Originally Posted by
Otto123
One other question that I have is when transitioning to a new company, for example...if I were flight instructing (and I know this is truly optimistic, but for the sake of conversation) and making $55k, do you have any bargaining with companies as the airlines, or cargo to start out at that pay? Or do you basically fall back into freshman status and at the low end of the wage tree when hiring onto the regionals, cargo companies, etc.?
Thank you in advance for your advice.
$55K salary is easily achievable for a CFI with some experience (1-2 years). You can potentially make more as a freelancer in the right location, if you specialize on the right things.
I order to sign off initial CFI applicants, or work as a 141 chief pilot, you need the two years plus a certain amount of experience. CP and senior instructors usually get paid more because with that experience level they have other employment options.
If you go to work for any flight operation with enough pilots to have a formal seniority-based system, you will start at the published entry-level pay scale...period. There's no other fair way to do it. In some cases you can REQUEST assignment to a specific aircraft type...the company can decide which class date you start in, which may determine aircraft and domicile.
If you get a job at smaller 135 or corporate operation they will often negotiate...but for any turbine job your CFI experience is the lowest, entry-level, qualification. Even being a chief pilot means little. Some guys don't get this, they progress through the instructor ranks and get a big head about it, only to find out that in the turbine world they are still just a CFI...with a lot to learn. The guys who can negotiate higher salaries will have previous turbine time.