Life of a Certified Flight Instructor ?

[ripanrocks]

I would like to know that how much the flight instructors can work per week ?
I mean like, is their work a fixed time job or can they train his students anytime & keep the remaining hrs for his personal works/study ?
For e.g An instructor comes to the flight school & trains his students from say 9 am to 1.30 pm & then departs at somewhat 2pm & comes back home & does his other activities.
Is their any particular day-off like the weekends,etc ?
Is there any differences between Part 61 & 141, as far as the Flight Instructors are concerned ?

Well, I have searched but got no specific answers regarding this question, hence am posting this question as a thread.

[corsair]

You ask a lot of questions ripandrock. Can I ask you one? Are you going to emigrate to America because a lot of your questions seem to relate to the USA? Part 61 and 141 only relate to the USA. Those rules don't apply anywhere else.

There is an Instructor forum where you can ask but basically the answer is that it depends on who they work for. Quite often an Instructor works from dawn 'til Dusk and beyond, 7 days a week when the weather is good because when the weather is bad, they sit unpaid staring at the rain and cloud. They might snatch a lunch in between lessons on busy days or have leisurely lunches when it's quiet.

On the other hand in more formalised flight schools there may a proper roster with proper days off and a salary.

As I said it depends on where and who you work for.

[ripanrocks]

Yes, I would like to know some details about CFI's in the USA.

You ask a lot of questions ripanrocks.
I dont want to end up losing all of my money & completely drown myself in debts, just like many have done in past, doing & would be doing in future. I dont want to be the same list.
So, I'm trying to fetch at least the minimal data/information which will make me aware of the current situation & hopefully will play a useful role in making the career path of mine a bit smoother.This is simply one of the best aviation related forums, hence am asking the question here, am I doing anything wrong ?

[Shunter]

Do you have a visa which allows you to work in the USA? I'd look into that before spending a load of money on getting a CFI rating with the intention of working in America.

[ripanrocks]

Do you have a visa which allows you to work in the USA? I'd look into that before spending a load of money on getting a CFI rating with the intention of working in America.

Yes, that's what I have been asking the people on this forums, but nothing came out to be of much use
Check this : My Visa Questions (http://www.pprune.org/professional-pilot-training-includes-ground-studies/396359-ripanrocks-j1-f1-visa-questions.html)
But, I have already talked with the flight schools & they said that I can work for them after am done with the training on a F-1 Visa (20 hrs per week), this can be extended or they might apply for change of status hence sponsoring me for work as long as I stay, but it all would happen after a successful interview, for the CFI job.

If you guys have any important information to share, please share it.
Thanks :ok:

[Donalk]

Ripan - you have already got the answers to the (multiple) questions you posed. It would appear that you either dont like the answers or you despair that there is a degree of uncertainty surrounding them. Get used to it. Nobody is going to guarantee you a CFI job after training or commit to sponsoring you for residency.

Why the hell would they when there is so many US CFI's who would give their eye teeth for a job. Presumably you have checked the US State Department website and have discovered that you must leave the country after expiration of your visa and any extensions granted. Presumably you also know from the same source that an employer would need to demonstrate that you possess a skillset which cannot be obtained by employing a US national. What is that skillset likely to be - you can fly an aircraft???????????

So stop fishing for angles here - you will not find any workarounds to a fairly rigid procedure. You have enough information to make your choice. The US FTO's have been honest with you by saying that any employment will be subject to a successful interview (and perhaps availability of a job and demonstration of a stellar training record would help).

So get on with it or enrol in an FTO closer to home. And to answer your question re 'what is GA' on another thread - google General Aviation - you really, really should know that.

[ripanrocks]

Ripan - you have already got the answers to the (multiple) questions you posed. It would appear that you either dont like the answers or you despair that there is a degree of uncertainty surrounding them. Get used to it. Nobody is going to guarantee you a CFI job after training or commit to sponsoring you for residency.

Why the hell would they when there is so many US CFI's who would give their eye teeth for a job. Presumably you have checked the US State Department website and have discovered that you must leave the country after expiration of your visa and any extensions granted. Presumably you also know from the same source that an employer would need to demonstrate that you possess a skillset which cannot be obtained by employing a US national. What is that skillset likely to be - you can fly an aircraft???????????

So stop fishing for angles here - you will not find any workarounds to a fairly rigid procedure. You have enough information to make your choice. The US FTO's have been honest with you by saying that any employment will be subject to a successful interview (and perhaps availability of a job and demonstration of a stellar training record would help).

So get on with it or enrol in an FTO closer to home. And to answer your question re 'what is GA' on another thread - google General Aviation - you really, really should know that.

I completely agree with what you said, I'm very new to all this & hence its taking me sometime to get used to this. I know life is not a bed of roses, we have to work very hard to in order to make it so.
My main question in this thread was that is there a definite timing in a day/week for an instructor or its totally up to the instructor & his students. Although it was answered early enough in this thread, so I dont demand anything more, but still if anyone can give me any more info, it would be great.

[B2N2]

Ripan, maybe none of my business but did you finish school already?
You are 17, are you sure you are ready (mentally,emotionally,financially) to try and build a career/future in another country?
Aviation is NOT an easy career and beng a flight instructor is NOT easy.
It is a very tough life for the first couple of years for sure.
Being 17 ,you don't have a degree, go to university/college and get one.
Even in the US if you like.
University of North Dakota (it's cold up there) have very good flying programs also.
So do Michigan State University and Embry Riddle.
You'll finish with a four year degree, all you ratings and plenty of instructor time.

[Trolle]

My main question in this thread was that is there a definite timing in a day/week for an instructor or its totally up to the instructor & his students

It has been answered.

basically the answer is that it depends on who they work for. Quite often an Instructor works from dawn 'til Dusk and beyond, 7 days a week when the weather is good because when the weather is bad, they sit unpaid staring at the rain and cloud. They might snatch a lunch in between lessons on busy days or have leisurely lunches when it's quiet.

On the other hand in more formalised flight schools there may a proper roster with proper days off and a salary.


I am curious as to why you care. A CFI rating is a long way off if you are just starting out. If you are focusing so much on teaching then you may not pass the PPL. Take it one step at a time.

I would answer your question, but corsair wrote it perfectly.

I understand that you use a forum to ask questions, but such specific questions from someone with no experience is like asking detailed questions when they don't understand the bigger picture. If you hung around a flight school back home for 10 minutes you would know the answer to the specific question you asked above.

[Halfwayback]

I'm afraid Ripanrocks will not be reading your responses so there is little point in leaving this thread open as I'm sure the original question has been fully answered.

Perhaps it has had the effect of showing some of the posters there is a lot to be learned from reading - rather than writing all the time.


HWB