flightlessbirds

Back when I was doing the independent CFI gig 2014-2017 I was charging $50/hr and had way more work than I could handle. I’d reckon I wouldn’t dare do it for under $70/hr if I was to ever get back into it. Probably $70 primary/$90 advanced if I had to do my WAG market assessment without looking at what the liability insurance market has done in the last 3-4 years.

TiredSoul

Instructor A charges $50/hr and gets you a Private in 90hrs.
Instructor B charges $100/hr and gets you a Private in 45hrs.
Which CFI do YOU want?

tnkrdrvr

Cant speak to the exact hourly rates for the CFIs, but at least two flight schools in Louisville average under $10k for a PPL. Costs will vary wildly depending on geography for flight training. Vegas, SoCal and Florida will have some of the highest rates. Smaller cities in the Midwest will average significantly less. Who you get as a CFI will also vary wildly. In my experience, civilian flight instructor quality is as varied as their impact on weight and balance. Good luck to those working through these choices. I agree with those who say taking on six figures of debt is a bad idea. But hey, YMMV.

Chipjumper

Many places? Maybe take a peek outside of major ridiculously expensive metro areas? I’m assuming many of you live in crazy populated areas near crazy busy Class B & C’s. Just flying out of a non-towered field alone will save you a boatload. I completely disagree with the “you get what you pay for” assumption too. To each his own. For years I know that the “7 day” IFR guys charge a boatload for hourly and they have had waiting lists. Yet if you take a small trip to the suburbs or the heartland and you’ll find the $35-50hr all over. Here are two examples out of Ann Arbor (a pricey area too):



A student has the right to shop around. I just perused ATP’s web site and they advertise $83,995 for 305 flight hours to get up to Multiengine/IFR/Commercial. That’s $275/hr average. I’m blown away that anyone would pay that yet kids are “paying” $50k a year for online Harvard U.
Hey - if Sleepy Joe is going to “pay for it” then why not? It’s all free money.

TransWorld

And free money means I, the taxpayer, will pay for it. (just completing the sentence.)

powersmurfuk1

Interesting article I saw online today saying flight schools are still very busy ----->

https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/students-flock-to-some-us-flight-schools-despite-aerospace-industry-woes/141889.article

TransWorld

If you do bow season for deer, you know you lead it, so your arrow gets to where the deer is going to be, not where it is at the moment. This is wise on the students behalf. They will be ready just before the regionals start hiring again. May not be perfect, but certainly in a year or two after they get their 1,500.

Meddiver

From reading this thread it appears as if financing is not the way to go. I am older, just turned 50, and want a career change. I work in the fire service and have had enough of it. I am not retired and want to work at least another 15 years. I have savings enough to live for the entire time I would be in school and I have a local flight school that I can go from zero to cfii and commercial, for just under 60K. I am contemplating taking a loan or a home equity loan to pay for it. How stupid of an idea is this? Does any one know of any good lenders that do not have huge interests rates? Thank you for all of the feed back. Also I do not want to go major airlines, I am thinking business avation or air cargo.

Chipjumper

How much longer until you can pull a pension from the fire service? Guaranteed income is a golden goose.
If anything I would pay as you go for your PPL and see if you have the interest and motivation still. Hopefully you’ll see and learn about the challenges of the professional pilot life before committing your estimated $60k.

Excargodog

50 year old “career-changer” with zero time?

How about you get a private license before you decide about trying to make a career in flying and blowing all your savings on getting all the necessary ratings. It’s a required first step regardless. Then if you like it and aren’t intimidated by the fact that all that training can go down the tubes with one bad physical, yeah, take out a loan the cheapest place you can get it.