Instructor pay?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Instructor pay?
This may seem a bit of a rude question to ask, but what is the average pay for flying instructors at a small airfield.
I know pay would of course vary from place to place etc..
but just wondering what a FI could expect on average?
Lewis.
I know pay would of course vary from place to place etc..
but just wondering what a FI could expect on average?
Lewis.
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ask Crew Control
Age: 47
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When I was instructing last year I was receiving 12.50 an hour plus a monthly retainer of 300 pounds. Just about manageable in the summer but a nightmare come the winter months. I reckon you will find this fairly standard around the South of England.
Good Luck,
The Cav
Good Luck,
The Cav
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: god knows
Age: 40
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whilst I learn at Sherburn on my receipt the break down of costs shows the instructor fee as £25.00 per hour. They are self emplyed so minus tax etc and with only 6 hours flying in the winter months and the summer months a bit better there yearly wage after tax in my view would be about £25000?
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pilotdom
In your dreams does a PPL instructor earn £25k per year. On the £25/hour the school will take 50% to 40% of that £25/hour. I'd say your Sherburn instructors make about £13k to 16k per annum. If they make £25k expect a flood of instructors lining up for work at Sherburn!
In your dreams does a PPL instructor earn £25k per year. On the £25/hour the school will take 50% to 40% of that £25/hour. I'd say your Sherburn instructors make about £13k to 16k per annum. If they make £25k expect a flood of instructors lining up for work at Sherburn!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Way up North!
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Instructor Pay
I work for a busy school in the Leeds area. Unrestricted FI's get £15.00 an hour, restricted FI's get £10.00. Rumours of a £5.00 across the board pay rise in june but nothing definate. No retainers, as the PPL CFI I get £18000.00 a year. Lots of hours though. Instructors, with sim and solo are logging well over 100 hours a month at the moment, the winter months as stated above are very lean, particularly from october to the end of february.
Hope this helps,
Han.
Hope this helps,
Han.
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
Join Date: May 2000
Location: England
Posts: 1,688
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A few question from me too....
1) What do most instructors do during the lean months to survive?
2) Would it be difficult to take home around £800 a month throughout the year depending on where you're instructing?
3) Is there a trend for weekly or monthly pay packets?
Don't hold much wintertime hope for those who instruct on top of a hill (EGNM)!
VFE.
1) What do most instructors do during the lean months to survive?
2) Would it be difficult to take home around £800 a month throughout the year depending on where you're instructing?
3) Is there a trend for weekly or monthly pay packets?
Don't hold much wintertime hope for those who instruct on top of a hill (EGNM)!
VFE.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Qatar mainly & Sometimes Oxfordshire or Texas!
Age: 46
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
VFE, to answer your 1st question:
I keep the wolf from the door during quiet periods by working as a taxi driver (never needed extra jobs before starting flying as a "living" though). I've met a couple of other guys doing the same thing too, as it's another self employed job and paid cash in hand if you catch my drift.
I keep the wolf from the door during quiet periods by working as a taxi driver (never needed extra jobs before starting flying as a "living" though). I've met a couple of other guys doing the same thing too, as it's another self employed job and paid cash in hand if you catch my drift.
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
Join Date: May 2000
Location: England
Posts: 1,688
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Chinchilla.612,
Thanks for your reply. To avoid thread creap I have PM'd you a couple of questions re:driving job - would love it if you could spare a coupla moments to answer them for me please?
Cheers,
VFE.
Thanks for your reply. To avoid thread creap I have PM'd you a couple of questions re:driving job - would love it if you could spare a coupla moments to answer them for me please?
Cheers,
VFE.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: England
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just about to start with a large school in the South East. Restricted FI.
£20 ph. No retainer. Don't really know how many hours to expect.
There are 'extras' for ground school lectures & ferrying when it's avaliable.
£20 ph. No retainer. Don't really know how many hours to expect.
There are 'extras' for ground school lectures & ferrying when it's avaliable.
