Notices
Flight Schools and Training Ratings, building hours, airmanship, CFI topics

CFI Pay Question

Old 04-28-2009 | 12:30 PM
  #1  
etflies's Avatar
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 767
Likes: 0
From: KCCO
Default CFI Pay Question

Hi all,

Out of curiosity, I was wondering if you instruct at an FBO or Flight School, what do you make per hour, and do you still get paid at all for a flight that gets cancelled due to maintenance reasons?

Thanks!

I suppose I'll start...$14.25/hr and no pay for Mx cancellations.
Reply
Old 04-28-2009 | 12:48 PM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,617
Likes: 0
From: Some Hotel
Default

I got paid $11.00/hr for my first CFI gig doing Pt. 61 instruction at an FBO. This was a few years ago. I only lasted 6 months and moved on to another FBO in a different state doing Pt. 61 & 141 instruction. I started at $16.50/hr there for ground/flight instruction, scenic flights, MX flights, etc. We also got paid $8.50/hr for paperwork, talking to walk-in students, meetings, etc. I did some Simulator instruction as a contract CFI for an aviation college and got paid $25/hr for doing that. We didn't get paid for MX cancellations.

The bottom line is, CFI pays sucks. Flight Schools charging $50/hr, while the CFI doing all the work is only getting between $10-$20/hr. To make money as a CFI, you need to work at a school teaching foreign students (TransPac, IASCO, etc.)
Reply
Old 04-28-2009 | 02:58 PM
  #3  
Ottopilot's Avatar
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,576
Likes: 0
From: 737 CA
Default

I made no less than $20/hr back in the '80's. How did it get so low now?
Reply
Old 04-28-2009 | 05:15 PM
  #4  
FlynPoPo's Avatar
Line Holder
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Default

I work at a flight school just north of Tampa, FL and we get payed $22hr for day flights and ground school and $27 for night flights.. We are a 141 school with mostly foreign students.
Reply
Old 04-28-2009 | 05:22 PM
  #5  
Ewfflyer's Avatar
Flying Farmer
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,160
Likes: 0
From: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Default

2004-2005 I made $20/hr for private, $22/hr for instrument students flying C152's and 172's(old ones). No pay for non ground/flying activities. I did supplement pay by working in the shop for $8/hr and helping the mechanic's with 100hr's etc..

I had 120hrs dual given prior to that job, but even zero-time CFI would've gotten that there, all part 91 small FBO, detroit area.
Reply
Old 04-28-2009 | 06:29 PM
  #6  
bryris's Avatar
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 714
Likes: 0
From: Hotel
Default

$30/hour.....contractor basis.
Reply
Old 04-28-2009 | 08:41 PM
  #7  
block30's Avatar
Bracing for Fallacies
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,543
Likes: 0
From: In favor of good things, not in favor of bad things
Default

I make $20/hr ground and flight, this is about half what the school charges for my time. No pay for cancellations of any kind. No free flight time to get/stay landing or instrument current. Currency is on our own dollar.

Pretty much any compensation increases that were in the works got killed coincidentally at the time the regionals stopped hiring.
Reply
Old 04-28-2009 | 08:47 PM
  #8  
atlmsl's Avatar
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: ATL
Default

Base pay was $12 with a $2 raise each for CFII and MEI and any FAA Safety Seminars attended. Max of $25/hr, flight/ground. No mx cancellation pay.
Reply
Old 04-28-2009 | 09:14 PM
  #9  
F172Driver's Avatar
Line Holder
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: C172 Right Side
Default

From 17.50 to 27.00 based upon hours worked, there are a couple pay grades in between those numbers based upon hours also. Thats for basic flight training. 2 more per hour for anything beyond private, and finally 15 for ground and sim. Pretty complicated but also pretty good pay.

P.S. No money for Mx cancellations
Reply
Old 04-29-2009 | 06:02 AM
  #10  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 585
Likes: 0
Default

I charge $125 an hour for flight, ground, sim, or consulting time.

I probably take home about $0.10 per hour worked.

While we don't charge for maintenance cancellations, depending on how it was discovered, there might be a ground time bill for some portion of the process leading up to said cancellation. The before flight instruction, the preflight inspection, taxiing, obtaining mechanic 2nd opinion, and obtaining maintenance processes are all learning opportunities and one's certificates are at risk for it.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
captain_drew
Flight Schools and Training
39
12-05-2012 08:29 AM
yzusimon
Flight Schools and Training
29
04-09-2009 03:46 PM
Lowtimer77
Hangar Talk
4
12-02-2008 02:36 PM
SWAjet
Major
0
03-14-2005 09:48 AM
RockBottom
Major
0
02-26-2005 09:46 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices