How to Make Being a Flight Instructor a Career
Outline:
Introduction: Becoming a Full-Time Flight Instructor
Two Key Questions:
Can I make Flight Instructing into a Career?
What if I don’t want to be poor doing it?
Answer: Yes, flight instructing can indeed be turned into a career. The speaker has done it for over 25 years and provides insights on how to achieve this.
Basic Requirements for Becoming a Career Flight Instructor
Base Hours/Experience:
Build instructional time as quickly as possible.
Insurance companies start approving instructors after around 1000 flight hours.
Key Steps:
Become a Chief, Assistant Chief, or Check Airman.
Join organizations like SAFE or NAFI and pursue becoming a Master CFI.
Collaborate with a mentor CFI for stage checks and other training opportunities.
What Makes a Career CFI?
Qualities of a Career CFI:
A career CFI is primarily a teacher.
They must be quality CFIs—unique in their training skills and difficult to find.
They contribute to Part 141 schools and can become a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE).
Why Career CFIs Are Hard to Find: The document highlights the rarity of quality CFIs and the high demand for skilled instructors in the aviation industry.
How to Set Yourself Apart as a CFI
Choose a Specialty:
Specializing in specific areas like:
A type of training (e.g., aerobatics, tailwheel training).
Expensive or specific airplane types.
Avionics training.
Simulator training.
Knowing Your Value:
Understanding your worth helps you set your rates effectively.
It is important to remember that a more experienced CFI might charge higher rates, but they finish student training 15% quicker than lower-priced instructors.
Setting the Stage for Success
Location:
The location of your flight school or business is key to attracting students. Look for areas with:
A steady supply of students flying near where they work.
Plenty of flyable weather days.
A Part 61 school with many aircraft available.
Salesmanship:
Being a good salesperson is essential for running a successful flight school. Key sales strategies include:
Understanding the student’s motivation.
Getting students into the airplane as quickly as possible.
Putting on a mini-lesson during the initial meeting.
Setting Your Rate/Billing:
Block rates might not be beneficial unless the list rate is inflated to cover discounted rates.
Always bill for the full time, ensuring you don’t lose money on cancellations or late arrivals.
How to Make $100,000+ as a Flight Instructor
The Math:
To earn $100,000/year:
$100/hr x 4hrs per day x 5 days/week x 50 weeks/year.
Becoming a CFI:
Becoming a CFI is required for this level of income.
Effective teaching and efficient use of time is key to maximizing earnings.
Final Advice for Aspiring Career CFIs
Don’t Take the Slow Road:
Delays in training or taking too long to finish students will result in higher costs and lost income.
Ensure training speed is maintained without sacrificing quality.
CFIs Should Avoid:
Meeting only once a week without set goals.
Writing their own lesson plans without proper experience.
Skipping actual teaching experience and practice.
Conclusion
CFI is a Career Path:
Flight instructing is a viable career if approached strategically.
With dedication and proper planning, becoming a full-time flight instructor is not only possible, but also financially rewarding.
The Final Step:
For the success of your CFI career, consider CFI Bootcamp programs, which offer structured and accelerated training and resources for new CFIs.
What you can join for free.
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What we offer for purchase.
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Remote ground instruction - Send email to mike@cfibootcamp.com
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