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For those considering a career as a flying instructor here's a general view of PPL instructor earnings based on around 600 hours a year:
PPL on conventional Fixed Wing: £12k pa
PPL Microlight 3 axis Fixed Wing: £36k pa
Cost to gain FI(R) on conventional FW - (CPL + FI rating): +/- £24k
Cost to gain FI(R) on FW 3 axis Microlight - PPL + FI rating): +/- £12k
Best return on investment has to be as Microlight Instructor
PPL on conventional Fixed Wing: £12k pa
PPL Microlight 3 axis Fixed Wing: £36k pa
Cost to gain FI(R) on conventional FW - (CPL + FI rating): +/- £24k
Cost to gain FI(R) on FW 3 axis Microlight - PPL + FI rating): +/- £12k
Best return on investment has to be as Microlight Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by porridge
For those considering a career as a flying instructor here's a general view of PPL instructor earnings based on around 600 hours a year:
PPL on conventional Fixed Wing: £12k pa
PPL Microlight 3 axis Fixed Wing: £36k pa
Cost to gain FI(R) on conventional FW - (CPL + FI rating): +/- £24k
Cost to gain FI(R) on FW 3 axis Microlight - PPL + FI rating): +/- £12k
Best return on investment has to be as Microlight Instructor
PPL on conventional Fixed Wing: £12k pa
PPL Microlight 3 axis Fixed Wing: £36k pa
Cost to gain FI(R) on conventional FW - (CPL + FI rating): +/- £24k
Cost to gain FI(R) on FW 3 axis Microlight - PPL + FI rating): +/- £12k
Best return on investment has to be as Microlight Instructor
I decided to go straight for flying instructor rather than try airlines first, because i like the idea of flying out of small flight schools and doing pleasure flights.
But compared to some ATP earnings of around 60k a year, i may try for that first. Especially after hearing that some FI's have a second job in the winter.
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
KK
Yes, quite acheiveable. Most ML instructors work as one man band out a farm field etc, yes they do own their own aircraft - I understand that's how it has to work, or if some has their own aircaraft the ML Instructor can teach on it. They appear to charge between £60 & £70 an hour for this. I know one ML Instructor who told me he makes £95 an hout doing instruction on a Thruster MLA. He owns and operates a Beech Baron so the money must come from somewhere. I didn't believe him either until I did some reseach on the BMAA website and found out it was true.
I've been looking at the Czech built E97 Eurostar (http://www.cosmikaviation.co.uk/) which goes for £44k inc. vat and it cruises at 90 kts and burns 11 litres of MOGAS an hour. Seems a very nice little trainer too; equally up to the ubiquitous PA38 or the C150, but it burns a tenner of fuel per hour instead of £26/hour! Those who have them offer TL's in them at £99/hour - go figure as they say.
Yes, quite acheiveable. Most ML instructors work as one man band out a farm field etc, yes they do own their own aircraft - I understand that's how it has to work, or if some has their own aircaraft the ML Instructor can teach on it. They appear to charge between £60 & £70 an hour for this. I know one ML Instructor who told me he makes £95 an hout doing instruction on a Thruster MLA. He owns and operates a Beech Baron so the money must come from somewhere. I didn't believe him either until I did some reseach on the BMAA website and found out it was true.
I've been looking at the Czech built E97 Eurostar (http://www.cosmikaviation.co.uk/) which goes for £44k inc. vat and it cruises at 90 kts and burns 11 litres of MOGAS an hour. Seems a very nice little trainer too; equally up to the ubiquitous PA38 or the C150, but it burns a tenner of fuel per hour instead of £26/hour! Those who have them offer TL's in them at £99/hour - go figure as they say.
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Maintenance costs are very low - have a look at the PFA site - besides on these very simple aircraft you can do the maintenance yourself - again see the PFA site.
