Instructor checkout and hire fees
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Join Date: May 2000
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Instructor checkout and hire fees
I may be opening a can of worms but here goes. Is it quite normal to be charged aircraft hire fees whilst undergoing a checkout at a new school?
On my first job as an instructor I was charged but I have some experience now and I was again charged recently! Kind of spoils the experience for me!!
On my first job as an instructor I was charged but I have some experience now and I was again charged recently! Kind of spoils the experience for me!!
I don't charge prospective new FIs for their acceptance check... And I also give them an hour's solo consolidation for free before they start instructing.
Join Date: Mar 2000
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Tell them to get knotted! I have never been charged for any kind of "checkout" and would be so offended by the thought of it, I think I'd probably walk out never to return again.
Honestly, paying to be able make them money. Don't do it!!
Honestly, paying to be able make them money. Don't do it!!
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
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I have worked for three schools. Of those, two of them did not charge me for the checkout, but one did (or at least they tried to). You can read about my experiences at the school which did charge me here.
Of course it doesn't necessarilly follow that every school which charges you for a checkout will be as bad as my experience - maybe mine was just a coincidence?
FFF
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Of course it doesn't necessarilly follow that every school which charges you for a checkout will be as bad as my experience - maybe mine was just a coincidence?
FFF
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I have never been charged for any checkout flight as an instructor, i guess it is down to the school or the CFI
was it just the solo rental or did you pay for the CFIs time too
Spit
was it just the solo rental or did you pay for the CFIs time too
Spit
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Spitty,
It was aircraft rental only. Everyone here is saying what I thought. Muggins here seems to find schools that like charging their prospective FIs to be checked out.
I am half minded to say to the school thanks but no thanks. The search for a fair outfit continues!
It was aircraft rental only. Everyone here is saying what I thought. Muggins here seems to find schools that like charging their prospective FIs to be checked out.
I am half minded to say to the school thanks but no thanks. The search for a fair outfit continues!
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If they're that tight, what do you think they'll be like to work for??
Experienced instructors aren't exactly thick on the ground at the moment and I doubt they'll want to lose you over something so trivial.
Didi they not even offer you the flight at cost?
Experienced instructors aren't exactly thick on the ground at the moment and I doubt they'll want to lose you over something so trivial.
Didi they not even offer you the flight at cost?
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What!!!!!!You paid
Disgusting, absolutely disgusting. Instructed for 3 schools from small to huge and none of them charged me for the check out in fact two of them gave me two hours area famil and GH and the other 3 hrs .
Trust me the last of those schools which I had to work for were reknowed for treating instructors like detritus.
VT
Trust me the last of those schools which I had to work for were reknowed for treating instructors like detritus.
VT
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Well thanks for the posts everyone and it certainly gave me some much needed perspective! 
Well I never took the job because the CFI was a little weird and disorganised and the whole place wasn't that welcoming. As luck would have it, found another club nearer home who as a matter of course pay for the checkout themselves. The place has a much nicer ambience!!
Well I never took the job because the CFI was a little weird and disorganised and the whole place wasn't that welcoming. As luck would have it, found another club nearer home who as a matter of course pay for the checkout themselves. The place has a much nicer ambience!!
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The school in question wasn't perhaps located at an airfield in Hertfordshire, nestling between and under the Luton and Stansted zones by any chance?
If it was then that is par for the course and really the easy bit. Things like having to buy a matched pair of David Clarks (one for you and one for the student) through the school and other delightfull financial burdens!
If it was then that is par for the course and really the easy bit. Things like having to buy a matched pair of David Clarks (one for you and one for the student) through the school and other delightfull financial burdens!
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I would charge part time instructors for the check out but only the DOC of the aircraft , this is because I,v seen a number of part timers turn up for the checkout never to be seen for a second time !.
I dont know what puts these people off , the aircraft are better than most , no pressure is put on people to fly in conditions that they are not happy with. I can only think that they feel unhappy to opperate to a high standard. I get the feeling that some of the part timers feel that this is some "jolly jape" but they soon find out that this is not so !.
There is no way that I would charge a new full time instructor for a check after all they have made a commitment to work and I think that it is the least that I can do to make sure that the CFI is happy with the way that they will work.
I would like to extend this to part timers but my fingers have been burnt to often !.
I dont know what puts these people off , the aircraft are better than most , no pressure is put on people to fly in conditions that they are not happy with. I can only think that they feel unhappy to opperate to a high standard. I get the feeling that some of the part timers feel that this is some "jolly jape" but they soon find out that this is not so !.
