFI jobs. It's a good place to learn how to teach, polish your flying and instrument skills, and ultimately prepare you for the 121 world.
To the two posters who had a negative experience, would you please elaborate a little more so I know what too look out for.
PM me if you want more info.
It seems like there are not too much more for me to elaborate, as you seem to know them but just don't realize that they are negetive.
Let me share couple that I consider negetive and anyone elses opinion might differ. Below are the reasons.
1. PAY(biggest reason)
-$16 with 2 years of experience??? that is ridiculous in my opinion. I honestly don't know of any flight shcool from top of my head that pays less than $20 as a brand new CFI, and you have 2 years of experience.
So brand new CFI now gets $12??? that's like ONE dollar increase in last 6 years. WoW!!! I'm still shocked. A brand new CFI at my school gets $30 an hour. I'm thinking of going to IFTA(bakersfield) flight school. They offer $46K salary for brand spanking new CFI. YES, not everything is $$$ so please look below.
2. Multi time
-You need multi time to get into average to upperend regional. I forgot which American Flyers base had multi or how much have changed, but I don't think they have multi oppertunity in most of their bases.
3. When I was at the Flyers, We had to teach roughly 1 hour of ground before each flight. I do know that grounds are important but 1 hour before each flight? Bit too much if you ask me. MY opinion is that American Flyers was and maybe still is trying to squeeze every dollar out of students pocket...then again,which flight school isn't.
4. You have to wear a tie! (you still do right?)
Check out climbto350.com and findapilot.com
There are so many schools hiring right now with better pay,equipment, and multi oppertunity.