My company had a "Standards" class when I was CFI in '98. It was actually a Standardization class that was all about company SOP's and policies, not CFI stuff. I think it was also a way to stick with the "airline way of doing things" because it was an aviation college.

Almost forgot, $20K is ridiculous.

 

I agree that $20k is obsurd, but I also disagree that quality CFI/CFII/MEI certification can be attained for $3k-$6k unless there is some other non-monetary compensation. In conjunction with statements already made throughout this forum, today's market (and you are marketing yourself) is an employers market and you (the proverbial 'you') are expendable unless you show otherwise. This fact is disgusting, but true. A good initial CFI course should include between 50-70 hours of interactive ground instructing/instruction and between 10 & 15 hours in the aircraft. You can acquire your initial instructor certification as either an MEI, CFII or CFI and simply add-on the other two remaining. The only caviat to the MEI is that you must have 15 hours of PIC in cat/class to qualify for the practical test. Once your initial is complete, the add-ons are easier, but should also include 10-15 hours of interactive instructing/instruction. Most of the CFII can be completed in an FTD. You are investing in yourself and what you should take away from a good training program is a passion for instruction and the ability "create" a positive transfer of knowledge/skill by breaking down barriers to effective communication. By 'knowledge' I mean true knowledge, not rote, regurgitated jargon, coloquialisms and falsisms that everyone else in the interview waiting room has in their aresonal. There are no short-cuts in acquiring this correlative level of knowledge. It takes work. Both on the part of your instructor, you as an instructor and you as a student. Learning is continuous. If you choose to invest in short-cuts, you may get the job, but you will also place yourself on the expendable list, because CFI's with those skills are a dime-a-dozen. Pricing for CFI training of this caliber is between $11 & $12k. Not the cheapest, but not the most expensive. Having both Assistant Chief and Chief Flight Instructor rolls for 141 Flight Schools under my belt, I look for CFI's who truely teach; not me, but students, new students. And not just PTS material, but basic mathematics and physics. This was more important to me than the amount of dual-given one had logged. But how do you get to the point where the interviewer is observing your instruction and not just looking at your name on another generic/conformist pilot resume? You be personal and ever-so-slightly annoying. Research the company, apply in person, be polite, find out who the does the hiring, wear a suit, shave, take earings out, leave messages/follow-up, send thank you cards/snail mail/emails. Make youeself and your interest in using your skills to make the company successfull known. It works.

 

He's not getting an MEI for his 20K, just the CFI/CFII.

You can easily get those two ratings for $3K-6K. American Flyers will do it for closer to $5K last time, with plenty of ground instruction over 4-6 weeks (I'm not a huge AF fan for most training, but they usually do CFI pretty well for the price).

An MEI would be another $3K-4K.

 

Are you talking about $11-12k for an initial CFI or all the CFI/CFII/MEI together?

Also how much did/does your company pay a begining CFI with skill of this caliber?

 

After going back to management I got a reduction to about $17K for CFI & CFII.
I know the training I will get is really really good and is going to give me the tools necessary to be a good instructor. Still by reading your threads it seems to be expensive....Thank you for the orientation.

 

This must be what all of you old hands are talking about. Lay it all out in plain sight and still it goes sailing over their heads. I guess there is nothing like sitting down and having the chance to sell your point. Another future disgruntled pilot who will be blaming the airline industry for all the evils of the world in a few years without looking in a mirror (or at past decisions) and seeing that they put themselves right there smack dab in the middle of it with poor decision making and SA.

USMCFLYR

 

I didn't completely understand what you meant....

 

I'm suggesting that if you had done some research on this topic prior to posting this question AND if have been paying attention to the two pages of this post, then you would see that in every single person's opinion the originally quoted price tag of $20k was ridiculous, and $17K for a CFI and CFII is horribly overpriced; but you seem content to spend it in any case.
Without doing further research on alternative possiblities, and even without believing internet advice, I think (like Rickair said) that you will end up regretting this decision for a very long time to come. Therefore, in the near future when you are a minimum $17k in debt, not counting any other training that you probably paid premium price for, you will be coming on APC complaining about not being able to find a CFI job and how are you going to make those loan payments, and whoaas me this industry sucks, and so on. All the while you had good advice staring you in the face. Before you plop down that much money on a CFI - you had better be really sure about what you are doing.
Best of luck to you in any case gilz.

USMCFLYR

 

Agreed. $17K for CFI and CFII is ridiculous.

 

Well the reason why I posted the question is because I am doing research!! AND I am not spending anything yet nor am I content on such prices. Like I said before I am seeking advice and of course paying close attention to every single post in here is a must since the purpose of the thread is to inform myself.