Incredible summer for flight instruction

[Gil Buettner]

I posted back in May that I was back in the cockpit. I had no idea what had just started. This has been the busiest summer of my ten years at Wausau Flying Service, and I am only one of four active instructors here. It's been crazy. I always joke that I am "available full time for a part time job" but this has been an almost full time job this summer. I have been blessed with two students who are scheduling multiple lessons each week, and one will take his checkride September 10th. The other is about to solo. Both come prepared and have good scores on written tests. Another student is a high school senior who will soon be ready for his checkride. Good news for me is that I probably can renew my CFI certificate next year on the basis of results rather than a FIRC. I have a total of nine active students right now.

The boss told us today that August was the busiest month in probably 20 years for rental and instruction, and that he thinks other schools are just as busy. The downside, however, is our business customers for the Citation, the two Pilatuses and the TBM 900 are not flying much, so jet fuel sales are way down. Those pilots are not making much money these days.

We need another instructor. I have notified the management I will not want any new students after January 1st. I would like to finish the ones I have and then just work doing Flight Reviews and filling in when there are scheduling issues. I will be 75 in two weeks but want to keep flying as long as I can pass the medical exam.

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

Amazing, Gil! Our schools at HPN are having very busy times, too. They are equaling if not exceeding the same month, previous year. Good show.

[John O'Shaughnessy [FCM]]

Our flight schools on the field have been busy too. Our club has been equally busy. We continue to have a healthy waiting list (typically over a year wait). I'm only flying with those willing to fly masked, so I'm not sure if I'm getting any fewer takers due to that. My main student is a ENT surgeon working on his instrument rating. I really only have time for one "main" student, with a little time left over for aircraft checkouts, IPCs, etc.

I wonder how much of this is that we're seeing activity from those who are typically saddled with sports (for themselves or their family)? In the same way that many resorts up north are seeing great business as you can "get away from it all," when those customers might typically be carting kids to sporting events on weekends, or taking airliners across the country, etc.

[Rick Durden]

Busy here as well. I'm just instructing one day a week, but generally have been scheduled much of that day each week. Am only flying with students who will fly masked - hasn't been a problem at all despite few majority of folks around here ignoring masking requirements for stores.

[Terry Carraway]

A question based on a thread on another forum.

What is CFI pay like these days? When I instructed, I got $10. And only for flight time. Ground time associated with a flight, unless planning XC was not charged.

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

Flight school CFIs are getting about $20-25/hour. The higher for II. They are charged out at $70-90. Around here. Freelance is around $65.

[John O'Shaughnessy [FCM]]

A question based on a thread on another forum.

What is CFI pay like these days? When I instructed, I got $10. And only for flight time. Ground time associated with a flight, unless planning XC was not charged.

I only instruct in our club, and I get $50/hour. I get that for time in the air and time instructing (pre-flight discussion of goals, post flight review, etc.) on the ground. (I don't charge for my time helping get bugs off the plane -- that is just being a good club member).

[Gil Buettner]

We charge the students $50 an hour and I get $28, for both ground and in-flight instruction. If they book a four-hour block of time, we discount instruction to $45. I still get paid the $28. If the person owns their own airplane, the charge is $55 an hour and I still get paid the same rate. I do have a few pilots who are "grandfathered" because I flew with them before working at this school, and for their flight reviews or refreshers I charge $50 an hour and keep all of it.

I also get paid $13 an hour for routine administrative duties such as putting out a company newsletter, updating records, etc. That is usually only three or four hours a week.

As a part time CFI, I am bringing home about a thousand dollars a month... a bit more this year.

[Jeff Hartmann]

When I instructed around 1968-72 I was paid a whopping, eye watering three dollars an hour. At my last CFI job I got paid 200/week to manage the place + 3/hour (High Cotton).
Back then, I think there were instructors working for free to get time. (3/hour was pretty close to that!) I only instructed for 800 hours, 300 in Citabrias teaching basic aerobatics, fun when you're young.

[Stephanie Belser]

When I instructed around 1968-72 I was paid a whopping, eye watering three dollars an hour.

When I got my PPL in 1972-3, the going rate for a C-150 was $14.hr wet, plus $3/hr for the instructor. I was making less than $3/hr, so a day's pay covered about one lesson

[Terry Carraway]

Thanks for the info.