FAA Instructor Rates

[Hopadopter]

What is the present pay rates for a restricted and non-restricted CFI/CFII in the States at the minute? Is a instructor generally classed as self employed or do they pay tax weekly as they earn.

[thecontroller]

I think its about $20 per flight hour.

[Phil77]

I second the $20.
My boss was cheap - I was self employed (easier to hire and fire I presume).

[HillerBee]

A FAA CFI is always unrestricted.

[Trans Lift]

Yeah no restrictions on CFI/CFII's in the states. I'm getting $25 per flight and ground hours. Pay my own tax with this company.
Places like Bristow do it as an hourly thing: I think it was 16.50 under 250hrs, 19.70 after 250, 21.50 after 500 hrs and so on. They have a tax scheme where it is taken out of your wages bi weekly.

[thecontroller]

Yeah no restrictions on CFI/CFII's in the states.


Not strictly true. You cannot endorse a student for a CFI checkride until you have had your CFI licence for (I think) 24 months.

[Trans Lift]

Yeah that is right. I meant in regards to PPL/CPL like the JAA side. Should have said that! You can't even provide training to an initial CFI applicant until you have 24 months under the belt as far as I know!

[Gordy]

You can give training to an initial CFI with less than 2 years, however, the person who "certifies" and signs off the applicant must have 2 years as a CFI.

In essence, many large schools used CFI's with less than 2 years to conduct most of the training for CFI and then a 2 year CFI takes over in the later stages of the CFI applicants training.

[rick1128]

Actually that is not 100% correct. The reg reads the instructor signing off an INITIAL CFI candidate must have at least 24 months experience. The restriction does not apply to additional CFI ratings.

[Gordy]

Rick...

The reg reads the instructor signing off an INITIAL CFI candidate must have at least 24 months experience.

Again technically not correct. One could have given 100 hours of ground training in an FAA approved course AND have trained and endorsed at least five applicants for a practical test for a pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, ground instructor certificate, or an additional rating, and at least 80 percent of those applicants passed that test on their first attempt; and given at least 400 hours of flight training as a flight instructor for training in an airplane, a rotorcraft, or for a powered-lift rating;

Prolly just easier for people to read the regs themselves Here--para H applies (http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=1a47779ce3e43b0fa9eb9ff8f036426d&rgn=div8&view=text&node=14:2.0.1.1.2.8.1.8&idno=14)

[Hopadopter]

Thanks for the replies. Situation is this, hold JAA PPL (Done on R22) and FAA PPL (Done on R44), currently 142hrs TT, ATPL(H) ground exams complete. What to do next, if I go ahead and finish out to JAA CPL level there is nil chance of work, will have to get another 50hrs to start JAA CFI and the JAA IR is totally out of my budget. Should I go back to the FAA system and do the IR, CPL and CFI with the aspiration of working as an instructor upon completion. Im reasonably confident I can swing a working Visa (its a long story) Ultimately I want to live and work in the U.K but dont mind having to spend a few years abroad. Not looking to start the old JAA V FAA debate up just looking for a few ideas that may assist in descision making.

[thecontroller]

If you can't afford a JAA IR (and then 18-24 months looking for a job) then stay in the USA/Canada.

Unless you can live on £15-20k a year as an FI in the UK.

[Hopadopter]

How many hours per day would a instructor work in an average school, realistically?

[mikelimapapa]

I've worked for the last 2 1/2 years as a CFI at 3 different schools. Started out at $15/hr, now make $25, so average pay around $20. On average, I bill about 4 hrs a day, so figure about 20-30hrs per week. Hope that helps, good luck.

Mike