AirBear

I'm maybe a 15 minute drive to the CLT sim building. I'm surprised at the pay, even Flight Safety is offering $70-$80 starting out and they still can't get enough instructors. I probably won't be interested in full time employment because of the 50% hit I take when going over $35K/yr.

Does anyone know if the Sim Instructors also have to teach groundschool? Or do they just work strictly in the Sim with occasional office work?

Even at $50-60K I still find it hard to believe more local retirees aren't all over these openings.

PRS Guitars

They only do sims. My last CQT Sim-p (DFW training center) was a former SWA Captain. He chose to work at AA over SWA for this very reason. I’m an Airbus guy by the way, he was a great instructor, seemed to really like teaching the Airbus.

AirBear

Thanks for all the info. I got typed on the 737 but the A320 was my favorite by far. I call it the "ultimate lazy pilot's jet" because it does so much for you. And I only had one uncommanded go-around in 1300 hours

LGA tower to USAir Airbus: USair XXX say reason for the go around?
Captain: "Well, the jet decided to go around so we decided we'd better go with it"

A330FoodCritic

The FO sim instructors on the 330 were awesome.

OVBIII

I have often wondered why we don’t (as PRS mentioned) have line pilots doing sim jobs. I have a sneaking suspicion the sim guys are undermanned anyway. And we (AA) really need to push people through the pipeline. Do y’all know if there has been any discussion by the big wigs to do something like PRS mentioned?

AirBear

Flight Safety is having so much trouble getting instructors in CMH that NetJets is having to take IOE Captains and Check Airman in the Citation Latitude and train them to operate the Sim. Those guys make twice or more what FSI pays their instructors. The only time I ever saw NJA Pilots running the Sim was for LOFT's, because they were so company specific. Of course Berkshire Hathaway owns both NetJets and Flight Safety so the money is staying in the same big pot but NetJet's is losing the use of those Training Captains out on the line and we're short staffed already.

CLTPilot190

Your info is a bit off. SimPs can CHOOSE a 20 day schedule, on an annual basis. They can also choose 19, 18, or 17. The base schedule is 17. The hours don't really suck, never more than 6.5 hour days and the schedule is NOT subject to change. You bid a month ahead and if something in your schedule cancels after the bid you get paid for it and can ONLY be reassigned to something in the same sim spot. Anything outside that is on a voluntary basis and it pays OT (1.5 for first two days, 2.0 after that).

Current first year pay is about $62,500 based on a 17 day schedule, with no overtime and all holidays off. Someone bidding 17 days but actually working 20 as you claim would be making right around $80k first year.

Second year pay with no OT or Holidays worked would be about $70k.

Those at top of scale are not having much trouble making north of $150k and some are pushing $200k.

AirBear

17 days a month at 6.5 hours per day max doesn't sound too bad.

Anyone know what Sims they have in CLT? Are the 737-300/400's with steam gauges and FMS still around? And do any of the regionals have Sims at CLT?

With absolutely no instructor time you'd have to pick me up off the floor if I got hired there. Still debating if I want to give it a try or not, it's going to be a lot of learning especially if I get an aircraft type I didn't fly.

CLTPilot190

A320, 330, and E190. Regionals have a bunch of CRJs and at least one E145

Feel free to PM for more info.

CLTPilot190

Sim instructors only teach sims, no GS. Same union and workgroup, but different classifications.