There is no way that I would charge a new full time instructor for a check after all they have made a commitment to work and I think that it is the least that I can do to make sure that the CFI is happy with the way that they will work.
I would like to extend this to part timers but my fingers have been burnt to often !.
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Be careful of certain schools located just north of the M25. One buddy who worked at a certain school had to be checked out in all the aircraft in the fleet (i think 4 in total) and had to pay for a psychometric test as well. probably cost in the region of a grand just to get the job. Makes you wonder what they are like to work for if that is their attitude to instructors. Not many happy bunnies there methinks. Fortunatly, these schools are the exception rather than the norm. My first day as an instructor, no check flight, no local breifing, no cup of tea!!! just chucked the keys to an aircraft, here is your trail flight now get on with it.
Why do it if it's not fun?
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A and C, what exactly do you mean by "part time instructors"?
For example, a few months ago I spent a weekend working at a school to cover for an instructor who was sick. The school didn't charge me for the checkout. To have charged me would have been unrealistic - since I was only there for a weekend, it would have cost me more than I earnt. But on the other hand, no "burnt fingers" because the school and I all knew where we stood beforehand.
I take it your post is refering more to instructors with a long-term commitment to the school, but only for a few hours per week? In which case, I would have expected less chance of burnt fingers here than for a full-time instructor, since people who work these kinds of hours generally tend (in my experience, at least) to have other jobs, and so are unlikely to move out of the area, or jump at the first jet job which comes along???
FFF
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For example, a few months ago I spent a weekend working at a school to cover for an instructor who was sick. The school didn't charge me for the checkout. To have charged me would have been unrealistic - since I was only there for a weekend, it would have cost me more than I earnt. But on the other hand, no "burnt fingers" because the school and I all knew where we stood beforehand.
I take it your post is refering more to instructors with a long-term commitment to the school, but only for a few hours per week? In which case, I would have expected less chance of burnt fingers here than for a full-time instructor, since people who work these kinds of hours generally tend (in my experience, at least) to have other jobs, and so are unlikely to move out of the area, or jump at the first jet job which comes along???
FFF
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As a CFI would never charge an instructor for a checkout. However I have worked at five schools and one not only charged me for the checkout but at a rate more expensive than the dual charge for students.
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FFF
The people that I have a problem with is the type who shows up apparently full of enthusiasum ( usualy low time ) says that he will do a few days a week and once the check ride is over is never returns.
I only expect a summer season from these guys but dont often see a day from them!
It cant be a personal thing as the checkride can be with any of the more experienced instructors , I only charge them the direct operating cost of the aircraft and nothing for the instructor so it is a "cheap" hours flying but perhaps I should charge them an economic rate for the aircraft it might put a few of them off and filter out the time waisters !.
I do feel for the commited instructors (full or part time) who have to shell out yet more money to get a job but they only have the instructors who have gone before them to blame !
I only expect a summer season from these guys but dont often see a day from them!
It cant be a personal thing as the checkride can be with any of the more experienced instructors , I only charge them the direct operating cost of the aircraft and nothing for the instructor so it is a "cheap" hours flying but perhaps I should charge them an economic rate for the aircraft it might put a few of them off and filter out the time waisters !.
I do feel for the commited instructors (full or part time) who have to shell out yet more money to get a job but they only have the instructors who have gone before them to blame !
Why do it if it's not fun?
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A and C,
I think most low-houred guys are looking for full-time work. I would guess that the reason your instructors leave you after a few days is because they are offered a full-time job somewhere else?
Having said that, it doesn't excuse them. When I was job-hunting I was contacted by a number of schools about working "a few days a week", and I told them I wasn't interested. I knew that if I was offered and the took these jobs I would be leaving as soon as something better came along, and I didn't want to put the schools in the position you find yourself in.
Not sure what the solution is. I would like to think that there is a better solution than charging instructors - or am I being too naive? Maybe to only take on people who are retired or have another job for these "few days a week" roles, rather than low-houred people looking to build hours and, if not make money, at least not loose too much?
FFF
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I think most low-houred guys are looking for full-time work. I would guess that the reason your instructors leave you after a few days is because they are offered a full-time job somewhere else?
Having said that, it doesn't excuse them. When I was job-hunting I was contacted by a number of schools about working "a few days a week", and I told them I wasn't interested. I knew that if I was offered and the took these jobs I would be leaving as soon as something better came along, and I didn't want to put the schools in the position you find yourself in.
Not sure what the solution is. I would like to think that there is a better solution than charging instructors - or am I being too naive? Maybe to only take on people who are retired or have another job for these "few days a week" roles, rather than low-houred people looking to build hours and, if not make money, at least not loose too much?
FFF
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