Originally Posted by
STR8NLVL
Now you're double talking. On the one hand, you figure total hours on the job to criticize ATP by figuring I earned $6/hr. Then you go on to state that you earned $21.50/hr for FLIGHT hours (and sim and ground). That's not a fair comparison. And again, each person's mileage will vary. But I'd have to say that most FBO jobs only pay for flight hours, and it's about a 50/50 split whether you get paid for ground time or not. The FBO I trained at didn't charge anything (and hence, didn't pay the CFI anything) for ground instruction. You have to admit, your job was the exception, not the rule.
Still, like I said, I'm certainly not claiming that ATP overpaid it's CFI's. But I knew what I was getting, made comparable wages to what my CFI buddies at FBO's made, and got much more time all ME. It's not a bad gig if you want to earn a ton of hours fast and move on.
Also, figure I was only doing ME instrument instruction with lots of sim training, too, which made my instrument skills/knowledge very sharp. Most of my FBO CFI friends spend 80-90% of their training teaching 40 year old mid-life crisis businessmen stalls in 172's, half of whom quit after soloing and 70% of whom never even complete training to be signed off and passed. I, on the other hand signed off over 80 people in three months with only 4 busts, earning a gold seal on my CFI certificate.
I just think its not a bad place at all to work if you're not planning on doing it there for a career.
Not sure where you think I was double talking. I used your figure of 8 hours of FLYING per day and added 2 hours of pre and post brief time for a total work day of 10 hours, not counting breaks or lunch. How is that unfair? My understanding was that at ATP you are required to be in the office from open to close. Thats where I come up with the 50 hours of work a week number. If that is incorrect, please tell me. At all of my CFI jobs I was not required to be at the airport unless I had a student scheduled.
I said that I got paid $21.50/hr and would regularly bill 150 hours a month. I said that included flying, brief and sim time. So show me where its not a fair comparison. About half of what I logged was ME time, so thats not a bad deal. I guess I got lucky because I instructed at a large university program.
But I stand by my original statement. You guys at ATP get short changed and your more than happy to do it to get to that next level (the regionals). How is that any different from the guys who get short changed at places like Mesa or GoJets who are just looking for that fast track to the next level (majors)?