I think what everyone is conditioned to is the very expensive maintenance costs we are used to in GA aircraft. What do you pay for your car maintenance? Now these aircraft are even simpler than your average car, so are the engines. Really it is one of the best kept secrets in aviation. Whatever anyone says they – the ML instructors – are getting £60 to £70 per hour when they instruct on aircraft owned by the trainee!
Check on the BMAA website (http://www.bmaa.org/). After all, do you know what driving instructors make, certainly not £12k pa! These guys want to make an average living too as self-employed people I don’t think £60k pa is excessive, just realistic.
We are just used to getting screwed. Now here’s another thing how about RW instructors? Do you think they work for £12k a year?
I think what everyone is conditioned to is the very expensive maintenance costs we are used to in GA aircraft. What do you pay for your car maintenance? Now these aircraft are even simpler than your average car, so are the engines. Really it is one of the best kept secrets in aviation. Whatever anyone says they – the ML instructors – are getting £60 to £70 per hour when they instruct on aircraft owned by the trainee!
Check on the BMAA website (http://www.bmaa.org/). After all, do you know what driving instructors make, certainly not £12k pa! These guys want to make an average living too as self-employed people I don’t think £60k pa is excessive, just realistic.
We are just used to getting screwed. Now here’s another thing how about RW instructors? Do you think they work for £12k a year?
Join Date: May 2005
Location: yorkshire
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't know how much microlight instructors earn, but Porridge is certainly correct to say that conventional FW instructors get screwed.
In reality, what happens is that lowly paid instructors effectively subsidise the PPls' flying training.
Won't never change until we get organised into a Union. Then we can be just like other professionals, charge a decent rate in the knowledge that the guy next door won't undercut us. Solicitors do it, why can't we?
Alternatively, the employment laws may come to our aid. As some of you may know, the Inland Revenue is assessing the status of "so-called" self-employed flying instructors. A decision has not been reached, as yet, but I hear rumours that there is a call for us to be given the protection of the law and made employees.
If we attain a proper status as employees, we may then dare to raise our heads above the parapet and organise ourselves into an effective professional body.
In reality, what happens is that lowly paid instructors effectively subsidise the PPls' flying training.
Won't never change until we get organised into a Union. Then we can be just like other professionals, charge a decent rate in the knowledge that the guy next door won't undercut us. Solicitors do it, why can't we?
Alternatively, the employment laws may come to our aid. As some of you may know, the Inland Revenue is assessing the status of "so-called" self-employed flying instructors. A decision has not been reached, as yet, but I hear rumours that there is a call for us to be given the protection of the law and made employees.
If we attain a proper status as employees, we may then dare to raise our heads above the parapet and organise ourselves into an effective professional body.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Somerset England
Age: 62
Posts: 349
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Because for the vast majority of low houred guys and gals it is the ONLY way to build hours, so that either the airlines or a multi piston charter operator will look at you.
The rates of pay are dismall by anyones standards. I had many days where it actually cost me to go to work, ie: you get to the club and either the weather turns to pants or the student couldn't be arsed to pitch up.
One club I was employed by, even had the cheek to tell me not to bother to come in again after the last flight of the day. No written or verbal warnings, just on your bike old boy, we both knew that on the £10 an hour I was earning there was no way I would be able to fight the case
At least in my last club, the minimum wage was paid after hours spent on duty were taken into account. I really do feel that somewhere in the region of £5 an hour is taking the urine somewhat for such a skilled job.
Rant over because nothing will change in the near future.
The rates of pay are dismall by anyones standards. I had many days where it actually cost me to go to work, ie: you get to the club and either the weather turns to pants or the student couldn't be arsed to pitch up.
One club I was employed by, even had the cheek to tell me not to bother to come in again after the last flight of the day. No written or verbal warnings, just on your bike old boy, we both knew that on the £10 an hour I was earning there was no way I would be able to fight the case
At least in my last club, the minimum wage was paid after hours spent on duty were taken into account. I really do feel that somewhere in the region of £5 an hour is taking the urine somewhat for such a skilled job.
Rant over because nothing will change in the near future.