Originally Posted by
QRH Bingo
Instructors deserve to be paid (by the student) for any time spent on the ground that involves instruction. That can be briefing/debriefing or the student asking a million questions. CFI's, new and old, have spent a great deal of investment in both time and money to get that certificate and they deserve to be paid for it. Flying the airplane is only a fraction of the total instruction a CFI gives.
Beyond that, flight instruction is charged at insanely low rates compared to other industries. Think about how much you pay for an electrician, AC repair, skilled auto repair (like a dealership), CPA, etc. They are all $100+/hr, whereas CFIs across the country are charging $65-80/hr.