Instructor pay scale

[polair911]

Good evening all,

Just wondering what are instructors getting nowadays in general? From Grade 3 to 1....what are the thoughts for someone to change industry at late 30s, or approaching 40?

Cheers,

PA911

[tail wheel]

Why not look up the Award yourself? :confused:

Air Pilots Award 2010 (http://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/documents/modern_awards/pdf/MA000046.pdf) with amendments to November 2015.

[Horatio Leafblower]

Perhaps going off on a tangent:

I heard of a casual RAAus instructor demanding $100/hour from an Aero Club recently.

Once the laughter and spluttering died down, it occurred to me:
- he is the Club's CFI
- he is moving from a casual employee role to a "contractor" status; and
- there is no differentiation in the Pilot award between CASA-approved and RAAus-approved flying schools.

What should a RAAus instructor get paid?

If the School wants to be a "proper" school and offer "proper" 7 days/week flight training as though it were a GA school, why should the RAAus guys not be paid the same as the GA award for Single Engine instructors, plus loadings for CFI and "testing officer" equivalent status?

Polair911,

Bare-bones award for a grade 3 single-engine instructor is about $40,068.55. If you make that a casual rate (divided by 800 hours, and add 25%) that's $62.61 per hour plus super.

Add to that uniform, phone, early sign-ons etc and it might come up a little more (but that's only covering expenses, so it's not really money in your pocket is it?). Leave loading for 4 out of 6 weeks Annual Leave will add about $134 extra per week for those 4 weeks.

Grade 2 = $43,672 ($68.24/hour casual)
Grade 1 = $46,450 ($72.58/hour casual)

Multi engine and IFR add about $5,700 pa.

[megle2]

Thats the award, been a long time since my instructing, I thought the better schools pay well above the award or did I miss gauge that

[Band a Lot]

Award is one thing, he asked what they were getting paid.

My award is maybe around $50K, most guys in my area doing what I do (and know how to do it) get from $100-$150K. I don't think any of them would have read the award in the last 20 years.

[Ultralights]

what they dont tell you is that hourly rate only counts when the engine is turning.. so all those pre flights, after flight briefings, and time with the student on other stuff, unpaid in most cases (not all,most)

[Band a Lot]

Being a bit out of touch, can a few estimate cost from off the street to PPL?

RAA training then VH, and all in VH rego would be nice to know.

[Horatio Leafblower]

Capital city rates - about 50 hours in a C152 at $300/hour = $15,000 plus the sundries such as text books, headset, medical, exams, etc.

Dunno what the RAAus mobs in Sydney charge but the Aero CLub in Tamworth was charging about $240 -$250 in a Jab last I heard.

[altocu]

When I left GA in 2004 I was getting approx 60k pa for Grade 1 ME/IFR. That was well above the award but experienced guys were in short supply.

[Band a Lot]

Our government elected get $15,000 a year for training/education over 4 years that is $60K, hit them up to learn t fly, THEN they may support GA more.

[poteroo]

RAAus PC + nav endo averages out here, (CTAF in regional WA), @ 45-50 hrs TT @ $220/hr = $11,000

Conversion to GA RPL is straight forward then and usually 2-3 hrs in C172 doing mostly IF work, plus 'test,' plus Class 2 medical + other paperwork such as Engrish speaking test. Cost .. say 3 x 350 + couple 100 for medical = $1300

Going via the RPC to RPL route probably saves you a couple thousand, but you are then capable in both categories. Should you wish to instruct later in career - being both sides capable is going to be important as flying schools are becoming RAAus + GA under the one roof.

We've not had any problems with conversions - but that's not surprising because our instructors are high time Grade 1's with RAAus CFI quals. You don't teach people any differently just because the aircraft has numbers or letters on it. The competencies required are the same, and that's where the 'recognition' under Part 61 originates.

Just one old instructors viewpoint. happy days,